Traders announce two-day shutter down strike

Two-day shutter down strike is underway by the business community and traders across the country against the government’s enforcement of taxes and the condition of identity cards.

Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Faisalabad are important markets in all the major cities, sources said.

In Karachi, several markets and bazaars have been called by the Electronic Dealers’ Association and All Sarafa Jewelers’ Association to observe strike for two days, the day when the anti-government protest march by opposition parties would reach the federal capital.

All major groups of traders have sought to bring trade and economic activities across the country to a standstill for building pressure on the government to change its policies and abolish the CNIC condition on transaction of Rs50,000 or above on locally produced items.

Traders have warned expanding the protest if the conditions, including presenting a CNIC copy for buying and selling goods up to Rs50,000 is not withdrawn.

All traders of Karachi under various associations have been asked to keep shutters down on both days to protest against additional duties and taxes on imports, sales tax registration, turnover tax, fixed tax etc.

Major traders in Faisalabad have also called for strike in protest against the Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR).

The traders have demanded the government and the FBR to bring “business-friendly” policies as consumers have gradually squeezed their purchases due to sky-rocketing prices of essential commodities.