The Markazi Tanzeem Tajiran Pakistan (MTTP) has called for a nationwide strike on 13 July, Saturday to protest against the increased General Sales Tax (GST) as per the latest budget.
President of the organization Muhammad Kashif commented that the strike will be prolonged if the government does not consider the 32 point agenda presented by the organization. He further said that the transport union will join the protest on 14 July and public transport will remain shut on Sunday.
Similar protests have already been started in Faisalabad, Gujranwala and other cities. Trade Unions are of the opinion that with the revision in rates of taxes, the industries have limited scope to survive. Steel sector in tribal areas is highly affected by the tax increment to 17%. Similarly, the marble sector of Mardan is also much affected by the latest budget. The dissidents said that the administration was not willing to move in spite of the way that marble production lines in the region had been shut for as far back as nine days.
On the other side, Ajmal Baloch, President All Pakistan Markazi Anjuman-e-Tajran, and Khalid Chaudhry, Secretary Information Traders Action Committee Islamabad, held a gathering with brokers of the Islamabad Capital Territory on Wednesday and spoke to them to completely partake in the across the country screen down strike on Saturday, to record their protest. He added that the strike would not be against the legislature, rather it would be against the policies drafted against the traders to please to IMF.
He also passed personal comments on Chairman FBR Shabbar Zaidi that, before the appointment, his job was to guide people to how to avoid tax, and now he is preaching to get into the tax net. The leaders of the unions also resented about the increased exchange rate and how it has damaged the business in the market. All they demand is to protect the rights of traders and discounts on increased taxes.
