Traders announce next round of strike

[ahlam1399]

ISLAMABAD: Traders have announced the next round of pulling down the shutters to force its demands.Markazi Tanzeem Tajiran, Pakistan, President Muhammad Kashif Chaudhry told a presser here on Wednesday that the traders from across the country would close their businesses first on August 15 and 16 and then August 26 and 27 to protest, what he called, the government's flawed economic policies, anti-trader tax regime, and controversial budgetary moves.He said the call for the shutter-down strike had been given after approval by the country's all trader associations.Accompanied by Markazi Tanzeem Tajiran, Punjab, President Muhammad Sharjeel Mir and other trader leaders including Sheikh Saleem, Malik Zaheer, Ashfaq Abbasi, Khawaja Khalil Salar and Raja Javed Iqbal, the Markazi Tanzeem Tajiran, Pakistan, leader criticised the government for ‘disregarding’ the 32-point charter of demands for improvement of economic conditions and said July 13's complete strike across the country showed the lack of the traders' trust in the government's policies, especially tax measures."The government's announcement about a fixed tax system for small traders was merely paying lip service; it had never been serious about it. Now, as our grievances about complicated tax system, sales tax registration, CNIC condition for goods sale and purchase, and other matter haven't been addressed, we [nationwide traders] have unanimously decided to go on strike yet again first on August 15 and 16 and then August 26 and 27," he announced.Muhammad Kashif Chaudhry said the traders would never accept the CNIC condition for sale and purchase and would besiege the Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR) teams during visit to markets. He said the government's tax measures would further squeeze economy and business activities in the country.The trader leader said loan interest payments, widening gap between the government's revenue and expenses, rupee devaluation, recession, economic and political instability, and the imposition of a budget made on the IMF's dictation and without consulting stakeholders had hampered the already slow industrial and commercial activities in the country.He said the FBR was unwilling to listen to traders distressing them, while the common man was troubled by the escalating inflation rate.Kashif Chaudhry demanded that the government force the people with commercial power and gas meters to become tax filers, introduce category-wise fixed taxation system for traders, collect taxes from traders on a simple Urdu form through banks, impose sales taxes on goods import and manufacturing, end CNIC condition for goods sale and purchase, and check corruption within the FBR to increase revenue.He appealed to traders across the country to pull off a show of unity yet again by observing the shutter down strike on the announced dates to protect their businesses.Lahore corresponent adds: The traders announced shutterdown strike for four days after Eidul Azha against government’s tax measures through Finance Act 2019 and also rejecting doing buying and selling on CNIC condition.The strike call was announced under the banner of the All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajiran (APAT), along with leaders of all major markets of Lahore, representatives of the APAT across Punjab and consent from across the country.The announcement was made by the general secretary (Central) of the APAT, Naeem Mir while addressing a press conference Wednesday at the Lahore Press Club. He was flanked by leaders of different markets including Ashraf Bhatti, Amjad Ch, Waqar Ahmed Mian, Haji Hanif, Malik Amanat, Sohail Mehmood Butt, Imran Bashir, Sh Irfan Iqbal, Mian Tahir Subhani, Malik Farooq Hafiz, Agha Zulfiqar, Syed Azmat Shah, Malik Kaleem and others.The APAT announced that the traders will go on a complete shutterdown for two days in the first phase on August 15 and 16 while in the second phase the shutterdown will be observed for another two days on August 26 and 27 across the country for meeting their demands.They informed that the traders strike decision was taken after consultation of all trade bodies. They claimed that this is a joint press conference of all factions of APAT including Ashraf Bhatti Group, Qaumi Tajir Ittehad, Lahore Businessmen Front of LCCI, All Pakistan Truck Trailer Owners Association, Jewellers Association, Auto Dealers Association, Progressive Group and all other trade bodies of the city, which have decided to join this countrywide shutterdown strike. “This is the unanimous decision of all the trade bodies of the country which have decided to keep their shops shut, closing all markets from Karachi to Peshawar for four days in the month of August 2019, as their demands have not been accepted so far,” said Naeem Mir demanding the government to announce the scheme of fixed tax for retailers only with their consultations. He warned that their protest will continue until the announcement and implementation of the fixed tax system. He refused to accept the ‘government’s so called chosen’ fixed tax. He said traders may opt for a shutdown for an indefinite period after Ashura if their demands are not accepted.Naeem Mir said the government was non-serious in resolving the issues of traders because it has not even accepted demands of those traders who had not observed shutterdown strike earlier, terming the government’s action unfortunate and cruel. He said the government had committed to announcing a fixed tax scheme for traders but it could not be declared despite the passing of three weeks and added that the authorities are also trying to confuse traders on the CNIC issue. Mir further criticised the government for engaging fake trade bodies in talks, which are not the real stakeholders.“We are on the verge of economic collapse and government’s wrong taxation measures are worsening the situation”. He lamented that the government was trying to divide the business community instead of resolving their issues. He said the Federal Board of Revenue was not ready to listen to the traders due to which trading community was worried while people were also facing huge inflation.http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/com/cwEr/~4/fRZFJtpEgxs

أكثر... (http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/com/cwEr/~3/fRZFJtpEgxs/506693-traders-announce-next-round-of-strike)