Pakistan: Traders call for nationwide strike after talks with government fail

Anjuman-e-Tajiran central president Kashif Chaudhry termed the government's talks as a 'drama' and announced that there will be a complete shutdown from Khyber to Karachi on August 28. According to Kashif Chaudhry, the traders are demanding an investigation into IPP agreements and a reduction in the cost of electricity.

Describing the strike as the first step in that direction, he said that there is a need to correct the economic system.

The central president of Anjuman-e-Tajiran said that traders and businessmen are tired of paying taxes.

“In future, any shopkeeper who wants to open his shop will close his shop on August 28,” he said, according to ARY News.

The shutdown is expected to affect all major cities including Gujranwala, Peshawar, Multan, Faisalabad, Karachi and Lahore.

Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Rashid Mehmood Langrial had earlier promised the traders that their “legitimate” demands would be accepted but also said the Tajir Dost scheme would not be stopped.

According to Rashid Mehmood Langriyal, who announced this during a virtual conference with traders from Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Gujranwala and Peshawar, all the “legitimate” demands of the traders will be met. But the FBR chairman categorically stated that the Tajir Dost scheme will not be withdrawn, ARY News reported.

It is worth noting that the FBR chairman had called Pakistani traders for a meeting after the traders said they would observe a nationwide strike on August 28.

According to FBR Chairman Rashid Mahmood Langriyal, there is no retail and wholesale tax in Pakistan, he also said that it is impractical to impose higher taxes on powerful people than the weak ones.