Traders shut market across country after talks failure with govt

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – Traders shut down markets across the country on Wednesday after their talks with the government failed. Traders associations called for two days of shutter down protests across Pakistan, the protest entered its second day. After failure the talks with government, the traders hinted at close the market for unspecified time period. It is pertinent to mention here that they have been protesting against sales tax registration, a new condition requiring them to provide CNICs on transactions over Rs50,000, withholding tax on income and revised sales tax on used mobile phones. Traders met the government in Islamabad for talks which failed after the Federal Board of Revenue refused to end or defer the condition for traders to provide CNICs on transactions up to Rs50,000. Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Quetta and Peshawar as well as other cities saw their major markets shut for the second day on Wednesday. In cities like Karachi and Lahore, big markets were closed but markets in posh areas remained open. The traders have warned that if the government does not accept their demands, the protest will run on to Thursday. All shops and markets will remain closed due to the strike. Two rounds of talks were held between the traders and officials of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and the Finance Ministry, but they failed to yield any results. Both the parties are resilient on the condition of the Computerized National Identity Card. Markazi Tanzeem-e-Tajiran Pakistan President Muhammad Kashif Chaudhry said that they will announce the future strategy on Wednesday. All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajran secretary general Naeem Mir said that they would not let anyone do documentation. Meanwhile, traders across the country observed strike against the government’s tax reforms including condition to provide computerised national identity cards. Many shops and markets in different cities remained closed on Tuesday. The Markazi Anjuman-i-Tajiran had announced a shutter down strike throughout the country on October 29 and 30. The traders have been protesting the condition to provide computerised national identity cards on transactions up to Rs50,000, withholding tax on income, revised sales tax on used mobile phones. The Pakistan Chamber of Commerce has approved of the strike. Kashif Chaudhry also confirmed their participation in the strike at a separate press conference. All major businesses were shut down throughout the country. Lahore’s wholesale markets in Shah Alam and Akbari Mandi, electronic and mobile markets on Mall Road and Hafiz Centre, along with Anarkali Bazaar and Urdu Bazaar remained close. Traders of Quetta, too, closed down their shops in support of the strike. All small and big businesses were shut down throughout out the city. The traders demanded that a tax of 0.25% should be charged on their profits. They also said that a system of charging fixed tax should be brought for supermarts and traders should not be made the withholding agent. The traders association in Balochistan warned that if their demands were not met, then they will be forced to take more serious measures. On the other hand, in Hyderabad, the Anjaman-e-Tajran announce not to strike today.