ISB/LHR/KHI/-Traders, political parties unite against tax policies electricity bills, Traders across Pakistan observed a nationwide strike on Wednesday, shutting down businesses in protest against the government’s tax reforms and electricity bills. The strike, supported by traders’ associations and political parties, including JUI-F, JI, PTI, and ANP, brought commercial activities to a grinding halt.
The traders are demanding a withdrawal of the hike in taxes and electricity bills, which they say are unbearable. They also reject the government’s “Trader Friendly Scheme” in its current form.
Political leaders, including JI Spokesperson Qaisar Sharif and PTI leader Sheikh Waqas Akram, addressed press conferences and expressed support for the strike. PTI also joined the utility store employees’ sit-in, urging the government to close IPPs instead of shutting down utility stores.
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The government, however, remains unmoved, with Coordinator to Prime Minister Rana Ihsaan Afzal Khan saying that the government won’t be pressured by traders. He invited traders for talks, insisting that the retail sector must come under the tax net.
The strike has been observed in all major cities, including Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, and Rawalpindi, with traders and industrialists demanding relief from the government.
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