Islamabad/Karachi (Staff Report/Agencies): Traders have started a two-day shutter down strike against the tax reforms introduced by the PTI-led government.
The strike call has been given by various traders associations after the deadlock between the All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajran (APAT) and Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR), traders across the country are observing a shutter down strike today (Tuesday) and tomorrow (Wednesday).
Most markets, shopping centres, and shops remained close in the capital Islamabad, commercial capital Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Faisalabad, and even several cities of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
The government has set an ambitious tax target of Rs5,000 billion (over $70 billion) for the current fiscal year, which economists say is unlikely to be achieved keeping the country’s ailing economy in view.
The new tax polices introduced by the government includes duties and taxes on traders of old mobile phones, sales tax registration for six months, prerequisite of the Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) for purchase of over Rs 50,000.
