Rawalpindi - A large number of traders yesterday registered their strong protest against the government for imposing 0.6 percent withholding tax on bank transactions.
The traders warned the government to withdraw its decision or else they would observe complete strike on September 9 against this cruel tax. The massive protest demonstration was staged by the traders at Fawwara Chowk.
They blocked it for all kinds of vehicular movement. Led by Markazi Anjuman-e-Tajran President Shahid Ghafoor Paracha, the protestors bellowed slogans against the Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif.
Speakers including Shahid Ghafoor Paracha, while addressing the protestors, said that Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) won general elections with the support of traders but it has made the lives of trade community hell after coming into power. They said the traders avoid from pouring on roads but the conspiracies and poor policies of bureaucracy and advisors of the PM have forced them to adopt the way of protest to press the government to withdraw its decision of imposing withholding tax on bank transactions.
“We will not sit peacefully until the PML-N takes back its anti-businessman decision,” said Malik Shahid Ghafoor Paracha. He said the government should act sensibly or else the traders would pour on roads. “This will not be in favour of teh government,” he warned.
He said that the traders have been facing financial hardships owing to erroneous policies of the PML-N.
He said that imposing withholding tax on bank transactions is tantamount to robbing the pockets of traders. “I admit the PML-N enjoys full support of traders in Rawalpindi but I tell the leadership clearly that the traders will stand against the government if it fails in meeting their genuine demands,” Paracha said.
Another trader Naveed Kanwal said if the government fails to withdraw the tax, the traders would boycott banks on September 4 and a complete strike would be observed across the country on September 9. “All the traders are united against the government’s anti-traders decision of imposing withholding tax,” he said.
The irate traders were chanting slogans against the government and demanding the withdrawal of withholding tax. The commuters were also in trouble on Murree Road and its linking roads owing to blockage of Fawwara Chowk. Heavy contingent of police was present on the scene to maintain law and order.