LAHORE: To protest against controversial withholding tax (WHT) on all banking transactions, traders across the country will observe their fourth shutter-down on Wednesday (today) on the call of All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajiran, which is also backed by all major and small factions of APAT including Khalid Pervaiz, Naeem Mir and Ashraf Bhatti groups.
Traders observed their first strike against WHT at the end of Ramazan on the call of Khalid Pervaiz Group, when all wholesale markets remained shut while the second successful shutter down was observed across the country on the call of Naeem Mir Group on August 1. The third markets closure, which was observed on August 5, wasn’t much successful as it was partial due to division in traders.
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APAT central general secretary, Naeem Mir, accompanied by represenatatives of all factions of APAT, while addressing the press conference at Lahore Press Club, announced that traders are now united to show their strength, giving the message that no tax can be imposed on them forcefully. Representatives of major retail and wholesale markets of Lahore also attended the press conference. “If govt does not accept our demands, we shall start a series of strikes across the country, in four provinces and in each and ever small and big city in protest against huge and cruel taxation measures of this so-called business friendly govt,” he said.
Mir also announced to hold fifth shutter down strike on 7th October if WHT on banking transaction is not removed, along with long march of traders to Islamabad. All opposition parties will also be invited to participate in long march, he added. He asked the prime minister to intervene and announce to defer WHT.
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He claimed that all markets of Lahore have announced to back the strike call of All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajiran, particularly Anarkali, Mall Road, Panorama Centre, Hall Road, Beadon Road, Urdu Bazaar, McLeod Road, Brandreth Road, Shah Alam Market, Rang Mahal Market, Kashmiri Bazaar, Icchra Bazaar, Liberty Market, Akbari Mandi, Badami Bagh, Auto Market, Moti Bazaar, Soha Bazaar, Dabbi Bazar, Ferozepur Road, Multan Road, Jail Road auto mobiles market, Urdu bazaar, Circular Road, Moti bazaar etc would remained closed. Mir asserted that the traders would not hold any dialogue with the government on the issue, as we want WHT be abolished at all. He said that the PML-N had formed the government with the support of business community and now it is taking anti-business decisions.
Naeem Mir claimed that all major markets of Sindh and Karachi will also remain closed and all traders groups have unanimously decided to support the strike call of APAT. He said that Aitque Mir, chairman of All Karachi Tajir Ittehad and 500 markets of Karachi have announced to keep markets closed today, included Sadder, Tariq Road, Car Dealers Association, Clifton Defense Property Dealers, Old City Area, Hajji Camp, electronics Market, Gul Plaza, Plaza Spare Parts, Sindh Auto Parts market, Timber Market, Iron and Steel Market, Karachi Furniture Dealers Group, Garden Oil Market, Bohra Pir, Liaqat Abad, MA Jinnah Road, Nursery and Old City.
He said that under the banner of APAT and AKTI, traders would also take out the rally from Mazar-i-Quaid to Press Club via Tower. Attique said there is no option to talk over the issue with government till the end of levy. In Islamabad, Central Union of the Traders has announced to support today’s strike. The traders of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhawa would also observe strike today. He further said that traders would besiege the parliament if government does not withdraw the withholding tax.
He was of the view that government had imposed withholding tax on the direction of International Monetary Fund (IMF). The investors are taking their investment out of the country after imposition of withholding tax on the banking transaction, he claimed.
Meanwhile, while supporting the stance of traders on the issue of withholding tax on banking transactions, the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry has also decided to observe strike today (September 09).
LCCI President Ijaz A. Mumtaz said that the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry has decided to go with the traders as they are backbone of the economy and playing role of a silent soldier for economic uplift of the country. He said that unfortunately government has not shown any flexibility on the issue of withholding tax on banking transactions and forced business community to observe strike to register their protest.
Ijaz A. Mumtaz said that government should withdraw this tax as it has been observed that tax collection machinery has no authentic data to specify difference between filers and non-filers.
He said that imposition of 0.3 percent withholding tax on banking transaction is a sheet injustice and against the government’s own policy of tax net expansion. He said that this is a double taxation which is bound to hit the trade and industry hard. He said that government should understand that protests and strikes always hit the economic activities hard therefore this tax should be withdrawn immediately in the larger interest of the economy.
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He said that the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry was with all the trade and industrial associations against this imposition of tax on bank transactions.
He said that if tax on all bank transactions is imposed forcefully, it would not only hamper the trade and economic activities but would also tarnish the image of the government.