Khyber   -   Flour dealers have suspended their businesses in Jamrud area in protest against the government’s new withholding tax.

The government has implemented the withholding tax on flour mills, causing a price hike of the commodity. Flour sellers in Jamrud Bazaar said that flour mill owners and dealers’ associations across the country have started agitating against what they called an unjustified tax.

They argued that the imposition of the withholding tax on flour would directly affect the poor segments of society. As an integration with the community, they also sealed their trade centers in protest. They added that the severe tax on flour mills would lead to further price hikes, depriving poor people of basic sustenance.

In other countries, food items are exempt from all types of taxes to ensure provision to the poor, while in Pakistan, adverse tax policies are being introduced to further squeeze its citizens. They threatened to continue their strike across the country until the withdrawal of the withholding tax on flour.