Islamabad, Aug 27: On the invitation of the All Pakistan Traders Association, the trading associations of Rawalpindi have decided to band together for a total shutdown of the city and its cantonment areas on Wednesday (tomorrow).
On August 28, the president of the Rawalpindi Restaurants, Caterers, Sweets, and Bakers Association, Muhammad Farooq Chaudhry, declared his support for the nationwide trade strike. He emphasized the need for corporate executives to be involved in the development of any future tax legislation and urged the government to review the current tax code.
Noting that their association had already slashed expenditures, he questioned whether the government was willing to do the same. Chaudhry took issue with the Punjab government’s imposition of fines ranging from Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 100,000 in addition to a Rs. 2.24 sales tax on a Rs. 14 roti. He also emphasized how dealers in the food industry are burdened by numerous additional levies. The Rawalpindi Traders Association President, Shahid Ghafoor Paracha, emphasized that the financial difficulties faced by traders were made worse by excessive electricity rates.
A different merchants’ association president, Sharjeel Mir, said that dwindling consumer spending power is detrimental to company operations. To lighten the load on the general public, he demanded lower taxes and a more accommodating atmosphere.
