Islamabad, JULY26: In the event that the federal government does not revoke the new withholding tax on rice and pulses, the Karachi Wholesale Grocers Association has threatened to go on strike. The government has five days to remove the new tax, according to the organization.
At a press conference, Chairperson Abdul Rauf Ibrahim declared that they will all be against the withholding tax. By July 30, the traders will have chosen their ultimate course of action. He threatened legal action if their demands were not granted, stating that the new levy will raise consumer costs by Rs. 10-15 per kilogram.
He questioned if the government would act only if traders, such as oil dealers and grain mills, went on strike, and he encouraged it to pay attention to the requests of the traders. To protest excessive energy rates, Karachi shopkeepers have announced market closures in the interim.
In a show of protest, the All Sadr Alliance of Market and Mall Association has declared that marketplaces would be closed from 12 PM to 3 PM. The merchants intend to intensify their protests, maybe even include protests outside of marketplaces, if the situation does not improve.
The association’s spokesman underlined that lower power prices were desperately needed because the existing rates could not support ongoing commercial operations.
