Like other parts of the country, all leading trade bodies under the aegis of All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajran (APAT) observed a complete shutter-down strike in the provincial capital on Tuesday against "unjustified" taxation policies of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government.
Besides other issues, the traders have been raising concerns over the federal budget 2019-20 and demanding removal of the CNIC-based invoicing condition, withdrawal of turnover tax regime and exemption of sales tax for small and medium size traders.
Prominent among the leading commercial centres which remained closed were Hall Road, Bedon Road, Brandrth Road, Badami Bagh Auto Market, Anarkali, Urdu Bazaar, Abid Market, Liberty Market, Ganpat Market, Azam Cloth Market, Ichra, Gulberg Main Market, Walled City, Hafeez Trade Centre and Ghalib Market. However, some traders opened their shops in the evening and continued trading activity.
Some small traders and their workers also held protest demonstration against the PTI government and demanded replacement of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Shabbar Zaidi who, they claimed, backtracked from his promises several times whenever the representatives of different small size trade bodies held negotiations with him.
Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) President Irfan Iqbal Sheikh and APAP President Ashraf Bhatti said in a joint statement that the unity shown by traders in Lahore has proved that everyone is rejecting unfair taxation policies introduced in the federal budget on the dictation of International Monetary Fund (IMF).
They said the country suffers a huge financial loss due to the closure of markets for a single day. They asked what would happen if the strike prolongs. "The government should note that the demands of traders are genuine, which is why all the chambers of commerce are supporting them," they stressed.
They said the traders have also agreed in principle that the strike would continue till the acceptance of their demands. "We are observing the attitude of the government very cautiously and our next strategy would be devised accordingly," they said, adding that the traders cannot bear the brunt of IMF's hash conditions alone at any cost.
On Friday, the APAT had launched "Tajir Bachao March" across the country and requested the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) to become a part of its march. "If the office-bearers of the FPCCI failed to become the part of our protest by shutting down their offices, then the next demonstration will be held outside their offices," APAT Central General Secretary had threatened.
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