Levy of 17 percent GST: thousands of brick-kiln workers, owners hold protest rally

Thousands of workers and owners of brick-kiln on Saturday held a big rally that began from Chowk Naag Shah and ended at Chowk Kutchery. The Brick Kilns Association will observe complete strike from Saturday, July 2 till July 18 in protest against the levy of 17 percent General Sales Tax (GST) on the bricks.
President Brick Kilns Association, Multan Nazar Muhammad Khan and General Secretary, Amjad Jagwal made this announcement while addressing a press conference at press club, here on Saturday. Majority of the brick kiln owners of Multan, Shujabad, Muzaffargarh, Khanewal and Jalalpur Pirwala were also present. Nazar said that the GST on the bricks was unjustified as it would not only affect their businesses but hundreds of labourers would also lose their jobs.
He said that the general public would also suffer a lot as the construction cost of houses and other buildings would increase. He said that brick kiln owners had demanded of the government through media and other means to withdraw the decision to save the brick kiln industry from ruin and hundreds of labourers would become jobless. He said as their appeals fell on deaf ears, they had no other option but to go on a strike till July 18. Meanwhile, in view of the strike announced by the brick kilns association, the rates of bricks have been increased in the market by the suppliers and stockiest.
PML-N senior leader, Makhdoom Javed Hashmi said that the government's tall claims regarding the welfare of the people had been exposed. He added the government had destroyed the infrastructure of society by imposing 16 percent general sales tax on bricks. He expressed their deep concerns over the imposition of GST. Association's General Secretary said, "We demonstrated before but nothing happened and if the government will not take his decision back we will surround the Parliament House.