Traders in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reject ‘Tajir Dost scheme’ Tax, Announce Nationwide Strike on August 28″

English , Events - تقریبات , Snippets , / Monday, August 26th, 2024

By: Tariq Khan Yousafzai

Takht Bhai: The Central Organization of Traders Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has rejected the ‘Tajir Dost Scheme’ tax imposed by the government on small traders, labeling it a “trader-enemy” tax and a form of economic exploitation. In response, they have announced a complete shutter-down strike from Karachi to Gwadar and across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on August 28.

They demanded that the government immediately withdraw the decision to impose this oppressive tax; otherwise, they will continue their protests indefinitely.

Speaking at a press conference at the Takht Bhai Press Club on Monday, the President of the Central Organization of Traders Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sharafat Ali Mubarak, and General Secretary Zahir Shah stated that traders are already burdened with numerous unjust taxes. They criticized the government for increasing the tax burden on small traders instead of reducing its own expenses.

They warned that if the government does not heed their demands, they will be forced to take extreme measures, which could have severe consequences. Their demands include:

• Withdrawal of the ‘trader-enemy’ tax.
• Reduction of government expenses instead of increasing taxes.
• Resolution of issues faced by traders.
• Cancellation of all previous agreements with Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and holding them accountable.
• Removal of illegal taxes from electricity bills and bringing transparency to the tax system.

They appealed to the trading community to ensure the success of the strike on August 28 and warned the government against imposing further oppressive taxes, urging it to provide relief to both the public and traders. Otherwise, they will expand the scope of their strike and protests.