Millat Tractor Limited factory workers' union warned of long march toward Islamabad if federal government did not withdraw 17 per GST imposed on the tractor industry. Addressing the workers' rally, here on Monday.
Union's president, Haji Maqsoodur Rehman said that Al-Ghazi Tractor factory has already been closed as a result of 17 percent GST while MTL has also issued notice regarding closure of production which would cause increase in unemployment.
In case of closure of MTL, not only 500,000 people would be deprived of their jobs but government would also suffer a loss of Rs 15 billion on account of taxes from this industry alone, he maintained. He furthered that out of the total tractor production of 33,000 units during last year, 23,000 were only sold by MTL. Now the sale has declined to 12,000 units due to increase in tractors' prices following levy of GST, he said and added that because of high mark up, the prices have gone out of the reach of farmers. Under the present scenario, farmers are bound to plough their field on rented tractors, which would add to production cost.
Maqsoodur Rehman appealed to the president of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister, Yousaf Raza Gilani, Finance Minister, Abdul Hafeez Sheikh and Minister for Industry, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi to take notice of the situation and provide relief to the tractor industry.