Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA) has called off its Saturday's countrywide strike following receiving assurance from Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif that the 7 per cent general sales tax (GST) imposed on bran will be withdrawn. The PFMA had earlier decided to observe countrywide strike on Saturday against the imposition of 7pc GST on bran following its talks with federal government had failed to reach an agreement over the issue.
According to the PFMA Sindh's Southern Zone-I chairman Mian Mehmood Hasan, the decision to call off the strike was taken at a meeting held between the Punjab chief minister and representatives of the association. He said that the chief minister who, during the course of meeting, had a telephonic conversation with the Federal Finance Minister Ishar Dar assured the association's representative that the issue would be resolved amicably. The association, he added, had informed the chief minister that the cost of flour will be increased by Rs 15 per 20kg bag in the wake of 7pc sales tax imposed on bran.