Traders in the federal Capital did not observe the strike on Wednesday against the imposition of withholding tax on bank transactions, but vowed to continue their protest until the government will withdraw this tax.
Traders in several major cities of the country observed a shutter down strike on the call of All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajran except in the federal Capital and shops remained open on Wednesday in major markets of the Capital including Blue Area, Aabpara, Super Jinnah Market and markets in Markaz of different sectors.
Mohammad Kashif Chaudhry, President Markazi Anjuman-e-Tajran Islamabad, when asked why the traders of Islamabad opted not to show solidarity with the strike call made by all Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajran, said that the reason for deferring the strike was to try to bring all traders on a single platform and to press the government to withdraw this tax immediately.
He accused one of the traders' groups of becoming a "B-team" of the government which has already signed a written agreement with the government accepting the levy of 0.3 percent withholding tax on bank transactions. This group, he added, supported the August 1 strike with a view to simply appease others groups.
He said a new date for the shutter down will be announced soon following consultation with All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajran.
It maybe recalled that the traders also ignored government directives issued last year to close markets at 8pm as a strategy to conserve electricity in the country and to date has suffered no repercussions for non-compliance.
"The government's decision of forcibly closing commercial centres at 8pm was unjustified like the recent decision regarding imposition of 0.3 percent withholding tax on all bank transactions, and traders associations will just as strongly resist the imposition of withholding tax," Kashif said while talking to Business Recorder.