LAHORE: Goods Transporters and Custom Clearing Agents have joined hands with traders in the shutter down strike called on August 1, against withholding tax on banking transactions.
The representatives of goods transport association, and All Pakistan Custom Clearing Agents Association along with traders of various traders’ bodies announced the business halting strike in a press conference at Lahore Press Club.
The participants of press conference were Pakistan Anjuman-i-Tajiran president Muhammad Ashraf Bhatti (Bhatti group), Qaumi Tajir Ittehad central president Sheikh Mushtaq Ahmed, APAT Punjab president Chaudhry Mehboob Sirki, LCCI Azad Group chairman Raja Hassan Akhtar, Lahore Traders Alliance president Safdar Ali Butt, APBF Lahore president Chaudhry Amjad and the APAT, central general secretary, Naeem Mir.
The participants of the press conference said the traders boycotted the second round of talks with government as Finance Minister Ishaq Dar also did not attend the meeting which shows the non seriousness of the government to redress the traders’ grievances.
They said the traders are united and the government efforts to divide them into groups will foil. The government is attempting to break the unity of the traders in order to accomplish their motives.
All Pakistan Transporters Association representative said that they will also jammed the wheel on August 1, as the whole business community, including manufacturers; transporters and general public are disturbed with this draconian law of WHT on banking transaction.