The trader's community in Pakistan has announced a nationwide strike on August 28 against the Tajir Dost scheme introduced by the Federal Board of Revenue, ARY News reported.
In a joint news conference with other trade associations, All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajiran asked that the Tajir Dost scheme be discontinued because it was "unacceptable." The traders urged that the decision to put high tariffs on the export sector be reversed and that the scheme be removed immediately. The retailers further urged that the higher income tax brackets for business owners and salaried individuals be removed. The merchants had earlier said that they would not be paying their August electricity bills and that the government should examine its contracts with Independent Power Producers (IPPs), reported ARY News. It is important to mention here that the FBR extended the Tajir Dost scheme to 42 cities. The scheme previously was limited to six major cities; however, it now covers Abbottabad, Attock, Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur, Chakwal, Dera Ismail Khan, Faisalabad, Ghotki, Gujarat, Gwadar, Hafizabad, Haripur, Hyderabad, Islamabad, Jhang, Jhelum, Karachi, Kasur, Khushab, Lahore, Larkana, Lasbela, Lodhran, Mandi Bahauddin, Mansehra, Mardan, Mirpurkhas, Multan, Nankana, Narowal, Peshawar, Quetta, Rahim Yar Khan, Rawalpindi, Sahiwal, Sargodha, Sheikhupura, Sialkot, Sukkur, and Toba Tek Singh. (ANI)
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