ABBAS KASSAR
HYDERABAD: Hyderabad, Qasimabad and Ltifabad observed shutter down on Saturday on call of Hyderabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other trader organizations against imposition of withholding tax on bank transaction. Other trade organizations apart from HCCI which joined the call of shutter down strike were Rasool Bux Shaikh of Anjuman Tjeran Qasimabad, Haji Mubarak Ali of Anjuman Tajeran cloth market Latifabad, Farid Chandrigr of Sarafa and Jewellers Association, Ikramddin Guddu of Electronic dealers association,Mahmood Ali Rajpur of Grain seed oil and general merchants association, chairman Azam Chohan,Abdul Qayoom Nusrat chaiman ABAD,Haji Ismail Shaikh of Al-Rahim Shopping center,Aslam Deswali of Autoparts dealers association,Shakir Memon of earthmovig machinery association,Haji Sharif of Muslim cloth union, Haji Ayub if Anjuman Resham Bazar, Abdul Wahid Shaikh of Thandi Sarak Association, Ghazi Salahuddin of Cantt shopping association, Muhmmad Farooq, Yousuf Dada, Mir Afazal Khan of Sindh bus owners association, Aslam Bawani of SITE association, Sadiq Shaikh of Gul center,Turab Ali Khwaja, Syed Yawar Ali Shah, Ziauddin Haji Akhtiar Arain and Wasim Arain all attended meeting of traders at HCCI hall which was chaired by its president Gohar Seth who addressing the meeting said HCCI was with traders but it was time all trade unions should unite on this issue. He was of view that imposing tax on force would affect economy advedrsely. The representatives of trade association said double taxation and SRO would damage the trade and industry.Salim Vohra and Haji Zheeruddin said they reject withholding tax on bank transaction and demand its withdrawal. The representatives of trade and industry warned that if tax was not withdrawn then they would again shut down business on 5th August.
Correspondent
LARKANA: A complete shutter down strike was observed in Larkana division following country wide campaign against the removal withholding Tax (WHT) here on Saturday.
Federation of Trade Association (FTA) representing 27 organizations of Traders jointly closed all the business centers, markets, shopping centers and main bazaars including the Resham Gali, Bunder Road, Shahi Bazzar, Anaj Mandi, Sabzi Mandi, Pakistani Chowk, Petrol pumps, CNG stations.
The traffic was thin on the roads early hours, while protest was led by the various traders marched through all main roads including VIP road, Station road and others.
On the occasion, President Federation of Trade Association Larkana Tariq Nazir Shaikh in a statement said that traders will continue their struggle for their rights; until withholding tax imposed despite their reservations it would hamper trade and economic activities to tarnish the government’s image.
Tariq Nazir Shaikh vowed that traders would not accept forced collection of withholding tax on banking transactions and called upon the government to immediately withdraw, he said that government should avoid coercive measures for tax collection and immediately withdraw WHT and provide relief to all the business men.
He also lambasted the government for imposing 14 percent withholding tax on internet use and said that all the internet companies had shifted this burden on the consumers and started notifying consumers over increase in their rates, which the objective behind the protest was to open the eyes of government and if their demands are not met further strategy to prolong our strike, he added.