KARACHI, April 15: Paper merchants called off their strike on Tuesday afternoon on the intervention and assurance of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Mian Nasser Hyatt Maggo.
Paper dealers have been observing shutterdown strike since Monday to protest the arrest of paper dealer, Mohammad Saleem, on his alleged involvement of under-invoicing in import of paper causing duty evasion of millions of rupees.
The KCCI chief has assured the All Pakistan Paper Merchants Association (APPMA) of taking up the matter with the CBR and other higher authorities. He promised that the matter would be resolved as promised by member CBR (Customs) Zafar Majid and the local Customs officials.
The CBR member has assured that no further action would be taken against any paper merchants and the related indenters till the federal finance minister meets the KCCI and FPCCI delegation.
The KCCI president, accompanied by senior vice-president Salim Kapadia and vice president Nasir Chandna, visited the paper market and convinced the striking paper merchants to call off their strike. A KCCI delegation would meet Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz on April 19 to resolve the matter.
However, paper merchants have threatened to resume strike any time in case the bureaucracy backs out of the assurance. In case of any untoward situation in future on part of the Customs department paper merchants of the entire city will close their business, they added.
APPMA chairman Abdul Majeed Memon said the arrest of Saleem Memon by the Customs department was illegal because the under-invoicing alleged by the department was less than 15 per cent which did not establish cognizance of criminal act.
Some paper merchants pointed out that another paper merchant, Shahzad, has also been taken into custody by the Customs department on Tuesday morning.
Alliance of Market Association chairman Atiq Mir has urged the government to release the paper dealer immediately as such kind of arrest has created an uncertainty among the traders.
