RAWALPINDI: Traders in the city remain divided over a shutter-down strike against the imposition of 0.6 per cent withholding tax on bank transactions.

The PML-N supported traders led by Shahid Ghafoor Paracha announced to observe a strike on August 1 (Saturday) while the other group supported by the PPP fixed August 5 for the protest.

The traders belonging to Traders Action Committee led by Nasir Mir and People’s Traders Cell led by Tariq Waheed Butt held a meeting on Thursday and decided to open the shops on August 1.

They said the Punjab government used the PML-N traders to create differences among the community to sabotage the campaign for their rights.

“We will observe a shutter-down strike on August 5 on the call of Markazi Anjuman Tajiran of the country. The PML-N supported traders want to divide the traders on the genuine demand to withdraw the imposition of the withholding tax,” Nasir Mir told Dawn.

He said the PML-N traders were assigned the duty by the government to sabotage the strike.

He said all trader leaders belonging to the PML-N wanted to get party tickets for the local government elections.

“We will observe a strike on August 5 as per plan and in this regard all the traders will have to close their shops,” he said.

However, the other group led by Shahid Ghafoor Paracha and Cantonment Traders Association president Zafar Qadri told Dawn that they would observe the strike on Saturday.

He said both the calls were generated from Lahore as the traders were divided in two groups over the strike. “Our stance is to press the government immediately but the other group wants to give time to the government and have fixed August 5 for the strike,” he said.

He said unity of the traders was necessary to press the government to withdraw the imposition of tax on bank transactions.

Published in Dawn, July 31st, 2015

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