MANSEHRA: The traders in Hazara division would observe complete shutter down strike on August 1 against the imposition of withholding tax on bank transactions.

“The traders bodies in Hazara have decided to observe shutter down strike across the division on August 1 against the imposition of three per cent withholding tax by federal government on the bank transactions. We can’t accept this draconian tax at any cost,” Hafiz Ijaz, president of Mansehra Traders Union, told journalists here on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, the executive committee of traders union met at a hotel and endorsed the decision of their colleagues at divisional level to observe shutter down strike in the district.

Mr Ijaz said that presidents and secretary generals of Abbottabad, Haripur and Mansehra trader unions met on Wednesday and decided to observe shutter down strike across Hazara division. The executive committee of Mansehra Traders Union endorsed their decision, he said, adding that traders in entire Hazara would observe shutter down strike on August 1 against the tax.

Say they are not ready to accept withholding tax on bank transactions

“The new tax, imposed by federal government on bank transactions, is in fact not three per cent. It is six per cent as a person, who deposits the cash, will pay three per cent and another person, who withdraws the money, will also pay three per cent tax,” said Mr Ijaz.

He said that traders’ bodies in Balakot, Oghi, Kohistan, Battagram and other cities and towns were also in contact with them and they would also observe shutter down against the tax.

The representative of Mansehra traders said that they would make the federal government realise to think many times before imposing such ‘unjustified’ taxes in the country.

“This new tax would not only affect the business community but also other account holders. That’s why people from different walks of life would also participate in the rallies and meetings to be organised in this connections,” Mr Ijaz added.

COURT: A local court has awarded life imprisonment to a woman, who killed her husband four years ago.

Additional Sessions judge Manzoor Nadar after hearing counsels of both the parties announced verdict in the murder case of Maulana Syed Merajuddin Shah, the son of a renowned religious scholar Syed Charaguddin Shah.

The convict, Fatima Bibi, was also present in the court when the judge pronounced the verdict.

The convict would also pay the fine of Rs100,000 to the bereaved family.

According to FIR lodged with Battle police station after the incident in 2011, Fatima Bibi after killing her husband also set their house in fire to hide her crime. The convict had also confessed to her crime before the judge, stating that her husband used to beat and torture her without any reason.

Published in Dawn, July 31st, 2015

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