MULTAN: Shopkeepers observed shutter down strike on Saturday in main markets in protest at, what they said, unfair taxes imposed by the federal government in the budget.

Besides vegetable and fruit markets, shops in main markets remained closed. Some shops of Gardezi Bazaar remained opened.

FAISALABAD: A partial strike was observed in the Clock Tower Bazaar markets against sales tax.

The business remained as usual in Bhawana Bazaar, Kutchery Bazaar and Chiniot Bazaar. Shops were, however, closed in Rail Bazaar, Karkhana Bazaar, cloth markets, Sattiana Road, Jaranwala Road, Iron Market and Iqbal Stadium.

Traders said it was not important whether the strike was successful or not. The important thing was that every segment of society was protesting against the government over sales tax issue, they said.

MUZAFFARGARH: District and four tehsils headquarters stood by the mainstream community of traders while villages and small towns had business as usual.

On Friday evening, anti-government traders announced in mosques asking shopkeepers to close shops on the appeal of their central leadership. Some shopkeepers, who belonged to pro-government wings, opened shops and claimed that the strike had failed.

Business as usual in small towns

PTI leader and trader Moon Sheikh said some local traders threatened shopkeepers with social boycott if they did not stand by the strike.

Deputy Commissioner Dr Ehtesham Anwar and DPO Sadiq Ali Dogar tried to convince shopkeepers to open markets in city areas but failed.

SIALKOT: Local traders observed a complete strike in Chowk Allama Iqbal, Chowk Shaheedaan, Main Bazaar, Bank Road, Railway Road, Deputy Bagh, Trunk Bazaar, Bano Bazaar, Lehai Bazaar, Tehsil Bazaar, Bazaar Khateekaan, Maharaja Road, Cantt Bazaar, Muslim Bazaar, Kashmiri Bazaar and other areas.

TOBA TEK SINGH: Shopkeepers made happy both the government and the Anjuman Tajiran by observing strike before noon and then opening shops in the afternoon in Toba Tek Singh.

Till noon, Saddar Bazaar and main markets remained closed, however, fruit and vegetable markets and small markets remained functional.

In Gojra and Kamalia, a majority of the shops remained opened but in Pirmahal, shops remained closed.

SAHIWAL: Shops remained closed in Sahiwal and Pakpattan.

Traders said they were ready to get their transactions documented but unnecessary registration requirements from the FBR and additional taxes were not acceptable to them.

Trader groups in Arifwala and Chichawatni cities showed disagreement with local leadership of Markazi Anjuman Tajiran.

PTI MPA Naeem Ibrahim in Arifwala and the Rais of Chichawatni played a significant role in partial functioning of markets.

VEHARI: The traders of Vehari, Mailsi and Burewala stopped trading activities and set up protest camps against the government policies. In rural areas like Gagoo, Garahmore, Jallah Jeem and Tibba Sultanpur people showed no interest in the strike call of the traders.

BAHAWALPUR: Bazaars and roads in the city looked deserted because of traders’ strike, However, hotels and restaurants inside Farid Gate and medical stores in front of the Bahwal Victoria Hospital remained opened.

DERA GHAZI KHAN: Traders observed a complete shutter down strike as mark of their protest against imposition of new taxes.

Local traders also staged rallies in the city and chanted slogans against new taxes and demanded their withdrawal.

LODHRAN: Most of the shops were closed while in Kehror Pacca, the strike was partial.

In Dunyapur, markets were mostly opened. Focal person of the association of business community Khwaja Kamran told Dawn their brothers shut their shops for a few hours to register their protest against new taxes.

GUJRANWALA: The trading community observed a strike against 17pc general sales tax and demanded the withdrawal of taxes and the condition of CNIC for transactions.

GUJRAT: Traders and industrialists observed a strike in most of city’s markets and industrial areas however there was a partial strike in Muslim Bazaar and on Court Road.

There was also a partial strike in Lalamusa, Kharian, Jalalpur Jattan, Sara -i-Alamgir, Dinga and Kunjah .

SHEIKHUPURA: Shops remained closed in the district.

Published in Dawn, July 14th, 2019