VEHARI: The traders of Vehari staged a demonstration against the collection of General Sales Tax (GST) through electricity bills here on Sunday.

They took out a rally and waved banners and placards inscribed with slogans against the imposition of sales tax.

The rally, led by Vehari Anjuman Tarjan Arshad Bhatti, staged a sit-in in front of the Vehari Municipal Committee, where speakers Bhatti, Rao Khalil and Afzal Hashmi said traders had been imposed a Rs6,000 GST per month levied on electricity bills for retailers.

They said the electricity bills already included sales tax, income tax, fuel adjustment and additional taxes.

They rejected the collection of GST from consumers, saying the government was ‘extorting money from the masses through inflated bills and other taxes and they would not accept such oppressive policies.

They said traders all over the province would not pay electricity bills till the withdrawal of GST tax from the utility bills.

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2022