LAHORE: The cement dealers across the country went on a shutter-down strike in protest against imposition of heavy taxes, including withholding tax, coupled with placement of point of sales (PoS) machines, by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) in the 2024-25 budget.

Because of the strike, those engaged in the construction business couldn’t procure cement as the shops remained closed on Sunday. The association office-bearers, in a press release, termed the imposition of taxes, PoS etc a disaster for the businesses, saying the situation left them with no option but to close their distribution outlets.

“We are being harassed by the FBR in connection with placement of PoS machines. Everyone knows that this sector mostly consists of uneducated people who can’t operate PoS machines. But the FBR does not understand [their limitations],” a spokesman for the All Pakistan Cement Distributors Association said.

He said a lot of taxes have already been imposed on the dealers and retailers, who can’t pay these from the meager margin being given to them by the cement factories.

Published in Dawn, July 15th, 2024