ISLAMABAD: Traders on Tuesday announced nationwide protests on January 16 if the directive to install point of sale (POS) devices was not withdrawn.

POS machines digitally record transactions, through touchscreen/terminal, barcode scanners, card readers, etc., and includes receipt printers. Due to POS machines all business transactions can be recorded and taxable income is easily traced by the FBR.

The announcement was made during a rally held from Aabpara Chowk to old Embassy Road against mandatory installation of POS. They tried to enter the Red Zone, but they were not allowed.

The traders had announced to hold a protest demonstration in front of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) office at Constitution Avenue, but the authorities stopped them from entering the Red Zone.

Hold rally from Aabpara Chowk to old Embassy Road against mandatory installation of POS

The rally was stopped by a heavy police contingent near Serena Hotel, following which traders staged a strong protest at the same spot and held a protest gathering.

The protest was organised by the All Pakistan Anjuman-i-Tajran and Traders Action gathering (TAC). A large number of trader representatives and shopkeepers from Islamabad and Rawalpindi participated in the rally.

Leaders of various traders’ associations from Islamabad and Rawalpindi addressed the gathering, including representatives of market associations and chambers of small traders.

Addressing the rally, President TAC, Islamabad, Ajmal Baloch said that the government should immediately withdraw what he termed the “black law” of installing POS devices. In a fiery speech he called for the passage of legislation awarding the death penalty for corruption.

Citing an International Monetary Fund (IMF) report, he claimed that corruption worth Rs53 trillion occurs annually across the country, and FBR had the largest share. “These corrupt elements had now turned towards traders, and that the installation of POS machines at small shops will only create new options to fleece the traders for bribery,” Mr Baloch added.

He informed about some incidents involving FBR, that legally imported tyres worth millions of rupees were seized, with only half returned while the remainder were allegedly distributed among corrupt officials.

Ajmal Baloch also alleged that children of thousands of FBR employees were studying abroad.

“We have a simple demand why there should not be any inquiry into their assets, claiming that even low-ranking staff own luxury vehicles worth millions of rupees,” he said. He further alleged that customs authorities had seized 26,000 non-custom-paid vehicles that were being used by bureaucrats and their relatives.

He warned that if the FBR attempted to install POS machines by force or seal any small shop in Islamabad, traders would resist strongly. The leaders of the protest announced that in the next phase of protests they plan to block Kashmir Highway and stage a sit-in at Zero Point on Jan 16.

The speakers said that if FBR continued its oppressive policies, traders would call a nationwide shutter-down strike and stage a protest at D-Chowk. They demanded the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to protect traders from corruption and high-handedness by the tax authorities.

Published in Dawn, December 31st, 2025