Brick kiln owners announce shutdown

Demand withdrawal of sales tax imposed in budget.

FAISALABAD:

Brick kiln owners have announced a countrywide strike for an indefinite period from Thursday in protest against imposition of 16 per cent sales tax.

Announcing this at a press conference on Wednesday, Kiln Owners Association District President Muhammad Farman Khan said in line with the decision of All Pakistan Kiln Owners Association all manufacturing houses of Faisalabad would stay closed till the acceptance of their demand for withdrawal of sales tax imposed in the budget for 2011-12.

He said kiln owners and workers would also hold protest rallies on July 16 in all the main centres of different cities to express their resentment and dismay over government’s apathy towards solution of problems of kiln owners.

He said the brick kiln industry was creating jobs for millions of workers besides playing a key role in development projects, but the government instead of providing incentives was unnecessarily burdening the sector with sales tax.

He said protests by kiln owners had halted development work in the construction sector as well as other important projects. “This will not only delay the completion of projects but will also increase the cost,” he added.

Brick kiln owners have been agitating against sales tax since the start of July and have closed manufacturing houses, leading to shortage of bricks and a rise in their prices.







Published in The Express Tribune, July 14^th, 2011.