RGST: Traders launch protest

All Karachi Tajir Ittehad announces traders will stage protest against imposition of the reformed general sales tax.

KARACHI: The All Karachi Tajir Ittehad has announced that traders will stage a protest against the imposition of the reformed general sales tax.

To this end, it has announced an emergency meeting of representatives of more than 300 markets on November 28 in the city’s furniture market in Arambagh.

The meeting will be presided over by All Karachi Tajir Ittehad Chairman Ateeq Mir, who said that people and the economy cannot bear any new tax and more inflation. He appealed to the government to take measures that resolve traders’ difficulties and stabilise the economy.

He added that the government should reduce the prices of necessary items to ease the suffering of the people.

Speaking on behalf of traders, he said that they will not surrender their hard-earned income in the form of taxes unless the government demonstrates its competency. He also appealed to traders to ready themselves for the upcoming struggle against the International Monetary Fund’s imposed conditions by resolving differences amongst themselves.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 27^th, 2010.