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Most of Faisalabad

markets remain closed

on traders strike call

FAISALABAD: Most of the cloth markets, kiryana shops, yarn centres and Sarafa Bazar remained closed on Saturday on the call of Anjuman Tajran Faisalabad as a mark of protest against the rise in electricity tariff and income tax law complications. The strike which was also supported by the

Faisalabad Goods Carriers Association badly hit goods transportation.

All medical stores in the city also remained closed while some hotels, pan shops and vegetable market remained open as usual.

At a protest meeting the speakers alleged that government was not sincere in mitigating the traders problems. The President Kiryana Merchants Association Faisalabad, Mohammad Ashraf Bhallah said that the government has earlier accepted the demand of traders during budget meetings that one shop and one house would be exempted from wealth tax but there was no mention of this commitment. He pointed out that similar promises were made by the government regarding self-assessment scheme but these were also not fulfilled. Bhallah strongly demanded that unreasonable enhancement of 25 percent in first year 15 percent in second and third year each required under self-assessment scheme was too much and unrealistic and needed to be brought down to 10 percent each year. He asked government to desist from persuing such anti-traders policies and honour its pre budget promises.

Sheikh Mohammad Bashir announced that if the traders demands were not accepted by August 25, all trade bodies would call a countrywide strike. He disclosed that an all Pakistan level small traders meeting will be held at Lahore on August 29 to discuss the traders problems and to draw future line of action.

Khwaja Mohammad Islam, MPA, suggested stoppage of payment of electricity bills if the increase in power tariff was not withdrawn till August 25, 1995.

Responding to a question about the unity among various trade groups he said all traders are united and the strike was its demonstration.

The major traders groups also took out a precession led by the Hafiz Mohammad Shafi, President Faisalabad Cloth Board, Ashraf Marshal, Chacha Nisar Butt, Mian Javaid and Mohammad Anwar Pasha.