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B'stan's response

positive

LAILA A ALI

QUETTA: Balochistan business community responded to the call for countrywide strike to protest against government decision not to withdraw any condition of form 'A' and to continue with three controversial columns in the income tax form, detrimental to trade, commerce and industry.

The businessmen kept their shutters closed on Saturday and decided to do the same Sunday to pressurize the government for the acceptance of genuine demands of the traders. Most of the bazars at the provincial capital and at the divisional and district headquarters remained closed, causing hardship to people.

Big and small business organisations joined hand to make the strike a success. A spokesman of the Balochistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry flayed the government for its apathy towards genuine demands of the businessmen. He said the traders would evolve their future line of action after the two-day strike. He said it is wrong to say that the strike is politically motivated.

The spokesman said only businessmen have been singled out to provide details like their mobile telephone, electricity bills and expenses on schooling of their children. Why the same has not been applied to legislators and bureaucrats, he asked?

A survey of Quetta market, however, showed that medical stores in the bylanes and most of the shops in suburbs remained opened for normal business. Smugglers markets also operated as usual, here and elsewhere in the province.