RECOIRDER REPORT

MULTAN: Partial strike was observed in Multan city and cantonment at the call of All Pakistan Anjuman-i-Tajiran (APAT) Khalid Pervaiz Group. Grain market, Suraj Mian’s Bazaars Gulgasht, Gardezi market Loha market, Medicine market remained closed. However, some of the opponent groups ignored the strike call on Wednesday.

Strike was also observed in Muzaffargarh, Khangarh, Khanewal, Lodhran, Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi Khan divisions on Wednesday against the imposition of withholding tax on banking transactions of over Rs 50,000 for non-filers of income tax returns. All major markets like fruit and vegetable, grain, timber, sugarcane, Gur Mandi, Auto, Sadar Bazaar, Kalay Mandi remained partially closed in Multan.

However shops of eatables, vegetables, tea stalls, hotels remained open. Pro-Muslim League traders also kept their shops open. Traders also organised a rally at Chowk Bohar Gate and set tyres on fire under the leadership of Khawaja Suleman Siddiqui. All Pakistan Markazi Anjuman Tajiran (Khalid Pervez Group) leaders Suleiman Siddiqui, Qaumi Tajir Ittehad leaders Muhammad Akhtar Butt, Arif Fasih-ullah, Ch Muhammad Hanif Idrees Buttr and Malik Nazir Awan said that traders would continue their protest if the withholding tax was not withdrawn.

Both groups of traders have demanded complete withdrawal of the tax on banking transactions. Traders are united on the issue of withholding tax and they would not betray the cause of traders in any case, Khawaja Suleman Siddiqui said. He said that Finance Minister Ishaq Dar’s assurance was mere a lip-service and he wants to gain time to foil the strike call. He said that PML-N government was not serious to resolve the issues of the traders’ community but it was plotting to trap them.