Traders announce move to continue resisting ‘Tajir Dost Scheme’

ISLAMABAD: President of the Markazi Tanzeem-e-Tajran Pakistan, Muhammad Kashif Chaudhry, after successful shutter down strike, has announced to continue to resist ‘Tajir Dost Scheme’ and other economic policies of the government which effect the traders’ community.

Addressing a press conference here on Thursday said that ‘Save Trade and Save Economy’ movement was not ended and in the second phase, the traders community was considering to give call for three-day shutter-down strike followed nationwide wheel-jam strike if government does not accept their demands.

As a last option, the traders’ community would go on indefinite shutter-down strike across the country. He told newsmen that the final schedule of second phase of movement would be announced after consultation with other traders’ organization in the country.

At the same time, Kashif Chaudhry also came harsh on the government’s spokesmen regarding non-payment of taxes by the traders. “We are already paying 44 types of taxes including income tax, capital gains tax, customs duty, withholding tax, excise duty and others”, he said, adding that still they have to pay heavy electricity and gas bills.

He also questioned the government’s spokesmen as to which traders’ organization was consulted while deciding the ‘Tajir Dost Scheme’. “The government did not consult genuine leaders and representatives and traders while finalizing the scheme”, he said.

He said that traders’ community was still prepared for talks with the government to address their grievances.

He said the government’s spokesmen who are also parliamentarians themselves do not pay taxes due against them. “According to statistics, 1003 parliamentarians showed Rs125 billion as their income and paid Rs1 billion as taxes”, he said.

Making it clear that the traders’ community would not accept ‘Tajir Dost Scheme’, Kashif said they were also not ready to believe in the assurances from the FBR that extra tax paid in advance would be refunded to the tax payer.

“We do not believe in corrupt and complicated tax refund system of FBR”, he said observing that the FBR would have to be converted into Friendly Board of Revenue with introduction easy and simple tax collection system.

Talking about luxuries of ruling elite and senior bureaucrats, he said that they get membership of Islamabad Club for much lesser amount whereas traders have to pay millions to avail the facility.