950825

Faisalabad traders to

observe complete strike

today, tomorrow

KHALID ABBAS SAIF

FAISALABAD: Kiryana merchants, yarn dealers, powerloom owners, goldsmiths and shopkeepers of cloth market Faisalabad have endorsed the call for complete strike on August 26-27 as announced by the Markazi Anjuman Tajran, Punjab and Traders Action Committee Lahore.

Traders leaders announced that the strike being observed by the small scale businessmen was not politically motivated, but was a matter of life and death of business community and the economic survival. The President, Pakistan Kiryana Merchants Association, Mohammad Ashraf Bhallah has demanded that the auction for collection of export tax by district councils should be cancelled, where contractors are charging excessive amount from public against the tariff schedule prepared by the government. The export tax policy and octroi system launched by the Punjab government, he said, were not only causing for upsurge in prices of commodities of daily use, but were also helping to create artificial shortage of these items of daily use.

Mohammad Ashraf Bhallah urged the government to withdraw all the objectionable clauses from the new income tax return forms to maintain harmonious government-business relations. He also demanded the immediate withdrawal of increase in electricity bills. He announced that the kiryana merchants will observe complete strike all over the country for acceptance of their demands. A central leader of Anjuman Tajran Faisalabad and executive member of Pakistan Small Units Powerlooms Association, Mehmood Alam said that the patriotic traders have not been given due respect and regard by the rulers rather they are most often sent behind bars or treated badly for not bowing the policies of the government. He alleged that Wapda was fully responsible for throwing the powerloom industry into crisis by increasing electricity tariff four to five times during just three years, President, Faisalabad Cloth Board Hafiz Mohammad Shafi, Chairman, Art Silk Yarn Traders Group, Haji Mohammad Nawaz Wohra, President, Faisalabad Goods Carriers Association, Ghulam Mohammad Qureshi, President Printers Association, Mian Mohammad Rafi, President, Faisalabad Paints and Hardware Dealers Association, Haji Mohammad Arshad central leader of Anjuman Tajran, Faisalabad Sheikh Mohammad Bashir and other 112 traders' associations have announced to observe complete strike.