KARACHI, August 23 (PPI) President Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) Iftikhar Ahmed Sheikh has advised all its members to fully support the countrywide shutterdown on August 28 announced by traders community by keeping their businesses completely closed so that the government could be compelled to immediately withdraw the controversial Tajir Dost Scheme in addition to reducing the heavy electricity bills and other taxes. In a statement issued, President KCCI stated that it was highly unfair to serve notices to registered and unregistered traders/ shopkeepers to demand a hefty advance tax of Rs60,000/- per month which has become a cause of harassment in all the markets.

Such an unbearably high tax simply cannot be borne by more than 80 percent of shopkeepers all over the city, he said, adding that although it was assured that a mere tax of not more than Rs1,000/- to Rs1,200/- will be applied but the FBR was demanding Rs60,000/- which the Karachi Chamber strongly condemns.Iftikhar Sheikh said, “I would like to once again vociferously appeal the government to immediately defer Tajir Dost Scheme for a period of at least three months and hold consultations with all the stakeholders so the controversial Scheme could actually be made friendly and then implemented in the larger interest of the entire country.

He said that the Karachi Chamber has written several letters to policymakers wherein it has been cautioned that attempts were being made to sabotage Tajir Dost Scheme by implementing this scheme in an inappropriate manner but, unfortunately, no attention has been paid so far to this pressing issue. “This scheme must be revisited immediately and only those measures should be adopted which were practically implementable and acceptable to all stakeholders.”  President KCCI stated that the Karachi Chamber, being the premier Chamber and leading voice of the entire business community, stands shoulder-to-shoulder with small traders and shopkeepers until this particular issue is amicably resolved as per traders’ aspirations.

He said that in the ongoing era of inflation, it has become extremely difficult for shopkeepers to continue their businesses whereas the government, instead of providing relief, continues to impose heavy taxes and keeps on raising electricity bills which were not acceptable to any trader, therefore, the Karachi Chamber, keeping in view the gravity of situation, decided to fully support the countrywide strike call on August 28.