In response to recent government tax hikes, traders across Pakistan have launched statewide protests. These protests are motivated by frustrations about high taxes and increasing electricity bills, which they claim are destroying their enterprises and burdening the general population. In Karachi, shopkeepers stopped major roadways, notably MA Jinnah Road, to protest the General Sales Tax (GST) levied on power bills. Protesters underlined that these laws already include several levies, and that adding more is unjustified. The Karachi shopkeepers, backed by the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), asked that the government reduce electricity costs and address their problems or risk further agitation.
Similar protests sprang out in other major cities, including Lahore and Rawalpindi. at Lahore, traders at Inchra Bazaar protested over the new Rs3.50 per unit increase in energy tariffs, highlighting the already enormous financial burden caused by inflation and irregular power supply. In Quetta, the Balochistan Traders Association echoed these sentiments, condemning the government's tax policy and advocating for a more simple tax collection process. They advocated for raising the number of tax filers rather than imposing new taxes, which they argue will harm industries and businesses across the country.
These protests reflect a broader dissatisfaction with present economic policies, as traders across the country warn that continuing to ignore their requests will result in increased economic instability and interruption of business activities. The government is under rising pressure to strike a balance between tax creation and the economic well-being of its inhabitants.
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