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Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) President Javed Balwani has announced a peaceful countrywide strike on Saturday, July 19, including in Karachi and other major cities.
Speaking to the reporters, Balwani said that talks were held with the government team, where business leaders demanded written assurances regarding their concerns over recent tax measures and regulations.
“The government did not provide anything in writing,” said Balwani. “We made it clear that without written guarantees, we will go ahead with the peaceful nationwide strike.”
Balwani confirmed that businesses across Pakistan will remain closed tomorrow in a peaceful protest. “Other chambers across the country have also announced strikes in their respective cities,” he added.
He warned that if no concrete assurance is given in the next round of negotiations, the protest movement could intensify in the coming days.
Earlier to this, Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) President Atif Ikram Sheikh confirmed that the business community will not hold a strike tomorrow, following successful talks with the government officials.
The announcement was made after a special committee meeting of the FPCCI, where Sheikh stated that business chambers from across Pakistan are united on the recent taxation and finance issues.
“Some members were initially upset, but all concerns were resolved in today’s meeting,” said Sheikh. “Everyone is now on board with our unified stance.”
He said the FPCCI’s role is to act as a bridge between the government and the business sector, facilitating dialogue and avoiding confrontation.
“The government has listened to our concerns in full detail and responded with flexibility on controversial provisions of the Finance Bill and Sales Tax Act,” he added.
He assured that a formal summary of recommendations will be presented to the Prime Minister (PM), whose final approval is now awaited.
“Following today’s decisions, there will be no business strike anywhere in the country tomorrow,” Sheikh confirmed. “Any protest call given was purely individual and not backed by the wider business community.”
