Late at night, the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) said that Saturday, July 19, will be the date of a statewide shutdown strike.
The strike was declared in protest of a number of recently implemented tax laws that the nation’s business industry believes are anti-business.
A public announcement states that the Karachi Chamber will actively participate in the strike, as will other significant chambers of business around Pakistan.
The goal of the demonstration is to oppose what the business community views as harsh legislation, such as the contentious Rs200,000 threshold rule, the arrest authority of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), the requirement for digital invoicing, e-billing systems, and other measures brought about by recent tax reforms.
“The business community is at its lowest point. The KCCI said, “This strike is a collective response to policies that threaten economic stability and the survival of businesses, as well as small and medium enterprises.”
Several Karachi-based trade and industry associations have also declared their unwavering support for the strike in a display of solidarity.
Concerns have been raised by the announcement’s surprisingly late-night timing.
A recent visit by a prominent federal minister to the Karachi chamber has not yielded any significant results, according to sources inside the chamber.
