Pakistan suffers Rs50 billion loss due to traders' one-day strike

Pakistan has incurred a loss of Rs50 billion due to the one-day strike observed by traders, across the country, to protest against the exorbitant power bills and taxes.

All Karachi Tajir Ittehad Chairman Atiq Mir claimed that traders in Pakistan observed a successful strike and received an overwhelming response from the community.

He noted that the one-day strike inflicted a financial loss of 50 billion nationwide, while Karachi had to bear a Rs4 billion setback alone.

Mir said at least one million large and small businesses nationwide, including 600,000 to 700,000 businesses in Karachi, were shut down during the strike.

He believed the strike was not a one-day protest but a movement against all odds faced by the business community.

Mir said traders were demanding the removal of various taxes and duties in power bills, including fuel adjustment cost, peak hour tariff, TV Licence Fee, additional charges, and other taxes. 

“Excessive billing has prompted people to burn bills, suspend bill payments, and resort to protest and rallies, this shows the country is heading towards civil disobedience,” he added.

Following a successful power show, the traders vowed to continue their resistance against inflation and taxes, saying that they would announce another phase of demonstration soon.