Traders to Observe Shutdown on July 19 Against Taxes

News Desk

Karachi: The Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), along with several other major trade bodies across Pakistan, has announced a countrywide shutter-down strike to be observed on Saturday, July 19, in protest against the recently introduced tax reforms, which they have labeled “anti-business.”

In a formal late-night statement, the KCCI said the strike is being held in response to what the business community describes as “draconian” policies by the government. These include the controversial Rs200,000 transaction threshold regulation, expanded arrest powers for the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), compulsory digital invoicing, and e-billing requirements.

“The business community has been pushed to the wall,” the statement read. “These policies threaten economic stability and endanger the survival of businesses — particularly small and medium enterprises.”

The strike announcement comes amid growing frustration over the government’s tax policies. According to sources within the KCCI, a recent high-level meeting with a key federal minister failed to yield any concrete relief or assurances, leading to the decision to mobilize for a national protest.

In a rare show of unity, various industrial and trade associations from Karachi have pledged full support for the strike, underscoring the scale of discontent within the business sector.

The timing of the announcement — made unusually late in the night — has sparked speculation about behind-the-scenes efforts to avert the protest, which reportedly did not succeed.