FAISALABAD: The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Faisalabad’s Trade & Industry has unanimously decided to observe a “Complete Traffic Jam Strike” against the government to press for their just demands in here on February 10.
Addressing a joint news conference immediately after a protest camp in Chowk Clock Tower on Saturday, Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI) President Rana Sikandar-e-Azam, lamented that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) government has taken a u-turn from its commitment announced in its manifesto.
He said that PTI had categorically assured that its government would slash prices of electricity, gas and petroleum products in addition to reigning in soaring prices of eatables and other essential goods. “But no tangible step has so far been taken by this government to give much-trumpeted relief to trade and industries”, he said, adding that PTI has also bitterly failed to provide 10 million jobs and cheap houses to the poor segments of society.
“Instead of providing relief to the exporters, their capital has been stuck-up with the government on account of sales tax. Now, as declared by JAC Chairman Mian Naeem Ahmad, a 30-member committee will start negotiations with the government for the redressal of our problems,” he said.
The demands include the supply of electricity to the industrial sector at 7.5 per cent, immediate restoration of zero-rated facility, payment of pending refund claims of exporters, withdrawal of mandatory provision of Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) production on every purchase in addition to enhancing annual turnover slab for traders from Rs10 to Rs100 crore due to the depreciation of rupee.
The FCCI president said that they would not now allow anybody to hijack their legitimate struggle as all sectors including trade, industry, grain and yarn/cloth markets have already announced their unflinching support to the business community’s common cause.
He further told the media that prior to coming on roads, traders and industrialists of Faisalabad would hold a big ‘Protest Meeting’ in Chowk Clock Tower on February 8, 2020, during which they would announce their charter of demands and strategy to vigorously pursue their demands.
Furthermore, JAC Chairman Mian Naeem Ahmad told newsmen that over 50 per cent of the industry in Faisalabad and other parts of the country has already been closed down due to the hike in electricity and gas prices while the remaining were operating only partially, however, he opined that the time was not far off when the remaining functional units would also come to a grinding halt.
He said that the government should pay immediate attention to this alarming situation and give adequate relief to the industrial sector, warning that the closure of industrial units will inflict a colossal loss to the national economy in addition to opening the flood gates of unemployment.
