Karachi: President of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Muhammad Jawan Bilwani, on Wednesday categorically denied the rumors of any postponement or cancellation of the national strike scheduled for July 19, stating that the closure will continue as planned.
The KCCI has installed advertising fences and fences in the main Karachi arteries announcing the complete strike, with slogans that demand respect for taxpayers “instead of wives.”
Despite the formation of a high -level committee by the Minister of Finance, Muhammad Aurengzeb, to make consultations with merchants on budgetary measures aimed at documenting the economy, Kcci’s leadership remains resolved in its decision. The Committee, composed of multiple interested parties, has been responsible for carrying out a 30 -day consultation process to formulate a proposal based on the presentation consensus to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Federal Cabinet.
Bilwani said the decision of the strike was reaffirmed after an unproductive meeting with the Minister of Finance, where the key demands to suspend five main measures against the business were without addressing. These demands include the immediate withdrawal of sections 37a and 37b, which grant radical arrest and prosecution powers to tax officials; Repeal of section 21 (s), which imposes sanctions on cash transactions of RS200,000 or more; Abolition of section 40C, which requires the E-Bilty system for the transport of goods; Sro 709 rollback, which enforces a defective digital billing system; and restoration of the final tax regime (FTR) for exporters.
Kcci confirms the closure of July 19 about tax complaints not addressed
In a statement, Bilwani criticized those who disseminated rumors about the strike, stating that such elements have no affiliation with the movement and are not part of the advisory process.
He stressed that the strike call was the result of broad discussions with presidents and representatives of the main chambers of commerce and industry of the four provinces.
In addition, he clarified that any decision to defer or cancel the strike would only be taken through a mutual consensus and was formally announced at a joint press conference attended by all the support cameras. “A closed door will not be made unilaterally,” he said.
Bilwani lashed out at those false narratives who spread, calling them enemies of the business community that tried to derail a unified national cause. He reaffirmed that the preparations for the strike are completed throughout the country and attracted industrialists, wholesalers, merchants and merchants to solidarize with the movement for the good of the economy and the nation.
He concluded urging the business community and the public to ignore the wrong information and depend only on the official announcements issued by the KCCI and its legitimate partners.
Posted in Dawn, July 17, 2025
