ISLAMABAD, JUL 18 /DNA/ – The nationwide shutter-down strike planned by traders for Saturday has officially been called off after successful negotiations with the federal government, senior business leaders confirmed Friday evening.
Speaking to Samaa TV, Saqib Fayyaz Magoon, senior vice president of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), announced, “There will be no strike tomorrow. The Karachi chamber has informed us about the postponement, and other chambers across the country are expected to make a formal announcement shortly.”
Govt accepts traders’ demands
According to sources familiar with the matter, the government has agreed to key demands put forth by the business community. One of the central points of contention — the expanded powers granted to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) — has been put on hold for the time being.
“The FBR will not exercise the newly granted powers for now,” trader sources revealed, signaling a breakthrough in the tense standoff.
High-level talks defuse tensions
The negotiations were held in Karachi under the chairmanship of Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Haroon Akhtar. The government’s negotiating team included Bilal Azhar Kayani, Rana Afzal, and the FBR chairman. Senior FPCCI officials and representatives from the Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chambers of Commerce participated in the discussions, with many joining via Zoom.
“The ice has melted between government figures and business leaders,” said a source present in the meeting.
While an official notification is yet to be released, all indications point to a joint announcement by the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) and other regional chambers confirming the suspension of the strike.
