Karachi:
The Federal Government invited representatives of all trade organizations on Monday against conferences after the business community and Karachi transporters announced a Wheel-Jam strike at the country level on July 19 to protest against certain budgetary measures introduced by finance
Act 2025.
Speaking to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Investors Abroad (OICCI) in Karachi, the Minister of Finance Muhammad Aurangzeb invited all trade and commerce associations on Tuesday (today) to discuss their concerns concerning the finance law.
The minister’s offer of the minister’s talks intervened after the head of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), the president of Karachi, the head of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), addressed a joint press conference concerning July 19.
“All the carriers will participate in the KCCI strike on July 19. The Jam wheels strike will continue until KCCI requests are satisfied. We are also prepared for a longer time,” Malik Shahzad Awan told the media.
The KCCI called the strike against the “five key measures” incorporated into the federal budget for the current financial year and 32 anomalies of the finance law. During the joint press conference Bilwani clearly indicated that the government only put all these pending measures, there would be a strike on July 19.
The KCCI is opposed to articles 37a and 37b of the finance law, which, according to him, allows the FBR of the powers of arbitrary arrest; Article 21 (s), which imposes severe sanctions on transactions in RS200,000 or more; Mandatory digital billing under SR 709; and the imposition of the e-bilty under section 40 ©.
At the OICCI, the Minister of Finance said he would listen to the position of all rooms and associations and also explain his position. “All chambers should come after reading the current law. We have put many guarantees in law against sales tax and other problems,” he said.
Aurangzeb rejected criticism as a “propaganda” concerning the improved powers granted to the Federal Board of Return (FBR), which, he said, aimed to counter large-scale sales tax fraud. He said the additional powers apply to more than 50 million tax evasion and not on ordinary companies.
“The new legal tools have been implemented only to prevent fraudulent activities related to the sales tax,” said Aurangzeb. “An important meeting with room presidents will be held tomorrow [today]. The government will explain the scope and intention of FBR actions to business leaders, “he said.
Earlier, Biliwani, the president of KCCI, insisted on the request for immediate withdrawal of the “controversial” sections of the finance law. He also called for the restoration of the final tax regime for exporters.
Bilwani revealed that the KCCI was approached by the Ministry of Finance, and although other efforts were made to solve the problems by dialogue, but added that there had been no official insurance or notification to suspend controversial measures.
“The KCCI has asked the government to keep these questions unanswered until a mutually beneficial and constructive solution is found,” he said, warning that the strike “would not be postponed until these requests are fully accepted”.
Answering a question, Bilwani stressed that the whole business world was fully united and that Kcci continued “to receive overwhelming support” from across the country. “More than 50 formal letters have been received from various commercial associations, reaffirming their solidarity with the KCCI.”
