KARACHI: The Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has firmly denied speculation regarding the cancellation or postponement of the nationwide strike set for July 19, with President Muhammad Jawed Bilwani confirming that all preparations for the shutdown are in place and the call stands firm.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Bilwani dismissed circulating rumours as baseless and misleading. “There is no question of backing down. The strike is happening, exactly as scheduled,” he said, adding that such misinformation appears to be aimed at weakening the momentum of a movement born out of genuine grievances.
To mobilize support and raise awareness, KCCI has placed hoardings and billboards across Karachi’s main thoroughfares. The signs carry bold messages demanding dignity for taxpayers — “Respect, not handcuffs” being one of the prominent slogans.
While Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has announced the formation of a high-powered committee to engage with traders over budget-related issues, Bilwani said the business community remains unconvinced. According to him, a recent meeting with the finance minister yielded no meaningful results, prompting the leadership to stick with the strike plan.
The traders are demanding the immediate reversal of five controversial measures introduced in the federal budget. These include the withdrawal of Sections 37A and 37B, which empower tax officials to arrest and prosecute; the scrapping of Section 21(S), which penalizes cash transactions exceeding Rs200,000; the abolition of Section 40C mandating the e-Bilty system for goods transport; the cancellation of SRO 709 introducing a flawed digital invoicing system; and the reinstatement of the Final Tax Regime (FTR) for exporters.
“These are not arbitrary demands,” Bilwani emphasized. “They reflect the collective voice of a business community suffocating under poorly conceived and anti-growth policies.”
In a strongly worded statement, he also called out those spreading misinformation about the strike. “These people are not stakeholders. They do not represent the traders or chambers involved in this movement. Their only aim is to cause confusion and divide us.”
Bilwani clarified that the strike decision was made after wide-ranging consultations with business leaders and chambers of commerce from all four provinces. Any future decision regarding the strike, whether to continue or suspend it, would only be made through consensus and announced jointly.
“There will be no unilateral decisions, no behind-the-scenes deals,” he said. “Transparency and unity are the pillars of this protest.”
Calling on industrialists, wholesalers, small traders, and shopkeepers across Pakistan, the KCCI president urged everyone to stand together in what he described as a pivotal moment for the economy and the rights of taxpayers.
In closing, Bilwani appealed to the public to ignore unofficial statements and rely only on formal updates issued by the KCCI and its affiliated bodies.
