Jewellers Strike Shuts Down Karachi Markets for Fourth Day Amid Tax Harassment Claims
Jewellers in Karachi and other Pakistani cities continued their nationwide strike on Thursday, protesting against alleged harassment and excessive tax demands by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) .
The protest, which entered its fourth day, has shut down jewellery markets and suspended official gold and silver price reporting across the country . Industry representatives accuse FBR officials of demanding bribes and imposing unreasonable tax increases of up to 600 percent on the sector .
"We pay taxes and will continue to pay, but we will not pay bribes," Qasim Shikarpuri, president of the All Pakistan Sarafa Gems and Jewellers Association, told protesters in Karachi. He alleged that tax authorities had transformed into an "extortion network," citing a case where jewellers in Peshawar were asked to pay Rs. 250 million in bribes .
The industry currently contributes approximately Rs. 22 billion annually in taxes and has offered to increase that amount to Rs. 44 billion, according to association representatives . However, they reject what they describe as the FBR's discriminatory regulatory measures, including the Point of Sale (POS) system and Section 175C of tax laws.