Trader associations confirmed on Monday that they would observe a two-day strike across the country on October 29 and 30 to protest the government’s tax reforms.

Ajmal Baloch, the president of All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajiran, made the announcement at a press conference in Islamabad.

Markazi Tanzeem-e-Tajiran Pakistan President Mohammad Kashif Chaudhry also confirmed their participation in the strike at a separate press conference.

The traders have been protesting sales tax registration, condition to provide computerised national identity cards on transactions up to Rs50,000, withholding tax on income, revised sales tax on used mobile phones.

Traders in Saddar Electronics Market in Karachi also backed the call for strike from central trader bodies.

Speaking to SAMAA TV, Mohammad Rizwan, the president of Saddar Electronics Market Association, said all electronic markets in the city will remain closed on October 29 and 30.

Rizwan said the issue of sales tax registration and CNIC condition had not been resolved yet. “We are ready to pay tax and duty on used mobile phones, however, payment of tax equal to a new mobile is unacceptable,” he said.

The SEMA president said the government was not willing to talk to them as it was under pressure of the International Monetary Fund. “The economy has been destroyed because of wrong policies of the government,” he added.

The traders’ association in Balochistan also announced to keep all business centres closed over the next two days. It warned that if their demands were not met, then they would forced to take more serious measures.