The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) has announced that there will be no strike today, following successful negotiations with the government. FPCCI President Atif Ikram Sheikh made the announcement during a press conference after a special committee meeting, stating that all chambers across Pakistan stand united and the business community has decided not to proceed with the strike.
Atif Ikram acknowledged that some members of the business community were initially dissatisfied, but a consensus was reached during the meeting. “The government has agreed to withdraw the controversial clauses, and the final approval of our recommendations will come from the Prime Minister,” he said.
The talks lasted for four hours and took place in what was described as a “very positive environment.” A four-member joint committee has been formed, comprising representatives from both FBR and the business chambers, to resolve the remaining issues.
Speaking alongside FPCCI officials, trader leader Ajmal Baloch said, “Today, traders and chambers are on the same page. We’ve been assured that all our issues will be addressed within a month. If our demands are not met, we will not hesitate to protest in the future.”
Atif Ikram added, “Strikes do not solve problems—dialogue does. The business community has shown maturity, and we believe our concerns will be fully addressed.”
He also confirmed that traders have pledged not to protest and that any remaining concerns will be resolved through continued engagement with authorities.
Yesterday, Karachi’s business community called a city-wide strike over the differences with the government.
The Chairman of Karachi’s Chamber of Commerce and Industries had announced a city-wide strike to urge the FBR to pay heed to the the business community’s demands.
