LAHORE/KARACHI: The Pakistan Traders ended their strike after successful negotiations with the Punjab government on Thursday, July 13, while the Karachi Traders said they will continue with the strike. Last week, the All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajran had announced a shutter-down strike from July 13 against the rise in sales tax in the federal budget. In a seven-hour-long meeting, the trader organization reached a successful agreement at the Punjab Chief Minister’s office, and end the shutter down strike. While speaking to the media, Punjab Minister for Industries, Commerce and Investment Mian Aslam Iqbal said, “The Punjab government has approved of all our demands and now there is no justification for a strike. Markets and shops will remain open now.” “All the genuine demands of the traders had been approved after a seven-hour-long dialogue. The federal government would be contacted for the solution of some issues”, Iqbal added. He further said, “This condition is only for the main dealers not for the shopkeepers and customers. A fixed tax system was being introduced for the sub-dealers. No tax was being imposed on small shopkeepers”. The minister added; “Those who were able to pay taxes were being brought into the tax net. The CNIC condition was for those who were doing business with mills. CNIC would not be demanded by the customers who would purchase less than Rs 50,000. A separate tax system would be brought for the jewelry association with their consultation.” Furthermore, “The tax on cement, ghee and sugar had also been decreased,” he added. The Karachi Electronic Dealers Association has said they will continue the shutter down strike today (Friday).