KARACHI: Pakistan Flour Mill Association (PFMA) called on a protest against the imposition of taxes leading to a flour mill shutdown across the country on Thursday. The flour mill strike had resulted in the suspension of supplies of flour and its by-products. Around 80 large and small flour mills have closed due to the protest against the imposition of tax on chokar (bran) and an increase in the rate of turnover tax on flour mills in the budget announced recently. A two nationwide strike was announced by the PFMA Chairman Chaudhary Muhammad Yousaf, in the first phase of their protest. They have demanded the government to withdraw the 17 percent GST on bran. He further said that the mills will go on strike for an indefinite period of time from 30th June if their demands are not fulfilled. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Wednesday decided to withdraw the 17 percent sales tax. According to a spokesperson of FBR, the income tax on the turnover of flour mills will remain 0.25 percent. He further said that the omission in the Finance Bill 2021 will be corrected via an amendment.