LAHORE: Over 80 percent city markets remained closed on a strike call by traders unions against 0.3 percent Withholding Tax imposed on all bank transactions exceeding Rs 50,000. The strike call was given by All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajran and Qaumi Tajir Ittehad in continuation of their previous strikes and protest demonstrations. Naeem Mir and Khalid Pervaiz group jointly supported the strike, as earlier both groups had observed separate strikes. Anarkali, Shahalam, Liberty Market, Main Bazar, Chungi Ammar Saddu, Model Town Link Road, DHA markets, Moon Market, Shahlamar Market, Azam Cloth Market, Bidden Road, Akbari Manidi, Jail Road, Ferozpur Raod markets and many other business centres of the city remained closed. Anjuman-e-Tajran leader Khalid Pervaiz said their strike remained very successful and now the government must understand the grievances of the business community and withdraw this illegal tax. He said that joint strike by all trade leaders of the city remained all a success. In the evening, All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajiran central General Secretary Naeem Mir addressing a press conference at Lahore press Club said that markets, business centres and bazaars in all major cities and towns of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and most parts of Sindh, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan remained closed. Qaumi Tajir Ittehad President Sheikh Mushtaq Ahmed, Agha Adnan, Azeem Sethi, APAT Punjab President Ch Mehboon Sirki, Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Azad Group Chairman Raja Hassan Akhtar, Lahore Traders Alliance President Safdar Ali Butt and APBF Lahore President Ch Amjad accompanied him. Naeem Mir said traders, by shutting their businesses across Pakistan, have proved that they are united under the banner of All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajiran. He said that not only traders, but also the whole nation is united against this ‘jaggatax’. Announcing next strategy, he said that now traders will observe the same complete strike all over the country on October 7, besides holding long marches to Islamabad and blocking all national highways to force the authorities to accept genuine demands of traders. APAT central committee has announced to call APC. “In first phase countrywide traders protest convention will be conducted in all divisions of Sindh and Balochistan. In second phase, traders will hold protest in Punjab and KP. On this occasion, all national highways will be blocked with full force with the support of general public who is also the major victims of this draconian tax,” the committee revealed. It said, “We shall reach Islamabad after long march and observe sit-in in front of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) headquarters. Traders will handover their shops keys to FBR officials, it added. APAT demanded Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to make the FBR independent and out of the influence of politicians.