KARACHI: Traders are observing a nationwide shutter down strike on Monday against the hike in sales tax in the federal budget.

The strike is being observed in Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Multan, Gujranwala, Dera Ismail Khan and other areas.

The All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajran (APAT) had last week announced a shutter down strike from July 13 across the country against the government. The leaders of the trader union said shops and markets would remain closed until their demands were met.

President All Pakistan Markazi Anjuman-e-Tajran Ajmal Baloch had said that the strike call was not against the government, rather it was against the anti-traders taxes in the budget dictated by the International Monetary Fund.