Karachi, July 16, 2025 – The Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to the nationwide shutter-down strike scheduled for Saturday, July 19, 2025.
The KCCI has made it clear that the strike will take place as planned and will not be postponed or canceled under any circumstances without broader consultation.
In a strongly worded statement, KCCI President Muhammad Jawed Bilwani stated that the strike would be executed with full preparation across the country, and all partner chambers and trade bodies have been taken into confidence. “There is no change in our plan. The July 19 shutter-down strike is final,” he said, dismissing speculation and rumors.
The KCCI, in alliance with chambers and associations from all four provinces, had earlier announced the nationwide strike in protest against what it termed “black laws” introduced through the Finance Act 2025. These new tax measures, according to KCCI, are anti-business and were enacted without proper stakeholder consultation.
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Responding to reports suggesting a possible backtrack following Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb’s recent meeting with business leaders in Islamabad, Bilwani clarified that while the formation of a high-powered committee is acknowledged, it does not change the KCCI’s position regarding the strike. “The strike decision was made after comprehensive consultation, and only a similar joint process will determine any future action,” he said.
Bilwani further asserted that any decision to defer or cancel the strike would only be taken in consensus with all participating chambers. “Any official announcement to this effect will be made jointly through a press conference involving all partner organizations,” he added.
Condemning those spreading misinformation, Bilwani stated that such elements are not acting in the interest of the business community. “These rumors are being spread by those who have nothing to do with the movement. They are trying to mislead and create confusion,” he said.
Urging traders, shopkeepers, and industrialists to remain united, Bilwani emphasized that the KCCI-led strike is a matter of national interest and collective economic survival. “This is a unified call, and no effort to derail it will succeed,” he concluded.