Staff Correspondent: The NBR Reform Unity Council on Saturday announced a fresh six-hour pen-down strike, scheduled for Sunday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, to press home their demands for sustainable and inclusive revenue reform.
The announcement was made during a press conference held at the Revenue Building.
The Council's key demands include the immediate withdrawal of the proposed Revenue Ordinance, public disclosure of the NBR Reform Advisory Committee's report, and a comprehensive reform of the revenue system through meaningful consultations with stakeholders like NBR officials, business associations, civil society members and political leaders.
They reiterated that, as in previous strikes, international passenger services, export operations, and national budget preparation will be exempt from the pen-down strike.
The Unity Council emphasised their desire for a peaceful resolution through dialogue with the government. "We hope the government will sit down with us for discussions. Let us make it clear-our door for dialogue has always been open, remains open and will continue to remain open," said a statement. Earlier in the day, a five-hour pen-down strike was spontaneously observed from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm across various offices under the Customs, VAT and Tax departments, as well as the National Board of Revenue (NBR).
Officials and employees at all levels participated in the programme, with stakeholders from various sectors expressing solidarity with the movement.
In their statement, the Council reiterated that a timely and sustainable reform of the revenue system is essential for the national interest. They noted that NBR officials have long been demanding such reforms, and yet the government issued the ordinance without consulting the very stakeholders responsible for its implementation.
Besides, the report from the reform committee formed by the government has not been made public or discussed.
According to the Council, such a top-down approach to reform could severely destabilise the country's revenue administration.
The Unity Council expressed deep gratitude to all participants in the pen-down strike and extended thanks to journalists, media, civil society and other stakeholders for their unwavering support of their just demands.
They also issued an apology for any temporary inconvenience caused to taxpayers and service recipients, stating that this short-term sacrifice aims to secure long-term benefits for the nation and its people.
The Council further committed to working beyond official hours to resolve any pending matters if their demands are met. "We want to state clearly: we are in favour of reform, and we strongly support it. We also agree that revenue policy and revenue administration should be separate.
There is no disagreement on that. However, reforms must be realistic, inclusive, and based on stakeholder input, while recognising the experience and competence of officials and staff," the statement said.
The Council also clarified that their movement has remained peaceful and systematic from the beginning.
"We strongly condemn the attempt by certain outsiders to disrupt our movement yesterday through infiltration," the statement added.