Millat Tractors Workers Union (MTWU) has threatened to hold long march towards Islamabad if government does not take back the 17 per cent GST imposed on tractor industry. Addressing a protest-rally at Sheikhupura Road on Monday, MTWU President Haji Maqsood ur Rehman said tractor industry is providing employment to thousands of workers but the government is not taking this industry seriously and has imposed 17 per cent general sales tax (GST) on it causing serious financial losses to the sector. “There has been 61 per cent reduction in the sales of tractors during the last nine months since imposition of GST,” he said adding last year Millat Tractors sold 23,000 tractors but this year sales dropped to 12,000 tractors and it is all because of GST imposition. “The prices of tractors skyrocketed because of unjust decision of imposing 17 per cent GST and tractors have come out of reach of farmers while high mark-ups by banks are adding fuel to the fire,” he lamented. He said Al Ghazi Tractors has closed its plant and thousands of workers went unemployed but even then the government did not take any action. He said Millat Tractors is also facing problems because of GST and its employees are under tremendous pressure. “If Millat Tractors is closed then five million workers and their families would miss the earnings and the menace of unemployment would haunt the government,” he said adding there is no demand of tractors in the market due to high prices. He claimed that Millat Tractors administration has given us ultimatum of closing its factory due to financial constrains and now we are at losing end and have no other option but to hold strikes and rallies.
