Sheikh Asif Idris, president of the Central Sarafa Union Rawalpindi Islamabad, welcomed the government’s fixed tax proposal and urged that jewellers be included in the scheme to help stabilise the trade and protect livelihoods.
Speaking at a union meeting, Sheikh Asif Idris said the sector has suffered rising unemployment due to recent policy measures, the fall in the rupee’s value and the surge in gold prices. He warned that skilled artisans are losing work in the absence of long-term policies and demanded immediate attention to the crisis facing jewellers.
The union praised the efforts of Ajmal Baloch and Malik Shahid Ghafur Pracha for raising jewellers’ concerns in legislative forums. Members at the meeting expressed solidarity with traders nationwide after reports of heavy-handed actions and raids, including incidents in Karachi where families suffered public mistreatment.
Union leaders confirmed their acceptance of Ajmal Baloch’s budget proposals and asked that the finance committee chaired by Minister of State Bilal Izhar Kiani incorporate the agreed suggestions into the upcoming budget. They emphasised that the role of traders is not limited to protest but includes constructive participation in policy formation.
Speakers at the gathering warned that small traders have been disproportionately affected by recent measures and underlined the sector’s importance in providing revenue to the treasury and creating jobs. The Central Sarafa Union pledged continued support and vowed to remain alongside jewellers until their problems are resolved.
Those present included Fayyaz Qureshi, Raja Farzand Ali, Rana Abdul Quddus, Sheikh Asim Idris, Rehan Rabbani, Naeem Mughal, Rana Kamran, Zafar Bahram, Muhammad Waseem, Rana Aftab, Chaudhry Kamran, Abdul Jabbar Chaudhry, Khawaja Qasim, Naeem Sethi and Chaudhry Imran, representing jewellers and traders from across Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
