Islamabad Traders Stage Protest Over FBR’s POS Installation Drive

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) faced a fresh wave of protests on Tuesday as traders in the federal capital rallied against the mandatory installation of Point of Sale (POS) devices in small businesses.

The demonstration, organized by the All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajran (APAT) and the Traders Action Committee, Islamabad, drew a large turnout from both Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

Led by APAT’s Ajmal Baloch, the rally began at Aapara Chowk and proceeded towards the FBR office, but was halted by heavy police deployment near a local hotel. Undeterred, traders staged a sit-in, voicing strong opposition to what they called a “black law” and “anti-business” policy.

Leaders, including Khalid Chaudhry, Sajid Butt, Naeem Awan, Altaf Shah, Mehrullah Dad, Azhar Azad, and Sardar Saqib (President, Chamber of Small Traders Rawalpindi) condemned the government’s approach, warning of nationwide protests if their demands were not met.

Ajmal Baloch called for the immediate withdrawal of the POS device policy and demanded legislation for capital punishment to curb corruption, citing an IMF report that allegedly estimates Rs. 53 trillion in annual corruption, with the FBR implicated as a major contributor. He accused corrupt officials of targeting small traders and fostering bribery under the guise of the POS initiative.

Baloch also alleged that legally imported tyres and non-custom-paid vehicles seized by authorities were being misappropriated, with some ending up in the hands of bureaucrats and their relatives.

The traders’ leader further demanded investigations into FBR officials, claiming that many employees’ children study abroad and that even lower-level staff own luxury vehicles. He warned that any attempt to install POS devices or seal small shops in Islamabad would be met with fierce resistance.

Baloch announced that the next phase of protests is scheduled for January 16, with plans to block the Srinagar Highway and stage a sit-in at Zero Point. He also threatened a nationwide shutdown strike and a protest at D-Chowk if the FBR’s actions continued. In his address, Baloch appealed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to intervene and protect traders from what he described as corruption and excesses by the FBR.