Staff Correspondent:

The NBR Reform Unity Council has suspended its ongoing protest programme following a government proposal for dialogue, initiated under the directive of the Chief Adviser.

In an official statement, the Council on Monday said it received a call for discussions on behalf of the government.

The meeting is scheduled to take place on Tuesday at 3:30 pm.

The council came up with the announcement after observing their 6-hour pen-down strike for the fifth day on Monday.

According to the Council, the Finance Adviser along with several other members of the advisory council are expected to participate in the talks.

“We have always maintained that we are open to dialogue. Accordingly, we have decided that a delegation from our side will join the discussion,” the statement says.

In light of this development, the Council announced that its ongoing protest programme will be temporarily paused tomorrow.

The next course of action will be determined based on the outcome of the meeting, the statement said.

The NBR Reform Unity Council had been observing the pen-down strike for several days to press home their demands for sustainable and inclusive NBR reform.

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.