The NBR Reform Unity Council has suspended its ongoing pen-down strike following an invitation for dialogue from the interim government, reportedly initiated under the directive of the Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus.
In a statement issued Monday, the Council confirmed that a government delegation had extended a formal call for discussions, scheduled to be held at 3:30pm on Tuesday.
Finance adviser and several members of the interim advisory council are expected to participate in the meeting.
“We have always maintained that we are open to dialogue,” the statement read. “Accordingly, we have decided that a delegation from our side will join the discussion.”
The council’s daily work abstention is part of a wider protest against the proposed revenue ordinance and what it terms a lack of inclusive reform planning within the National Board of Revenue (NBR).
The unity council has been demanding immediate withdrawal of the proposed revenue ordinance, public disclosure of the NBR Reform Advisory Committee’s findings, and a broad-based reform initiative involving stakeholders such as seasoned revenue officials.
With talks now on the table, the NBR Reform Unity Council has temporarily paused its protest programme for Tuesday. The next course of action, it said, will depend on the outcome of the meeting.