Traders in Pakistan staged a strike on Wednesday, closing their businesses in major cities and urban areas in protest of increased electricity costs and new taxes on shop owners. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government has raised electricity prices following a recent $7 billion loan agreement with the International Monetary Fund, leading to higher living expenses and widespread dissatisfaction.

Public markets throughout Pakistan were shut down during the strike, except for pharmacies and grocery stores selling essential food items to minimize inconvenience to the general public. Cities affected by the strike included Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Karachi, with stores remaining closed in support of the protest.

The strike was organized by Naeem-ur-Rehman, the leader of the religious Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan party, and received backing from various traders’ unions and associations. However, traders in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces only partially participated in the strike, with some stores open while others closed.

The goal of the strike is to pressure the government into reversing the recent electricity price hikes and the disputed tax introduced after negotiations with the IMF, which is urging Pakistan to broaden its tax base. The loan agreement in July was Pakistan’s latest engagement with the IMF to support its economy and manage debts through substantial financial assistance. Earlier in the year, the IMF approved the disbursement of the final $1.1 billion tranche from a $3 billion bailout package for Pakistan.