Traders want Malakand exempted from tax for 10 years

MINGORA: President of Malakand division Traders Federation Abdul Rahim Khan has said that traders are firm on the demand for tax relief for the region for another 10 years.

“Our stand on tax is crystal clear. The government is distorting the ground realities by putting Provincially Administered Tribal Areas and Federally Administered Tribal Areas in the same category. The Pata was merged in 2018 and Malakand division in 1969,” Abdul Rahim told media persons.

He said the government is trying to give a lollipop to the people of Malakand division by putting both Pata and Fata in the same category, adding that imposing tax in Malakand division is a matter of life and death for the local population.

The government should take full care of public sentiments by giving tax exemption to Malakand division for another 10 years, he said.He said that the relief given by the government to Malakand division in terms of tax exemption for the current year is not acceptable to them.

The traders body chief lauded the Adviser to the Prime Minister, Engineer Amir Muqam, for his efforts in this regard, hoping that now Muqam should play more role in providing tax relief to Malakand division for another 10 years.

“We are not in favour of instability but our patience should not be taken as our weakness. We understand the current weak economic situation of the country and do not want to create problems. But we ask the government to rethink the tax issue in Malakand division,” he added.