Decision to impose taxes in Malakand Division rejected

MINGORA: Rejecting the decisions to impose taxes, Section IV and Survey of Pakistan in the area, the grand jirga of Malakand Division on Sunday demanded the government to take measures to maintain law and order.

The demand was made by elders belonging to Malakand Division in a grand jirga at the Swat Press Club.

Speaking on the occasion, the elders, including Mukhtar Khan Yousafzai, Zahid Khan, Sher Shah Khan, Abdul Qahar Khan, Muhammad Ali Khan, Abdul Jabbar Khan, Ahmad Shah, Dr Saleem Khan, Irfan Chattan, Ahmad Shah, Khawaja Khan, Abdul Kabir Khan, Mohammad Yar Khan, Khurshid Kakaji, Rafiq Khan, Hameed Khan, Shah Raz Khan, Malik Azmat Khan, Wajid Ali Khan, Mian Syed Laeeq, Hameedul Haq, Qari Fathatullah, Abdul Khaliq Khan, Shamsher Ali Khan, Shah Rum Khan, Dr. Khalid Mehmood, Umar Ali Yousafzai and others, said that lasting peace and order in Malakand Division was their right. They said that they would not allow the situation of law and order to deteriorate again.

“We will not allow any kind of tax to be imposed in Malakand Division. The region should continue to get the status of a tax-free zone. Some forces through a conspiracy want to occupy the mountains and forests of Malakand Division in the name of Survey of Pakistan,” said Mukhtar Khan Yousafzai.

He added that they would oppose Section-4 to forcefully grab the agricultural land. The jirga members threatened that people would take to the streets against the government and administration, if the decision was imposed on them.

“The entire Malakand Division, including Swat district, has a special status and no one can impose taxes or new laws without consulting the local elders. Swat and Dir were merged into Pakistan with the condition that these regions will remain a tax-free zone,” said Alhaj Zahid Khan, one of the jirga members. The jirga members also asked the government to take solid steps for lasting peace in the region. The elders also announced to form Loya jirga comprising the notables from all the districts. They vowed to continue joint struggle for the rights of the entire Malakand Division.