Peshawar chamber opposes tax in Malakand

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar Chamber of Commerce and Industry has opposed the proposed imposition of sales tax on the terrorism-affected Malakand Division, calling it an unwise and unjust decision that will gravely impact both the business community and the general public.

In a joint statement, President of Peshawar Chamber Shakeel Ahmed Khan Saraf, Senior Vice President Tila Muhammad, Vice President Zohaib Arif, and spokesperson of Tanzeem Tajiran Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Shehzad Ahmed Siddiqui, along with other office-bearers, rejected the federal government’s proposal to impose a 10 percent sales tax in Malakand Division.

They stated that Malakand had endured years of terrorism, which displaced millions of people and crippled the local economy. The chamber leaders added that imposing a tax on this already struggling region is equivalent to pushing it towards economic collapse.

“The traders of Malakand, who have already suffered immense losses, will now face further hardships due to this unjust policy,” the statement said. The chamber leaders reminded the authorities that even the chief minister had rejected this proposal during the prime minister’s recent visit to Peshawar at a Grand Jirga.

“Despite this, the government’s insistence on taxing the region has raised serious concerns”, said the joint statement. They warned that the entire business community of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would stand shoulder to shoulder with the traders of Malakand and initiate a province-wide protest if the federal government did not withdraw this decision.