PM order on discontinuation of fund collection at Fata checkpoints not implemented

PESHAWAR: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s announcement about discontinuation of Agency Development Fund being collected at the checkpoints in Fata in the form of tax or fee hasn’t been implemented on the ground as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra has not been able to officially communicate to the political agents to implement the order.

Sources told The News that the mafias have been making all-out efforts to stop implementation of this important decision of the prime minister as they said more than Rs1.05 billion is being collected in the name of Agency Development Fund at the checkpoints. A major portion of the fund is allegedly stolen by influential officials.

“You can easily imagine the level of influence of the people living on this ill-gotten money who don’t want collection of this fund stopped. The decision was made on May 2 but has not been implemented yet,” a senior government official at the Governor’s House told The News.

He said the prime minister had directed implementation of his order within 48 hours but it was not executed even in a week.

A letter obtained by The News from the Governor’s House stated that the decision to stop Agency Development Fund was made by the prime minister in a meeting of National Implementation Committee held on May 2, 2018.

The prime minister had chaired the meeting where Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, federal minister for SAFRON, deputy chairman Planning Commission, Governor KP, principal secretary to the prime minister, secretary SAFRON, chief secretary KP, additional chief secretary Fata and other high-ranking officials were present.

The meeting had been convened to discuss Fata Interim Governance Regulations, 2018.

Pleading anonymity, the official said there was no legal status of the tax or fee being collected from tribespeople at the checkpoints after the announcement of the prime minister.

“The governor is required to issue a notification and officially communicate with the KP chief secretary, additional chief secretary Fata, all the political agents and the deputy commissioners working as political agents in the Frontier Regions with a clear cut direction to stop collection of fee at the checkpoints. This move is part of Fata reforms as civil and military leadership wanted to give maximum relief to the tribal people and bring them into the mainstream,” said the government official.

He added that the prime minster had also issued a number of instructions aimed at facilitating the mainstreaming of Fata.

“Collection of all types of Rahdarees, import tax, export tax and levies collected by the political administration shall be stopped forthwith. A compliance report shall be sent to the additional chief secretary Fata within 48 hours of the notification,” stated the letter, a copy of which is available with The News.

The prime minister made it clear that the political administration shall ensure that no person or agency collects any type of tax, levy or fee anywhere in its respective jurisdiction other than what a national law of the country allows.

About the running expenses of the political administration, he recalled that the prime minister directed that all expenditures from the Agency Development Fund shall be stopped forthwith. He said the prime minister had stated that a bank statement of the mentioned account shall be sent to additional chief secretary, Fata within 48 hours of this notification.

“Any necessary expenditure shall only be allowed with the prior approval of additional chief secretary Fata. All the checkpoints established for the purpose of collection of various taxes should immediately be removed. This however, doesn’t apply to the checkpoints established for the purpose of security, watch and ward,” the letter sent to the Governor’s House stated.

Interestingly, though additional chief secretary Fata has been directed to publicise these instructions made in a high-level meeting, widely through print and electronic media, the authorities concerned made all possible efforts to keep this development away from access of the media.

The prime minister had also directed that a dedicated helpline number to receive complaints regarding violation of these instructions, but instead of following these important instructions, the governor is yet to officially issue a notification and direct the political administration to cease collection of tax and fee in their respective jurisdictions.

It was, however, decided in the meeting that complaints pertaining to the issue can be sent to the KP chief secretary.

“The assistant political agent Fata should immediately take up the case with SAFRON pursuant to the said decision of the prime minister to provide the requisite funds in lieu of the Agency Development Funds in the regular budget for the remaining period of current financial year and subsequently for the new financial year 2018-19,” said the letter dispatched to the Governor’s House.