Malakand Division traders shutter businesses against proposed tax

PESHAWAR: Traders across Malakand division shuttered their businesses on Tuesday in a sweeping strike against the government’s tax extension plans.

The strike, which saw the closure of all businesses except for pharmacies and food outlets, was in response to a proposal to widen the tax base in the region, a move that local traders deem “unjustified” and a breach of a historic 1969 accord with the State of Swat.

Malakand division trade union president Abdur Rahim Khan had called for the strike following a comprehensive meeting with district trade leaders at the Swat Press Club over the weekend.

Speaking to Dawn.com, Khan criticized the government’s tax imposition as a “reward” for the division’s sacrifices amid a decade of strife and natural calamities. He vowed to defend the legal rights of the residents, condemning the proposed tax as “economic murder” for the already suffering populace.

“The economic vitality of our division is at stake, with hardly a factory in sight where people can earn a living,” Khan stated, accusing the government of also decimating tourism and peace through military operations.

Also read: KP govt enforces sales tax in Malakand Division, merged districts

Echoing Khan’s sentiments, Muhammad Zada, Shangla trade union president, declared a staunch refusal to pay taxes, alleging the government already garners “60 per cent of taxes” through various means without reciprocating benefits to the community.

Hammad Umar, another union leader, warned of dire consequences should the government persist with its tax plan, hinting at the proximity of the capital, Islamabad, to the Malakand division.

The region’s integration into Pakistan in 1969, Umar reminded, was predicated on a century-long agreement exempting it from taxes, a pact he claims the government has now perilously disregarded.