TIMES REPORT
Swat: Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs, Gilgit-Baltistan and SAFRON, and President of Pakistan Muslim League (N) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Engineer Amir Muqam, has demanded the immediate withdrawal of all federal and provincial taxes imposed on the former FATA, PATA, particularly the Malakand Division, citing the prevailing security and economic conditions in the region.
Addressing a meeting of PML-N Malakand Division in Swat, attended by party office-bearers and workers from across the division, Amir Muqam said the people of the region had made unparalleled sacrifices during years of terrorism and militancy, and imposing additional financial burdens on them was unjustified.
The meeting unanimously adopted a resolution calling on both the federal and provincial governments to revoke all taxes imposed on the Malakand Division. It also announced full support for all peaceful protest movements against the taxes.
Amir Muqam recalled that in 2016 he had presented the case of the people of Malakand Division before former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, which led to the withdrawal of the implementation of the Customs Act in the region. He said he remained grateful to Nawaz Sharif for that decision.
He also thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for repeatedly extending the tax exemption for the region and expressed hope that the exemption would continue in the future.
The federal minister said that after the merger of FATA, his efforts ensured that PATA remained covered under the tax exemption. He added that over the past decade he had consistently worked to safeguard the rights of the people of Malakand Division. He emphasized that discussions on taxation could only take place once the region enjoyed the same level of peace, development, and public services as the rest of the country. Under the current circumstances, he said, the imposition of taxes was unacceptable.
Amir Muqam also appreciated the peaceful campaign launched by traders, civil society organizations, and political parties against the taxes, reaffirming that PML-N would continue to stand with the people in every democratic and constitutional struggle for the protection of their rights.
During the meeting, Member of the Provincial Assembly Muhammad Rashad Khan presented the unanimously approved resolution, which urged the federal and provincial governments to immediately withdraw all taxes imposed on the Malakand Division and preserve the region’s constitutional and legal concessions.
Several party leaders and office-bearers, including former provincial minister Muhammad Ali Shah Khan, district presidents, trade representatives, and other PML-N officials, also addressed the gathering and reiterated their support for the resolution.
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