Opposing the new taxes on FATA and PATA, Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs Ameer Muqam has demanded the government to withdraw the decision, saying that the people of the merged areas are already suffering from deprivation and hardship due to the bad governance and insecurity of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, it was reported on Tuesday.
Addressing a press conference at the Parliament House, Federal Minister Engineer Ameer Muqam has opposed the imposition of new taxes on FATA and PATA and said that further financial burden on the people of the tribal districts is not acceptable under any circumstances.
He said the government should withdraw the tax decision on the occasion of the Finance Bill today and first provide basic facilities to these areas.
Ameer Muqam said that the issue of FATA and PATA revenues is very important.
After the merger, these areas were given exemptions from taxes by the Prime Minister, Ameer Muqam said.
Ameer Muqam said this exemption should not be withdrawn because the governance situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is very bad due to the provincial government of KP which always ignoring FATA and PATA and not providing them with the required facilities.
He said the tribal districts are facing serious problems of development, employment and law and order.
He said that the people of FATA are already facing difficulties, in such a situation, imposing more taxes would be unfair, if the government cannot give anything to the people, then it should not even try to take more from them.
He said that the 10 percent tax imposed on FATA has been abolished, however, the common shopkeepers and salaried class will be badly affected by the new taxes.
The federal minister said that the concerns of the people of FATA and PATA have been placed before the Prime Minister and a special concession has been appealed for them.
He warned that the tribal people should not be forced to protest and further burden should be avoided on the areas suffering from development deprivation.
He said that roads, education and health facilities in FATA are inadequate, therefore, the implementation of taxes without providing relief is not appropriate.
Amir Muqam said that all political parties are united on the stand of the people of FATA and I have also raised my voice in the parliament and my voice will be raised at every forum for the rights of the tribal districts.
On this occasion the PML-N Zahid Khan, a prominent leader of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said that at the time of the merger of Malakand and other merged areas, it was promised that taxes would not be imposed there.
He said that the promises of annual financial assistance to these areas have not been fulfilled, while the situation of hospitals, roads and law and order remained poor.
He said that the imposition of more taxes in the current dire circumstances would be tantamount to oppression of the tribal people.
