PESHAWAR
Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) provincial deputy emir and Member Provincial Assembly (MPA) Inayatullah Khan has said that Malakand division is playing a significant role in country’s economy in the form of foreign exchange, power projects, tourism, agriculture and minerals. However, he lamented that the government has deprived the region of its due share and rights.
“At the time of annexation, there was an agreement with the state that Malakand division would be exempt from taxes, but now the government is mulling over the imposition of taxes on the division,” he added and announced the Malakand division rights movement.
MPA Inayatullah added that the incumbent government has imposed a number of taxes on various items and tax institutions are being consolidated, adding that tax in the division was against the constitution and violation of an agreement enacted by the state.
“We demand the government to exempt Malakand division from tax for the next ten years. Government should immediately announce developmental projects and major development packages for poverty alleviation, improvement of infrastructure, education and health, provision of clean drinking water,” he added.
He said that a movement against taxation on Malakand division would be launched and the future plan and road map will be given in the Grand Jirga scheduled to be held on November 22 in Batkhela.
The people of the division would take to the streets for their rights and every peaceful method including shutter down strike and sit-in at the district level will be adopted, he added.
JI deputy emir maintained that all possible steps would be taken to make the movement successful and reach its logical conclusion.
He expressed these views while addressing the Rights Malakand Division Jirga at Al-Markaz-e -Islami Swari area of Bunner.
On this occasion, JI district emir Muhammad Haleem Bacha, Engineer Nasir Khan, former Speaker Bakht Jahan Khan and representatives of other parties, business organizations and social workers were also present.
Inayatullah Khan said that once again there is unrest in Malakand division, target killing is taking place and the condition of the highways of Malakand division is getting worse.
He said that former tribal areas were given a development package worth Rs 100 but the Malakand division was ignored.
JI MPA maintained that peace, development and exemption from taxation were the major demands of the people and people of the region would take stand on them.
