Agri income tax
TAKH BHAI
The President of Kisan Board Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Rizwanullah Khan, has strongly condemned the imposition of agricultural income tax and the abolition of the Pakistan Tobacco Board, calling them severe economic setbacks for farmers of the province.
He said farmers have decided to hold mass protests if their demands are not met, including a sit-in outside the provincial assembly before Ramadan.
Speaking at a press conference at Takht Bhai Press Club, he stated that tobacco farming supports 80,000 workers and 1.5 million households, while the sector is contributing Rs237 billion in annual revenue to the federal government.
He warned that dissolving the Pakistan Tobacco Board would cripple the tobacco industry, leading to mass unemployment and financial distress for thousands of families.
Rizwanullah Khan criticized the rising costs of fertilizers, pesticides, and petroleum, which have already placed immense pressure on the farming community.
He urged the provincial government to withdraw the tax and protect the Pakistan Tobacco Board to safeguard the livelihoods of farmers.
He warned that if these demands are ignored, thousands of farmers from KP will march to the provincial assembly, wearing burial shrouds, holding the government responsible for the consequences.
