Falak Sher
MARDAN
Provincial General Secretary of the Markazi Tanzeem-e-Tajran and group leader of the Mardan Chamber, Zahir Shah, On Monday announced a protest movement against the smart lockdown and the existing tax system, calling both detrimental to traders and the public alike. Addressing a press conference alongside Mardan Chamber Vice President Sahibzada, District General Secretary of Tanzeem-e-Tajran Waqar Bacha, and central leader of the Sarafa and Jewellers Association Faqir Muhammad Saraf,Aftab mumand, Zahir Shah urged the government to immediately lift the smart lockdown ahead of Eidul Azha, saying it was badly affecting business activities.
He said early market closures were also creating difficulties for citizens in completing Eid shopping.
Criticising the Federal Board of Revenue’s taxation structure, Zahir Shah termed the current system complicated and burdensome for traders. He rejected the fixed taxation regime as “unrealistic” and demanded the formulation of a practical tax system through consultation with the business community.
He announced that traders would stage a protest in Mardan on May 12 in support of their demands. Central President Kashif Chaudhry, Provincial President Sharafat Ali Mubarak, and other local leaders are expected to address the gathering. He added that the protest movement would later be expanded to the provincial and national levels.
Zahir Shah said cash crops produced in other provinces, including wheat and other agricultural commodities, were exempt from taxes, while tobacco growers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were facing repeated new taxes. He also alleged that factory owners were being harassed through the FBR and Rangers.
He further demanded an end to unannounced electricity and gas load-shedding, questioning the increase in outages despite large-scale power generation through solar systems.
“The business community is on the verge of collapse due to smart lockdowns and load-shedding,” he said.
Urging the government to shift its focus towards economic recovery, he said that after success in the “Maraka e Haq,” the authorities should now launch a “Battle for Economy” by providing immediate relief and facilities to the public and traders.
