DLP Report
PESHAWAR
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Friday convened a Provincial Grand Jirga that brought together leaders of all major political parties, lawmakers, tribal elders and business representatives to forge a united stance against the imposition of federal taxes in the former Fata and Pata regions.
Information Minister Shafi Jan said the jirga, chaired by Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi, was a historic demonstration of political unity and collective responsibility aimed at safeguarding the constitutional, financial and developmental rights of the province.
In a statement issued, Jan said the participants unanimously adopted a resolution expressing deep concern over persistent security challenges, displacement, loss of life and property, unemployment and underdevelopment in the merged districts.
The resolution paid tribute to the sacrifices made by the people of ex-Fata and Pata in the fight against terrorism and for national peace, while noting that the communities continue to bear the burden of insecurity and decades of neglect.
It recalled the commitments made at the time of the merger in 2018, including a 10-year tax exemption, an equitable share under the National Finance Commission Award, development funding through the Accelerated Implementation Programme, provision of essential infrastructure and restoration of lasting peace. The jirga observed that these commitments remain largely unfulfilled and that the promised pace of development and sustainable peace has yet to materialize.
Declaring the imposition of taxes on the people, traders and industries of the former Fata and Pata “unjust and untimely” under the current circumstances, the jirga welcomed the chief minister’s decision to withdraw all taxes imposed under the provincial government’s jurisdiction.
The resolution urged the federal government to immediately withdraw all federal taxes imposed in the merged areas, restore the agreed tax exemptions, and fulfil all financial, developmental and security-related commitments made at the time of the merger in both letter and spirit.
Mr Jan said the jirga resolved that if these legitimate demands were not addressed, all political parties and stakeholders would jointly pursue a coordinated constitutional, legal, parliamentary and peaceful democratic course of action to protect the rights and future of the people of KP.
