Timergara – The Timergara Traders’ Association on Wednesday warned of a division-wide shutter-down and wheel-jam strike if the government proceeds with its proposed plan to impose taxes in Malakand Division.
Association president Haji Anwaruddin issued the warning while addressing the inaugural session of “Awam Ki Pukar” (The Voice of the People), a public forum launched by the District Press Club Timergara to highlight citizens’ issues and convey them to the relevant authorities. Traders’ leaders Syed Nasir Shah and Zahir Shah also attended the event.
Anwaruddin said representatives of the traders, other stakeholders and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister were scheduled to meet on Friday to discuss the constitutional status of Malakand Division, the proposed taxation measures and the concerns of the business community. He expressed hope that the talks would lead to an outcome acceptable to the public but warned that traders would have no option but to launch an unprecedented strike across the division if the issue remained unresolved.
He said Malakand Division remained one of the country’s economically underdeveloped regions, with limited industrial and commercial activity. According to him, the local economy depended largely on remittances from overseas Pakistanis, particularly those working in the Gulf, and imposing new taxes under such circumstances would place an additional financial burden on traders and residents.
Referring to the region’s history, Anwaruddin said Malakand Division had suffered severe economic setbacks due to terrorism, military operations, floods, earthquakes and other natural disasters. Instead of extending economic relief, he said, the government was seeking to bring the region into the tax net.
He further argued that the 25th Constitutional Amendment and the merger of the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) had adversely affected Malakand Division’s historical constitutional and financial privileges despite its distinct constitutional status. He also criticised elected representatives for failing to effectively present the region’s case in legislative forums.
The traders’ leader said the business community had consistently supported the national economy and cooperated with state institutions. However, he urged the government to take into account the region’s economic conditions, widespread unemployment and commercial challenges before enforcing any new taxation measures. He warned that traders, together with other stakeholders and members of the public, would launch a protest movement if their demands were ignored.
Anwaruddin also congratulated District Press Club Timergara President Haleem Asad and the club’s office-bearers on launching the “Awam Ki Pukar” programme. He described the initiative as a valuable platform for highlighting public issues and expressed hope that it would strengthen communication between citizens and government institutions and help resolve local problems.
