LOWER DIR: Jamaat-i-Islami deputy provincial chief MPA Inayatullah Khan on Sunday announced to hold public meetings in Batkhela, Malakand, on Dec 30 and in Swat on Jan 7 against the government’s plan to impose taxes in the tax-free zone of Malakand.

He was addressing a social media conference organised by activists of different political parties at Timergara Rest House as chief guest. The conference was also addressed by Imran Takkar of ANP, engineer Yaqubur Rehman and Sher Bahadar of JI, social activist Akbar Khan, Shahab Utmani of PPP and social media activists Wajidullah and Khan Badshah.

MPA Inayatullah said the people were united to resist the imposition of taxes in the region. He said that Malakand with a total population of 8.6 million people and covering an area of 29,872 square kilometres was the largest division in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He said that Swat, Dir and Chitral, the princely states, were merged into Pakistan in 1969 under an agreement that the government would not impose any tax there. He said under the agreement it was agreed that the people of Malakand would utilise their own resources, which was given constitutional cover.

Mr Inayatullah said the local lawmakers and area elders were not taken into confidence before extending the custom and other taxes to the region. He said the government would not be allowed to collect taxes in Malakand.

About local resources, the MPA said water from the Panjkora and Swat rivers was enough to irrigate the land in the province and also generate hydel power at cheaper rate.

INJURED: A man identified as Majid Saeed, 36, was injured when an unknown motorcyclist opened fire on him near Timer Afghan refugee camp in Timergara police station limits on Sunday, residents and police said.

The injured was taken to the DHQ hospital and later referred to Peshawar in critical condition. Timergara police registered the case and have started investigations. The motive behind the incident could not be ascertained.

Published in Dawn, December 26th, 2022