KOHAT: Owners of units in the small industrial estate here have flayed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government over imposition of property tax on them, and demanded its immediate withdrawal.

They aired their concern during a meeting with managing director of Small Industrial Development Board (SIDB) Iftikhar Alam, according to a statement.

They also demanded provision of gas at subsidised rates to the estate.

They lamented that the excise department had sent them notices to pay taxes of last three years, which was unfair. The industrialists also demanded cut in electricity charges.

The SIDB managing director issued letters to the director of excise and taxation and secretary industries restraining them from charging tax on small units.

SHOPS SEALED: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Safety and Halal Food Authority officials on Monday sealed a number of shops, including a mega mart on the Rawalpindi highway, and imposed fines on the owners for selling expired and substandard items.

A team led by authority’s deputy director Sajjad Ahmed and assistant director Saadia Mukhtar inspected shops on the University Road and the Highway Chowk, according to a statement.

The food authority officials also issued licences to unregistered shops after observing that hygiene and quality of food items there was satisfactory.

TEACHERS APPOINTED: The education department on Monday appointed 22 teachers, including from minorities, in the high schools in remote areas of the district.

An approval to this effect came at a meeting chaired by assistant district education officer Abdullah Khan.

Mr Abdullah said the appointments had been made purely on merit.

PHARMACY OPPOSED: Office-bearers of chemist and druggist association, Kohat, on Monday protested the opening of a pharmacy inside the KDA Teaching Hospital.

Addressing a press conference, the association’s president Ameer Khan Afridi alleged the medical superintendent had given contract of medical store to a blue-eyed person.

He demanded immediate closure of the pharmacy to save medical store owners from facing huge losses.

Medical superintendent Dr Nasir said there was a pharmacy in every big hospital to provide all kinds of medicines to people at 10 per cent discount.

He added now patients did not have to travel to the city or outside the hospital for getting medicines. He clarified that a proper tender had been launched for the purpose. He said the contract had been awarded in a transparent manner.

Published in Dawn, September 13th, 2022