PESHAWAR, Aug 18: Water and Power Minister Aftab Ahmed Sherpao has opposed the introduction of cess on the open market transactions of tobacco terming it harmful for the tobacco growers of the NWFP.

He took exception to the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal-led NWFP government’s decision of imposing the tax on the inter-district movement of tobacco in an attempt to bring the open market transactions of tobacco under the net of provincial receipts.

Speaking at a public meeting in his native Charsadda district, Mr Sherpao came hard on the NWFP government and said the decision would prove burdensome for the poverty-ridden tobacco growers.

According to an official handout issued here on Sunday by the Press Information Department (PID), Mr Sherpao said the decision to collect tax on the inter-district transportation of tobacco would hit the tobacco growers hard.

On this occasion, he strongly criticized the policies of the NWFP government, terming them against the interests of the people and in contradiction to the promises held out by the religious parties’ alliance during its election campaign.

He said the alliance contested the last elections which were held under the Legal Framework Order (LFO), and it was morally bound to fulfil its promises after having been brought to power by the people of the NWFP.

“They (MMA leaders) did not object to the LFO when they were contesting the elections. Now they are making a hue and cry against the LFO,” said the minister while addressing a function at Malakano Killay held in connection with the inauguration of a gas supply scheme completed at a cost of Rs1.5m.

According to the handout, Mr Sherpao said the MMA leaders were opposing the uniformed president, ignoring their past when they supported Gen Zia-ul-Haq who had also held the office of the president despite holding the office of the chief of army staff.

“These leaders did not object to the uniform of president Zia-ul-Haq till the time he died,” the official handout quoted Mr Sherpao as having said.

The MMA-led NWFP government, he added, should only concentrate on serving the people of the NWFP, resolve their problems, work to alleviate poverty, unemployment and should take steps to promote industrialization in the province instead of adopting policies harmful to the interests of the province and its people.