PESHAWAR, May 14: Tribal elders of Mohmand and Bajaur agencies have opposed the proposed imposition of income and sales taxes in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and asked the government to reconsider its decision.

In a joint statement, the elders claimed that no tax could be imposed on Fata people. Terming the tax proposals anti-tribal, they said instead of levying taxes, the government should offer maximum incentives to those businessmen who had invested their money in the area.

It would be unwise to discourage the people who had opted to invest in the tribal region, they added.

They termed imposition of income and sale taxes a serious blow to industrial units in Fata. They said tribal areas needed development of infrastructure for industrialisation.

The tribal elders said rapid industrialisation in Fata was the only solution to the growing problem of unemployment and poverty. "We hope the government will desist from levying any taxes on industries in tribal area," they added.

The tribal elders appealed to President Pervez Musharraf, Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz and NWFP Governor Iftikhar Hussain Shah to intervene into the matter and save the industrial units in Fata from destruction.

They also asked the government to refrain from launching another Wana-like operation in the area.

The statement was signed by Haji Zarmash Khan Mohmand, Malik Mannan, Malik Haji Mohammad Gul, Malik Haji Badri Zaman, Malik Jamaldar and Malik Almas Khan.