06 October 2004	Wednesday	20 Shaban 1425

ISLAMABAD, Oct 5: The Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industries (SCCI) has accused the Mohmand Agency political administration of extorting Rs3 million daily from the people.

In a press statement on Tuesday, a member of the SCCI Committee for Fata, Abdul Jalil, sought Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz's intervention to stop the administration from fleecing the people.

Mr Jalil alleged that the political agent of the area in connivance with his appointed Jirga took "Bhatta" on transportation of various items to the agency. Over Rs3 million, he said, were extorted from the locals in this manner daily.

The amount, he said, was not spent on the development of the people of the area but distributed among the members of the Jirga and the political agent. The Jirga always decides in favour of the tax demanded by the political agent to be imposed on the poor people. The Jirga, he said, had no option but to accept the demand of the political agent.

Abdul Jalil said as per Article 246 of the Constitution only president could impose such taxes after consulting the tribals concerned and eliciting their response on the issue.

People outside the tribal areas thought that the government was not taxing the tribals, which was a wrong impression, he said. He demanded the Central Board of Revenue (CBR) to investigate the exploitation. He said extortion was against Article 247 of the Constitution.

Mr Jalil said Rs130 "Bhatta" had been imposed on transportation of a large size sack of flour to the Mohmand agency, Rs22 on per bag of fertiliser and Rs50 on per crate of fruit. The authorities took Rs7,000 from a tractor and thrasher and Rs3,000 from a single tractor on their entry into the agency from settled areas for agriculture purpose.