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SWABI, July 17: The NWFP Local Government has declared the collection of load-on-load tax by the Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) on tobacco null and void. The TMA imposed load-on-load tax on June 26 and established 12 posts for the collection of the tax.
On a tractor trolley the TMA charged Rs300 when transporting Virginia tobacco and Rs50 when transporting white patta tobacco. On a six-wheel truck it charged Rs600 when transporting Virginia tobacco and Rs100 when transporting white patta tobacco. On a 10-wheel truck it charged Rs1,000 when transporting Virginia tobacco and Rs200 when transporting white patta tobacco.
TOBACCO MAFIA: The Tehsil nazim, Hanif Gul Jadoon, told journalists on Monday that the tobacco mafia had been working against him and he imposed the load-on-load tax on national and multi-national companies while rejecting the opponents’ view that the companies could easily transfer the whole burden of the tax to the poor growers.
He said the companies flagrantly violated the tobacco marketing law MLO 487 and introduced a confusing grading system for purchasing the crop from growers at rock-bottom prices.
He vowed that the companies would not be allowed to buy tobacco from the growers at low prices and all out efforts would be made for the implementation of tobacco marketing law.
He also castigated the officials of the Pakistan Tobacco Board and said that its officials never came out from their air-conditioned rooms to work for the solution of growers problems.
He said: “PTB officials are in league with the companies.”
