KHAR: Leaders of business community in Bajaur tribal agency on Thursday urged the local administration to ensure business friendly environment in the region by providing basic facilities at the trade centres and withdrawal of local taxes on essential items in the area.

They made the demands during the oath taking ceremony of newly-elected office-bearers of All Bajaur Traders Union Association here, which was attended by a large number of people including Bajaur Agency Political Agent Mohammad Yahya Akhunzada and senior officials of the local administration.

Representatives of various traders’ union association including president of All Bajaur Traders Union Haji Sher Bahadur, Khar Traders Union president Haji Lali Shah, Inayat Kalley Traders Union president Haji Shah Mohammad and Sadiqabad Traders Association president Haji Akbar addressed the ceremony.

They said that traders and business community were playing vital role in promotion of economic activities in the agency as trade was one of the largest sources of people employment.

They said business and trade sector, which was the backbone of economy of the agency, had badly suffered due to militancy and military operation in the region. They also asked the officials to withdraw all kinds of local taxes on commodities imposed by the local administration since along.

The trade representatives on the occasion demanded of the political agent for accelerating efforts for the provision of basic and modern facilities at trade centres across the agency.

Addressing the ceremony, the political agent said that the local administration was keen to promote trade and business activities in the agency and every effort was being taking for the purpose.

He claimed that the local administration with the financial support of federal government and others organisations had enhanced its efforts to ensure healthy environment to the traders community by providing basic and modern facilities to all trade centres in the agency.

CRACKDOWN ON PRIFITEERS: The Bajaur political administration has decided to crack down on the profiteers for increasing prices of commodities of daily use on their own. The decision was made during a meeting chaired by Political Agent Mohammad Yahya Akhunzada.

The participants showed concern over the rise in the prices of vegetables, fruits and other daily use items, and expressed displeasure over the measures taken for checking prices of commodities in the local bazaars. They noted that prices of essential commodities, particularly vegetables and fruits, had been increased across the agency in the last two weeks.

Speaking on the occasion, the political agent expressed anger over the inefficiency of the officials concerned in bringing down prices of daily use items.

Published in Dawn, November 27th, 2015