LAKKI MARWAT: Traders of Naurang town have rejected the proposed increase in professional tax by the tehsil municipal administration.

Talking to mediapersons here on Monday, Mutahidda shopkeepers’ association president Haji Amanullah and office-bearers of other organisations said the municipal administration, through advertisements in newspapers, had invited suggestions and objections from business community and public circles for increase in the professional tax and fixed Jan 15 for public hearing.

They said the local businessmen and people had filed objections against the increase in taxes on Jan 8 and also attended the public hearing at the office of tehsil municipal officer today (Monday).

But they regretted that the tehsil nazim, tehsil municipal officer and other relevant officials were missing from their offices as they wanted to increase the professional tax on their own.

Haji Amanullah said the traders won’t accept increase in the tax, and asked the civic body to focus on ensuring business-friendly environment to traders.

The traders warned of protest if the tax was increased without taking them into confidence.

OUTLAWS ARRESTED, ARMS SEIZED: The police on Monday arrested six outlaws, including two kidnappers, and seized arms, ammunition, explosives and narcotics from them during search and strike operation in different parts of the district.

An official said Shaheed Haibat Ali Khan police raided a hideout in Azerkhel village and arrested two wanted men namely Zahid and Javed belonging to Tank district.

They were wanted in kidnapping cases. The law enforcers also captured a man identified as Zameer for sheltering outlaws.

The official said the same police also arrested Rehman for firing in the air, adding Dadiwala police raided a hideout in Wanda Muzaffari in Kurrum Par area and arrested two criminals. He said the cops seized two AK-47 assault rifles, spare magazines and a good number of bullets from them.

Police raided a narcotics den in Wanda Aurangzeb village and recovered 550 gram hashish, an RPG shell and three projectiles from the place, however, the drug trafficker escaped before the raid.

Published in Dawn, January 16th, 2018