SWABI: The district excise and taxation officials sealed three main markets in Topi tehsil here on Thursday for their owners’ failure to pay millions of rupees outstanding property tax.

The officials along with the security staff visited Meena Bazaar, Malik Aman Market and Ayub Goods Adda Market and told the shopkeepers that their market owners had been avoiding payment of property tax.

Soon after sealing the shops, the traders gathered in Meena Bazaar market and chanted slogans against the officials, saying they should not be punished for wrongs of the market owners.

The officials said that the owners had already been declared as tax defaulters after sending them several notices. They said that the trade centres would remain sealed till payment of the dues.

The traders said that they had paid a big amount of money to owners of the markets as security advance besides paying monthly rent.

Fazal Khaliq, former president of Topi Shopkeepers Association, said that the business community and excise officials should amicably settle the issue of property tax.

When asked, excise department ASI Ayaz Khan said the department had decided to launch a crackdown on the property tax defaulters across the district.

Another official said that the market owners could pay the tax in installments.

KILLED: A man was killed in Maneri Payan over money dispute on Thursday.

Registering an FIR in Swabi city police station, Zahir Shah alleged that Rahim Sher, one of their neighbours, opened fire on his brother Bahar Ali in the locality. As a result, he died on the spot. The cause of the incident is stated to be a money dispute.

Meanwhile, police arrested two traders and recovered over 15,000 firecrackers from their shops on Thursday.

When contacted, SHO Kalu Khan police Mohammad Fayaz said they had received complaints about excessive use of firecrackers at marriage parties.

He said they raided the markets in Razaar tehsil and recovered firecrackers from two shops.

Two shopkeepers, identified as Mohammd Sohail and Farzand Ali, have been arrested and separate cases registered against them.

Published in Dawn, March 6th, 2020