MANSEHRA: Hundreds of Kaghan valley residents, including small traders, have filed a writ petition with the Abbottabad Circuit Bench of the Peshawar High Court seeking intervention to do away with their taxes for a period of 15 years.

“We have moved the high court with a request to order the abolition of all taxes in Kaghan or dissolution of the Kaghan Development Authority over inefficiency,” elder Bashir Khan Swati of Jarad area told reporters in Balakot area on Monday.

He complained that the KDA heavily taxed and fined the residents over construction activities and small businesses.

Accompanied by a group of local residents, the elder said the earthquake survivors continued to reel from the ravages of the 2005 natural calamity but the KDA imposed heavy taxes on them and others under the rules, which were made for metropolitan cities.

Move high court for intervention

He said 580 community members in Jarad, Battakundi, Naran, Kaghan and other areas of Kaghan valley had signed the petition, while a panel of lawyers would represent them in the case.

Mr Bashir said the KDA’s anti-encroachment campaign had badly hit the people, especially small traders.

He claimed that the action didn’t fall in the domain of the civic agency.

DRUGS SEIZED: The police arrested two drug dealers and seized a large cache of narcotics in Dodial area here on Monday.

The police raided the house of Mohammad Uzair and held him after taking a large quantity of charas, heroin and ice drug into possession.

In another raid, the police arrested drug trafficker Tariq Ali and seized a large quantity of charas and other narcotic material.

The police had launched a crackdown on drug peddlers last week and sought the help of religious scholars to ensure social boycott of drug dealers.

Meanwhile, the residents of Punjool area in Siren valley have demanded the early start of work on the local water scheme approved two years ago.

They told reporters that it was unfortunate that work on the project hadn’t begun even after the release of funds.

Published in Dawn, September 21st, 2021