DERA ISMAIL KHAN: The police arrested five Afghan nationals in Daraban area here on Tuesday over failure to produce the required travel documents.

The arrest of Torpai Khan, Jannat Gul, Gul Wali, Sher Wali and Mohammadullah came during the checking of vehicles at the Daraban checkpost.

A spokesman for the police said the Afghan nationals had come in from Quetta.

He said a case was registered against illegal Afghans under the relevant law.

SIT-INS: The business community of Dera Ismail Khan on Monday announced that they would stage protests and sits-in on Wednesday against a hike in property valuations, forced sales tax registration, and point of sale system.

The announcement came after the Markazi Anjuman Tajran Dera, Central Traders Union, Traders Action Committee and Property Dealers Association held an emergency meeting with Raja Akhtar Ali in the chair.

The speakers rejected a steep increase in property valuation by the Federal Bureau of Revenue and demanded its immediate withdrawal.

They said higher valuations would stop property registration and transfer.

The speakers also resented unannounced power and gas outages. They demanded the early disposal of cases against electricity bill fines.

The participants passed resolutions against the leasing of the Jaisa Ram Lota historic building at ‘exorbitant rates’ and against ‘poor’ law and order situation.

They decided that the Property Dealers Association and people won’t carry out property registry transfers until valuation hike was withdrawn.

Published in Dawn, March 9th, 2022