PESHAWAR: Tribal elders have rejected the imposition of new taxes in the merged districts, and demanded the honouring of the commitments made by the federal government when the region was merged into the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

They expressed these views during a pre-budget seminar held at the Peshawar Press Club on Tuesday.

The event was organised by Jamaat-i-Islami, Khyber district, with participation from political leaders and business personalities of the merged areas.

The attendees unanimously rejected the new taxes imposed by the federal government, terming it a blatant exploitation of the tribal people’s rights under the guise of integration.

Tehreek Huqooq-i-Qabail chairman Shah Faisal Afridi, Awami National Party leader Hazrat Aman, Pakistan Peoples Party representative Hazrat Wali Afridi, traders’ representatives Shah Khalid Afridi, Abbas Wazir, former MPA Mohammad Shafiq and others were among those in attendance.

The participants rejected all new taxes imposed by the federal government, declaring that they would not pay any tax until the tribal districts received adequate facilities in education, health, and business infrastructure.

The speakers highlighted that despite promises made during the integration process, the tribal region had not received any benefits, but instead, ‘heavy taxes under the IMF’s directives were being imposed on people’.

The participants condemned the Mines and Minerals Bill, viewing it as an ‘attempt’ to exploit the region’s mineral resources without benefiting the local population.

They emphasised that until peace was restored and business facilities provided, the tribal people would not pay any tax.

The government, they said should announce a massive development package to end the deprivations of the tribal people.

They also said that an audit should be conducted of the funds that were allegedly embezzled in the past.

Similarly, they said that dams were needed in the tribal region to harness its water resources.

Published in Dawn, May 7th, 2025