SWABI: Members of the Swabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry and leading tobacco entrepreneurs on Thursday condemned the deployment of Federal Board of Revenue officials, Rangers and other law-enforcement agencies at green leaf units and factories of tobacco here.

They met here to discuss the development and the future course of action.

The participants included chamber president Fazal Rahim Jadoon and former president Sheraz Akram Bacha, former president of the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry Liaqat Ahmed Khan, the executive council members and former presidents, and owners and members of the tobacco industry.

Last week, the chamber’s subcommittee on tobacco export and trade staged a protest against the deployment of FBR officials and Rangers at tobacco factories.

Tobacco dealers insist govt move creating problems for them

The participants said at present, tobacco procurement was under way, so the presence of Rangers personnel and FBR officials in factories created difficulties for them.

“Exporters, industrialists and the business community have serious concerns about the deployment, which is tantamount to interference in their business activities,” said Liaqat Ahmad.

The participants said tobacco dealers and small cigarette manufacturers had called the government move biased as multinational companies were enjoying immunity and local export manufacturers were being harassed.

They requested the federal and provincial authorities to play their due role in addressing the issue.

“It is impossible to do business in this tense environment. All green leaf threshing units regularly pay due taxes. It is impossible to continue with business under this discouraging environment for industrialists,” said Fazal Rahim Jadoon.

He said tobacco exports totalled $167 million this year, making significant contributions to the country’s economic development.

KILLED: A man was killed and two critically injured in a firing incident in Razaar tehsil soon after midnight on Thursday, said police.

The incident took place in Ghulama village, leaving Jahanzeb, 33, Awais Khan, 30, Ali Zaman, 28, all residents of Parmuli village, seriously injured.

The Rescue 1122 medical team provided first aid to the injured and shifted them to the tehsil headquarters hospital. Doctors pronounced Jahanzeb dead and admitted the two others.

Police registered an FIR against Zahir Shah Bacha and Aziz Bacha, insisting that heated exchanges led to the incident.

Published in Dawn, August 15th, 2025