MALAKAND: Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Amir Muqam on Sunday opposed the imposition of taxes in Malakand division and said its residents could not afford to pay taxes until complete peace was restored in the region.

Addressing a public gathering in Batkhela Bazaar, he said that he had already conveyed his position on the matter to the apex committee.

The minister said that he would spare no effort to resolve public grievances and serve the people of the Malakand region.

He said that the people of Malakand made unprecedented sacrifices in the war against terrorism. He said that the people left their homes and faced displacement for the restoration of peace in the country.

Mr Muqam said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would have turned into an ungoverned territory if the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government had remained in power for another year.

He said the 13-year rule of the PTI government should be reviewed, adding that recovered public money would be spent on projects benefiting the people.

He claimed that an era of corruption, mismanagement and insecurity had come to an end and said the public would soon witness tangible improvements.

Commenting on the May 9 incidents, he accused PTI of misleading young people and urged the public to make decisions with greater awareness and responsibility.

He maintained that there was no room for facilitators of terrorists or supporters of instability, stressing that peace and stability remained the government’s top priorities.

The minister also defended the decision to impose governor’s rule in the province, saying it had been taken in the larger interest of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said the government’s single-point agenda was to ensure that public resources were spent exclusively for the welfare of the people.

On the occasion, the minister announced approval for the establishment of a Wapda division in Batkhela and the construction of a bypass. He also assured the gathering that steps would be taken to improve the condition of hospitals, schools and colleges across Malakand.

On the occasion, PML-N Malakand district president Sajjad Khan highlighted the problems faced by residents and called for practical measures to resolve them.

Published in Dawn, November 9th, 2026