LOWER DIR/SHANGLA/BAJAUR: Traders observed a complete shutter-down strike in Lower Dir and Shangla district on Wednesday to protest the federal government’s move to impose sales and other taxes in Malakand Division.

Political parties and civil society organisations supported the strike called by trade associations, declaring those proposed taxes “unjust, justified and unconstitutional.”

Markets in Lower Dir’s Timergara, Talash, Khall, Munda, Samarbagh, Lal Qila, Kambat and Rabat areas were shut all through the day.

However, commercial centres in Adenzai tehsil remained open as the local trader body declined to participate in the strike citing a lack of consultation as the reason.

Protesters warn if decision not withdrawn, wheel-jam strike will be observed

President of the Anjuman Tajran Chakdara Khwaja Faizul Ghafoor said that the decision for the strike was conveyed to traders “too late” for a consensus to be developed among the tehsil’s 10,000 shopkeepers. He said that markets in Chakdara, Gulabad, Ouch, Asbanr and Badwan remained open.

“We were informed late on Tuesday evening. It was practically impossible to convince such a large number of traders on short notice,” he said.

He, however, termed the government’s tax proposal unconstitutional and expressed full support for public resistance to it.

Meanwhile, Anjuman Tajiran Timergara president Haji Anwaruddin and Talash Bazaar president Dr Noor Mohammad told reporters that the business community had unanimously rejected the tax move.

They warned that if the decision was not withdrawn, a wheel-jam strike would follow.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf MNA from Lower Dir Syed Mehboob Shah blamed the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan Peoples Party for the proposed taxation.

Shangla, too, reported complete shutter-down strike against the proposed taxes, with shops and markets closed in Bisham city, district headquarters Alpuri, Aloch Puran, Martung, Makhozi, Chakesar, Shahpur, Damorai, Dandai and other areas in the day.

The traders rejected the proposed taxes, sayingthe region was devastated by terrorism and natural disasters.

Shangla Trade Union president Haji Syed Nazarsaid that the government’s tax move would increase the economic troubles of the residents.

He said that Kashmir affairs minister Amir Muqam had declared that the tax net won’t be extended to Malakand Division, but that statement proved false afterward.

“We [traders] will never accept taxes in our region and will continue peaceful struggles against any tax move,” he said.

Rallies against the proposed tax were also staged in other areas, with participants calling for immediate withdrawal of the Malakand tax plans.

Meanwhile, during a protest outside the Bajaur Press Club in Khar, traders vowed to strongly resist the federal government’s “unacceptable decision” to impose taxes in the ex-Fata and ex-Pata region.

The Bajaur Traders Association and Bajaur Chamber of Commerce and Industry had given the call for the protest during which traders held banners and placards and shouted slogans against taxes in ex-Fata and ex-Pata. Political and social activists also showed up.

BCCI president Haji Lali Shah, Khar Trader Association president Wajid Ali Shah and other leaders Haji Amir Rehman and Abdul Haq called the federal government’s decision to introduce taxes in the tribal region “totally unjustified,” and warned no resident would accept the move as it was bound to devastate trade and business in the terrorism-hit region.

They noted that the ex-Fata and ex-Pata were the most terror-hit and underdeveloped areas, so the federal government’s tax move was unacceptable.

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2025