SWABI: The stakeholders related to the tobacco crop, business and industry from across the province on Saturday discussed challenges facing the tobacco sector, government policies, taxation and the future line of action protect their interests.
Organised by the Tobacco Dealers Association, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and held at the hujra of Haji Attaur Rahman at Sheikh Dheri, the meeting was attended by tobacco dealers, growers, and other stakeholders and discussed the challenges of the sector and the future of the industry.
Tobacco Dealers Association president Iftikhar Khan, Haji Bakht Sher, Hazrat Ali, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Nawabzada, Mian Iftikharuddin Bacha, Kiramat Khan, Prof Fazal Rehman, Nawab Ali and others.
Speaking on the occasion, Iftikhar Khan expressed concern over taxes imposed by the provincial Excise Department and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on the transportation of tobacco from one location to another.
He said the association was not opposed to taxation but believed that taxes should be imposed through a fair and practical mechanism. He said millions of people depended on the tobacco sector for their livelihood, but current policies had placed the industry under severe pressure.
He added that while his 16 tobacco kilns had been allocated a quota of 48,000 agreements last year, but now the quota had been reduced by nearly half this year. He claimed that agreements of many other growers and dealers had also been reduced, creating concern within the sector.
Haji Bakht Sher said a three-member committee had been formed to hold talks with representatives of the federal government regarding the issue. The committee comprises PMLN central vice president Iftikhar Khan, district general secretary Babar Saleem, and Nawabzada.
He warned that if negotiations with the government failed, tobacco growers and dealers would launch a protest on the day multinational companies begin procurement and would shut down tobacco purchasing centres.
He added that a meeting with the provincial government was scheduled for June 10 and expressed the hope that it would yield positive results regarding the industry’s concerns.
PMLN leader Nawabzada said his party stood with tobacco growers and dealers and supported their legitimate demands.
