PESHAWAR: Members from the treasury and opposition benches in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Saturday opposed the imposition of taxes in Malakand division and ex-tribal areas, saying that the federal government must give its shares as promised at the time of the merger of tribal areas into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The provincial assembly witnessed heated debates on a Rs1.7 billion supplementary budget for the current fiscal year.
Leader of Opposition Dr Ibadullah Khan said the supplementary budget was Rs. 1.7 billion, which reflected poor financial matters and plans of the provincial government. “You have already spent the extra money, and now you are seeking approval for it,” he told the government benches.
He said the supplementary amount was 18 percent higher than the originally allocated budget, asking the finance adviser that the budgetary figures had shown a surplus budget at the start of the financial year, but now showed a huge deficit or extra fund at the end of the year.
PTI MPA and former provincial minister Fazal Hakim said people of Malakand were not against the imposition of tax as the country was run on tax. However, he demanded that areas affected by terrorism and floods should not be taxed. He warned that if job opportunities were not created, terrorism would increase. PTI MPA Ajmal Khan from Bajaur also opposed taxation in the merged districts, saying that the remaining industries would be closed if new taxes were imposed in the former tribal areas.
ANP MPA Nisar Baz said the federal government first imposed 10 percent tax on tribal districts last year and later increased it to 13 percent. Now, income tax has also been imposed in tribal districts, he added.
He said the federation was not paying the annual amount it had promised to tribal districts. He compared it with Punjab, where a motorway is being built from Rawalpindi to Kariyan. “The federation has money for Punjab but not for tribal districts,” he said.
Nisar Baz said the provincial government was treating tribal areas like a stepmother, and the federation was doing the same. “We reject the imposition of tax in tribal districts. We stand with the tribal people and will protest on every forum,” he said.
He claimed his name was put on the Exit Control List for protesting for peace in his area, adding that if speaking for the rights of people was a crime, then he would continue to do so.
JUIF MPA Adnan Wazir said last year a Rs157 billion surplus was presented, but now a supplementary budget of over Rs121 billion is being presented. “This means that after Rs157 billion, we have also spent Rs121 billion,” he said.
He said there were errors in supplementary budget figures and contradictions in the estimates given in the speech. “The government should brief us on these points,” he said.
Speaker Babar Salim Swati presided over the first session, while after the break, Deputy Speaker Suriya Bibi led the session till its adjournment.
