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Resistance to Pakistan's decision to enforce taxes in the merged tribal districts is intensifying, with political leaders, traders and community representatives demanding that Islamabad continue tax exemptions for another 10 years, as reported by The Express Tribune.
According to The Express Tribune, a series of meetings, press briefings and public statements have been held across Khyber and other former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), where participants warned that a coordinated protest campaign would be launched if the federal government refused to withdraw the new taxation measures. One of the largest gatherings took place at the Jamaat-e-Islami office in Aka Khel, Khyber district, under the chairmanship of District Amir Shah Faisal Afridi. Traders from Bara and Jamrud, tribal elders, political representatives and members of civil society attended the meeting to voice their opposition to the government's tax policy. Speakers argued that the merged tribal districts continue to face deep economic and social challenges despite their merger with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. They maintained that inadequate healthcare, poor educational facilities, unemployment and limited business opportunities remain major concerns. Participants also said that infrastructure, homes and public institutions damaged during years of militancy and conflict have not been fully rebuilt, making the introduction of taxes premature and unfair. The meeting concluded with the announcement of a district-wide campaign against taxation, while a central committee was constituted to coordinate future demonstrations and public mobilisation. Former federal minister Hamidullah Jan Afridi also criticised the government's decision, saying residents of the former FATA and PATA regions had already endured years of militancy, displacement and economic hardship, as cited by The Express Tribune. He argued that imposing new taxes without first restoring infrastructure, employment opportunities, healthcare and educational services would place an additional burden on already struggling communities. Afridi pledged to raise the issue through constitutional and democratic channels, as reported by The Express Tribune. (ANI)
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