Malakand traders threaten to block Swat Motorway Toll Plaza

Shangla  –  Traders, industrialists, transporters, lawyers, journalists and political and social representatives from Malakand Division have announced a sit-in at the Swat Motorway Toll Plaza on October 7 to protest against the imposition of taxes and demand a comprehensive relief package.

Representatives from Shangla, Swat, Buner, Malakand, Bajaur, Upper and Lower Dir, and Upper and Lower Chitral said repeated protests, demonstrations and shutter-down strikes had failed to secure a lasting solution. They warned that the movement could intensify if the government ignored their demands.

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Trader leaders said Malakand’s distinct historical and administrative background, including the merger of the former Swat State with Pakistan in 1969 and the region’s past financial arrangements, warranted a separate and realistic tax policy.

They also cited two decades of economic hardship caused by terrorism, political instability, earthquakes, floods, landslides and the Covid-19 pandemic, which had disrupted businesses, discouraged investment and reduced employment opportunities.

Limited industrial activity, difficult terrain, poor infrastructure and inadequate electricity and communication facilities had further increased the cost of doing business. The business community fears that additional taxes would place an unbearable burden on small and medium-sized enterprises and further weaken the local economy.

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Despite consultations with federal and provincial authorities, the Federal Board of Revenue chairman and other officials, traders said, announcements of tax relief made during jirgas and meetings at the Governor’s House had not been implemented consistently, leaving uncertainty over tax collection and deductions.

They urged the federal and provincial governments to introduce a permanent tax framework that takes into account the region’s historical circumstances, economic losses, geographical constraints and infrastructure deficiencies.

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The business community also called on elected representatives to raise the issue in Parliament and the provincial assembly and press for a negotiated settlement.

The protesters said they remained open to dialogue if the government presented a workable solution after consulting all stakeholders. However, they warned that failure to make tangible progress could turn the October 7 sit-in into a wider protest movement.

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