Peshawar - Jamaat-e-Islami while announcing to support the business community’s call for a shutter-down strike and protest movement against the collection of taxes in Malakand division, has urged the federal and provincial governments to accomplish its commitments and promises made with the people before the imposition of taxes on them.
Addressing a news conference here at Al-Markaz Islami, the JI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter headquarters, party’s provincial Deputy Amir and former provincial senior minister Inayatullah along with party office-bearers of Malakand division and ex-tribal areas, said that provision of basic facilities to the people is prime responsibility of the government, but the government has badly failed to deliver in Malakand, he added.
Flanked by the JI provincial leader and chairman, Tribal’s Rights Movement (TRM) Shah Faisal Afridi, JI provincial secretary Information Jamaat Ali Shah, deputy emir of Swat Dr Khalid Farooq and JI’s Youth wing provincial president Atiq-ur-Rahman Adv, he said the government is already collecting over a dozen various types of taxes from the people of Malakand like in prices of petroleum products, electricity and gas utility bills, on recharging of cell phones, besides general sales tax (GST) on all kinds of packed food items, medicines etc.
The JI leader said: “We definitely do not want rebellion from the tax system, but we cannot tolerate oppression of the common people under the guise of tax collection. Unfortunately in our country, the taxes are being taken from the poor and relief is being provided to the rich people, government officials and ruling class.”
“We want such a tax system, in which taxes are being taken from the rich and relief is provided to the poor segment of the society, and which is the actual responsibility of an Islamic welfare state, said the JI deputy amir.
At the time of merger of Malakand division into Pakistan, he claimed that the government had promised that no taxes would be levied here, but now the government is reneging from its promises.
He also made it clear that Jamaat-e-Islami is not against the taxation, as taxes support the country’s economy, but in perspective of development and growth Malakand division and tribal districts are far behind the rest parts of the country.
The JI leader warned, “If the government fails to withdraw its decision of imposition of taxes, then they will be compelled to hold large corner meetings, protest sit-ins, and shutter-down strikes across the division. We will resist imposition of taxes with the support of the people of Malakand division.”
He also threatened that there is also the option of initiating a long-march towards Islamabad by taking along the people of Malakand division.
