MARDAN - Marble Industries and Mines Association provincial chairman Mohammad Sajjad Khan on Thursday threatened that if government doesn’t withdraw 500 percent increase in Marble Royalty Tax they would stage sit-in in front of Chief Minister House and provincial assembly. He expressed these views while speaking to a press conference at Mardan Press Club. President Jahangira Marble association Mian Fazilat Shah, Buner president Mussa Jan, Swat president Murad Khan, Risalpur president Aftab Khan and large numbers of office bearers and marble factories owners of Swat, Buner, Mardan, Swabi and Peshawar were also present at this occasion. Sajjad Khan said that in July provincial government has increased the marble, mines royalty tax from 200 to 500 percent. He added that we paid Rs 30 on per ton of marble but government has increased it to Rs90 per ton. He added that in this connection they arranged meeting with the secretary mines in August. He added that secretary mines told them that provincial government cabinet has increased the marble mines royalty tax and without discussing with the provincial cabinet he cannot take any decision in this connection. He added that the provincial government in the current time is busy in “Dharna” at Islamabad, however secretary mines told us that they should pay tax on old rate. He added that from the last few days we were paying tax on old rate. He added that recently provincial government issued notification to the contractor to collect tax on new rate. He added that contractor started collecting tax on new rate. He added that later on we met with Ziaullah Afridi Mines Minister but he refused us that he cannot take any decision in this connection. He told us that Chief Minister and Mines secretary aren’t ready for this. “We told the minister that we will start protests and will stage rallies in the province and will arrange “Dharna” in front of Chief Minister house and provincial assembly in response minister told us that it is your right and from the last one month we have staged “Dharna” at Islamabad and we have gained nothing”, he added. He accused that Jahangir Tareen and Saifullah Niazi did this decision at Banigala in the presence of Imran Khan. “Our Chief Minister has no power and he is play role of Secretary while Jahangir Tareen and Saifullah Niazi did all the decisions of province”, he added. “On one side Imran Khan and Chief Minister announced civil disobedience in the country while on the other side they increased taxes in the province which is illegal and immoral”, he added. He added that now we have closed our industries. He threatened that if provincial government did not back this decision then they will be compelled to staged protest rallies in the province and also staged “Dharna” in front of chief minister house on 1st October.