KP to raise ex-Fata tax, power supply concerns with Centre

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to formally take up with the federal government its objections to taxation in the merged districts and Malakand Division, along with electricity supply and distribution issues affecting the province.

According to a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, the decision was made on Thursday during a meeting at the Chief Minister’s House between Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and a delegation of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf parliamentarians and senior party leaders. The meeting examined the federal government’s move to impose taxes in the former Fata and ex-Pata areas, as well as complaints related to prolonged unscheduled loadshedding, low voltage and other power-related difficulties in the province.

Participants voiced strong concern over the federal government’s decision and agreed to pursue the issues with Islamabad through relevant institutional and constitutional channels. The provincial government also decided to convey its position through an official letter.

The chief minister directed that a joint meeting of Pesco, Tesco and Hesco be convened to address continuing complaints of unscheduled loadshedding and low voltage faced by consumers across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Objections over taxation and funding

During the meeting, Mr Afridi said the federal government was trying to further sideline the merged tribal districts. He said the Centre had first withheld the areas’ due share under the National Finance Commission Award, the Accelerated Implementation Programme and current budget allocations, and had now moved to impose further taxes.

He said there had been a clear assurance that taxes would not be levied on the merged districts until they reached development parity with the rest of the country, adding that the latest taxation steps departed from that commitment.

Those attending the meeting maintained that taxation in the merged districts was unfair and unacceptable to local residents. They also said that despite being the largest producer of electricity, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continued to endure long power outages. According to the participants, unscheduled loadshedding and low voltage during the summer had added to public hardship.

Mr Afridi said the provincial government would continue taking all necessary steps to protect the constitutional, economic and developmental rights of the people of the province, especially residents of the merged districts.

PTI leaders repeat allegations against Centre

The meeting came after a joint press conference in Peshawar by senior PTI leaders, who accused the federal government of violating the province’s constitutional rights and withholding its share in national resources.

At that press conference, former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser and PTI provincial president Junaid Akbar alleged that the federal government had held back more than Rs430 billion owed to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under net hydel profit, the National Finance Commission and gas royalties. They also said the Centre had not fulfilled its commitments for the development of the merged districts.

The PTI leaders further complained that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had been allocated only 3.8 per cent of the federal Public Sector Development Programme.

The delegation that met the chief minister included PTI parliamentarians Asad Qaiser, Junaid Akbar, Atif Khan, Shehram Khan Tarakai, Shandana Gulzar, Saleemur Rehman, Sahibzada Sibghatullah, Mehboobur Rehman, Anwar Taj, Dr Amjad and Sajid Mohmand, as well as senior party leaders Shaukat Yousafzai and Arbab Jehandad.