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Deadline for tax payment Tribal leaders warn govt of law and order problem

IQBAL KHATTAK

PESHAWAR: Tribal and settled areas' traders on Sunday warned the government of serious law and order problem across the Frontier Province if it tried to make unilateral decision concerning tax on dumped smuggled goods.

"We are really concerned at the military regime's deadline (April 13) to tax the (smuggled) goods, mostly in tribal areas," Haji Shamsher Khan, President of Muttahida Tajaran (Association of Traders) of Federally Administered Tribal Areas and the NWFP, told a grand meeting of would-be affectees at Kharkhano Markets on the outskirts of Peshawar.

He underlined the traders' resolve to fight the what he said "unjustified" and "uncalled-for" government decision to tax smuggled goods. "We are not ready to accept the government's move," Haji Shemsher roared.

The traders' leader recalled that no government action would be allowed to succeed. "In tribal areas the government writ is not so helpful. Without our help they cannot move to implement any of their agenda.

"What do these bureaucrats sitting in Islamabad know about the ground reality in the FATA. They are ignorant of everything and their decisions are destined to meet their fate Ñ total failure," said Haji Shemsher.

He said the government would eat its own word if it attempted to force the tribal traders into doing something that "the Centre would regret". He, however, did not elaborate.

"The tribesmen are living peacefully at the moment and any unwanted action against us will certainly disturb that harmony," warned the traders' leader.

He accused some unnamed bureaucrats in the Central Board of Revenue of "misguiding the Chief Executive Gen. Pervez Musharraf for their own ulterior motives."

Haji Shemsher Khan reminded the government that FATA was the most underdeveloped and Islamabad should take urgent steps to bring it at a par with developed areas of the country. "What the people will do when they are stopped from running the current business?" he posed the question.

The government has set April 13 as deadline for the tribal and settled areas' traders to pay taxes otherwise a crackdown would be launched. Suspended FATA MNA Latif Afridi, Malik Waris Khan, Malik Darya Khan, Haji Hikmat Khan and Haji Waris Khan also addressed the meeting.