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Bara market traders offer talks to govt

Iqbal Khattak

Peshawar: The Bara markets traders have offered talks to the government to resolve the row over imposition of 45 percent customs duty on "dumped smuggled" goods to quell the growing tension.

The talks offer, however, was conditional. "We are ready to accept the duty provided the government, at the same time, also offers some major concessions to us," Haji Waris Khan, a key member of traders' body told Business Recorder here on Monday.

As the April 14 deadline approaches, both government and traders have intensified their efforts to get the desired results. Nevertheless, the differences look serious and both sides prepared to fight a long-drawn battle.

"We have told the government in recent meetings that there must be a give-and-take policy. If it expects us to accept the government demand, then it will also listen to our demands.

"Without conceding to our demands I don't think the two sides will find a peaceful solution. Yes, there is going to be a cat and mouse game," said Wasir, also a political activist of Awami National Party.

He charged the military-led set-up with denying the Frontier traders of means to live. "Already Afghans have taken over all the business from their local counterparts. We are really struggling to make both ends meet in the present situation.

"Instead of extending an helping hand, the government is making all-out efforts to deprive us of whatsoever we do have at the moment. This is deplorable and condemnable," said Waris.

To a question, Waris said that certainly the government's deadline triggered unrest among the traders, including tribes. "But I'm happy that all the traders are united and want to fight till the end to stop the government from doing injustice to us".

He expressed the hope that sanity would permeate the concerned government authorities to come out with a formula acceptable for both parties. "Use of force or other intimidations will serve no purpose of the government", Waris pointed out.

The government stressed the traders not to challenge the state power by refusing to what it believed "legalise" their business. "We are looking for a peaceful solution. The government, by no means, wants to make its own people suffer. But they have to pay taxes. There is no other way out", a top Customs official told Business Recorder requesting anonymity.

The official refused to talk of his department's future course of line if the traders ignored the deadline. "We have made a contingency plan and everything will be under control", hoped the Customs official.