Traders of Mingora and Saidu Sharif, Swat on Tuesday rejected imposition of Rs 500 tax per shop and urged the government for its early withdrawal otherwise they will resort to strikes and protests. The town municipal officer (TMO), through a notification, directed shopkeepers to pay Rs 1,000 including Rs 500 as tax and Rs 500 as registration fee according to the Local Government Act 2001, which was imposed throughout the country.
But traders rejected the new taxes and termed it contrary to constitutional obligations. During a meeting, trader leader Khalid Mehmood termed the tax as unconstitutional. He said that according to Article 247 of the constitution, PATA was exempted from all taxes. Mehmood urged the government to withdraw the decision.
