Bajaur: Traders staged a protest demonstration in Inayat Kallay Bazaar against the imposition of taxes in Malakand Division and the former FATA, with a large number of traders and local residents participating.

Addressing the gathering, political leaders from Bajaur urged the government to respect the constitutional and legal status of Malakand Division and the erstwhile FATA, and to immediately withdraw the newly imposed taxes in these regions.

The speakers said that, given the current economic conditions, the new taxes would place an additional burden on both the public and the business community, making them unacceptable. 

They called on the government to reconsider its decision in light of the hardships faced by citizens, warning that the protest movement would be expanded if their demands were not met.

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The protesters also chanted slogans in support of their demands and called on the government to revoke the tax measures.

It is worth noting that, in the 2026–27 federal budget, the federal government decided to end the decades-long tax exemptions for the merged districts and Malakand Division. As a result, from July 1, a 12% sales tax on industrial production and a 7% income tax have been imposed in these areas.