SWAT: The local traders and civil society members opposed the fuel price adjustment (FPA) and other taxes being collected in the electricity bills and demanded of the authorities to stop imposition of those taxes immediately as Swat was exempted from all kinds of levies.

The demand was made during an emergency meeting held in Mingora. The meeting was attended by the civil society members and members of Swat Traders Federation (STF).

They said that Wapda was collecting taxes in the electricity bills from the people of Swat and other districts of Malakand division, which was not legal.

They said that Malakand division including district Swat was exempted f rom all kinds of taxes as it was tax-free zone.

`Constitutionally, the entire Malakand division is tax-free zone where no department or organisation can collect taxes but Wapda is collecting taxes in the electricity bills which is illegal. We reject any illegal activity in Swat,` said Abdur Rahim Khan, president of STF.

He said that a jirga and all-party conference would be called to make final decision against illegal collection of taxes in the bills if Wapda did not stop collecting taxes. The civil society members also opposed tax collection in the bills and said that people of Malakand suffered a lot in the recent past but the government, instead of giving them relief, was putting burden on them.

`For some months, I have been receiving my electricity bills with additional taxes. This month I have received my bill in which Rs846 is a tax, which is not legal in Swat. I am a poor labourer and can hardly manage to meet my food expenses. I cannot pay the heavy electricity bill,` said Suleman Khan, a resident of Amankot.