Govt urged to end power cuts, slash taxes

TAKHTBHAI: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa secretary general Central Traders’ Association and president Mardan Chamber of Commerce Zahir Shah, said on Saturday that a conspiracy was underway to economically cripple the country with imposition of huge taxes on every sector.

“Traders are being forced to abandon their businesses. The rising prices of petroleum products have severely affected traders, while unannounced electricity and gas load-shedding and price hikes have made their lives miserable,” he said while speaking at a press conference here.

Flanked by Wahab Yousafi, Sher Mama, Qazi Muhammad Iqbal Khan, Saddam Khan Khattak, Asghar Khan, Arif Khan, Fazal Haq, Sajjad Khan and Fazal Haq Khan, the traders’ leader expressed concern over the challenges faced the business community. He criticized the federal government for continuously increasing the prices of electricity, gas, and other essential commodities, making life unbearable for traders

Zahir Shah added that the recent increase in petroleum prices had further aggravated the situation for the business community.

He urged the government to provide immediate relief to traders, slash taxes, and announce a special economic package for them.

“The business community is the backbone for the country’s development and should be provided with maximum facilities to ensure their contribution to national progress,” he demanded.

He also demanded an immediate end to unannounced electricity and gas load-shedding to prevent further business losses. He warned that if the government failed to take effective measures to curb inflation and unemployment, traders would be forced to march towards Islamabad.

Zahir Shah also condemned the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca), calling it an oppressive measure that severely undermined freedom of expression.