Shutter-down strike disrupts life across Malakand division

A complete shutter-down strike swept across the Malakand division on Tuesday, bringing business and transport activity to a halt in several districts as traders, lawyers, doctors, political workers and civil society members protested the proposed imposition of taxes in the region.

According to a monitored public feed based on Dawn Pakistan’s report, markets and trade centres remained closed in Swat, Lower and Upper Dir, Bajaur, Shangla, Chitral, Malakand and Buner after a call by the Malakand Division Traders’ Federation. The strike was widely observed in commercial centres, with closures reported in Mingora, Saidu Sharif, Matta, Kabal, Bahrain and Khwazakhela in Swat. Public transport also stayed off the roads, disrupting routine life.

The protest drew participation from activists associated with Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Jamaat-i-Islami, Awami National Party, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, along with members of the legal and medical communities. In Mingora, protesters gathered at Nishat Chowk and carried placards and banners calling for the continuation of Malakand’s tax-free status.

Malakand Division Traders’ Federation president Abdur Rahim Khan said the region had already suffered through years of militancy, military operations, displacement and floods, leaving its economy weak. He argued that imposing federal income and sales taxes at this stage would add pressure to an area still struggling to recover. Protesters also said the tax exemption was tied to constitutional arrangements after the region’s merger in 1969 and should not be removed without honouring longstanding commitments to the area.

They further contended that successive federal governments had not delivered on promises of a larger share in the National Finance Commission Award or annual development funding for the division.

The shutdown was not limited to Swat. In Upper Dir, business activity was suspended in Dir Khas, Wari and nearby markets, while movement between districts was disrupted. Batkhela, Dargai and Sakhakot in Malakand district also observed a complete closure, and transport unions staged sit-ins along parts of the GT Road. In Lower Dir, the strike continued despite heavy rain, with markets, shopping centres and banks shut in Timergara, Chakdara and Adenzai. Traders and supporters from various political parties held demonstrations there, while the legal fraternity boycotted court proceedings in support of the protest. Some government offices reported thin attendance, and several private schools also remained closed.

Chitral was similarly affected, with shutdowns reported in both Upper and Lower Chitral. Shops and markets were closed in Chitral city, Drosh, Garam Chashma, Ayun, Koghazi and Ashret, while commercial hubs and banks in Booni, Mastuj, Laspur, Warijun, Yarkhun, Shagram and Reshun also halted operations. Civil society representatives in the area warned the federal government of serious consequences if the taxation plan was not withdrawn.

Shutter-down strikes and protests were also held in Shangla, Buner and Bajaur, underlining the breadth of opposition across the division.

This report is based on a monitored public feed. Source attribution: Dawn Pakistan. Source: Dawn Pakistan - https://www.dawn.com/news/2017345/shutter-down-strike-disrupts-life-across-malakand