The Pakistan Tobacco Dealers Association and Small Cigarette Manufacturing Association on Thursday announced boycott of the purchase of tobacco from growers in protest against the levy of unnecessary taxes by NWFP and district governments in the province.
The decision into this effect was announced by President, Pakistan Tobacco Dealers Association, Haji Mohammad Yaqub and President, Small Cigarette Manufacturing Association, Haji Jan Bahadar in a press conference.
On this occasion, Kissan Board expressed apprehensions of loss of the million of rupees by the growers and pledged to fight a joint struggle with the other associations against the unjustified and unnecessary taxation of the provincial and district governments.
The tobacco dealers aid that federal government collects Rs 34 billion taxes annually on the tobacco while provincial and district governments were using different tactics to levy more taxes on them.
They said that provincial government had started collection of a new tax in the name of Provincial Development Tax while district governments had announced the collection of Rs 1500/- to Rs 2500/- on the loading of one truck, which would hit the tobacco sector directly.
They demanded immediate withdrawal of the taxes and warned that if the provincial and district governments failed in the abolition of their taxes, they would remain with no other option than stopping tobacco purchase.