Awami National Party (ANP) Chief Asfandyar Wali Khan has said the party will not support levy of any new tax in the country. Addressing a news conference here at Chief Minister's House on Saturday, he said that the people were already braving sky rocketing price hike, adding the levy of the new tax would further multiply their problems.
The party, he said had however constituted a committee comprising economic experts for preparing a detailed report on the matter of the levy of Reformed General Sales Tax (RGST). The report to be prepared shortly after Eid-ul- Azha would be put before the Central Working Committee for taking final decision in this regard. He asked the government to give priority to the interests of people over the conditionalities of the World Bank (WB) and International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Expressing concern over the situation in Karachi, he said they favour military operation in the city to make it totally weapon free. He said that whenever rangers had given powers target killings declined. He said that Karachi is the financial capital and the largest city and every Pakistan has right over it.
He said that they were in favour of strengthening of democracy and democratic institutions in the country. However, he said that he did not see any political change in the near future. He said that terrorism could not be eliminated completely.
To a question regarding the kidnapping of Vice Chancellor, Islamia College University (ICU), he said the presence of the kidnapped academician in Waziristan has been confirmed. However, he rejected the impression of the receiving of demands from the kidnappers. "Ajmal Khan is not only my cousin, but also my best friend and I am anxious about his early recovery from the kidnappers," Wali said, responding to a query.