PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has formally proposed the provincial governor to advise the president to withdraw the Customs Act, 1969 which has recently been extended to PATA and Malakand Region.
Sources told Customs Today that the chief minister had sent the summary to the governor urging him to submit the same to the the president for withdrawal of the Custom Act 1969.
The summary says that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, due to fragile economic situation of the region and natural disasters, has asked the federal government to withdraw Customs Act, 1969 in the larger interest of Malakand Region.
The provincial government has also recommended duty free import of vehicles for Malakand Division to stop illegal business of motor vehicles.
The Customs Act, 1969 has recently been notified under Article 247 of the constitution, but it has created unrest among common people in Malakand Region, including Malakand, Swat, Dir Upper, Dir Lower, Chitral, Buner, Shangla and Kohistan districts.
The summary says that Malakand Region is militancy hit area and economic situation of the areas has further been deteriorated due to floods of 2010 and 2015 and earthquake in 2016.
