Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has formally requested Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to postpone the withdrawal of tax exemptions for merged districts and Malakand Division.

The CM emphasized that the decision to end these exemptions was made without consulting the provincial government, which he claims is unfairly bearing the merger's financial burden alone.

He highlighted that the federal government has not fulfilled its commitments under the National Finance Commission (NFC) regarding funding for these areas.

Afridi argued that tax exemptions were crucial for attracting investment and fostering economic growth in regions affected by past crises like terrorism, earthquakes, and floods.

The KP Assembly unanimously passed a resolution opposing new taxes on Malakand and merged districts, with opposition leaders warning of strong resistance to any imposition.The CM criticized the federal government's lack of transparency and called for renewed dialogue to address the province's concerns.