The KP Chief Minister fights against the ‘Niswar’ tax in a historic budget debate.

Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Gandapur, expressed opposition on Friday to a plan to tax “niswar,” an addictive substance that is commonly used in the region.

Before the proposed budget for the fiscal year 2024–25 was presented in the KP Assembly, the chief minister voiced his opposition during a cabinet meeting.

According to reports, the cabinet discussed taxing Niswar in the budget for an hour. The CM countered that “tax should not be imposed on Niswar because it is used by poor people,” which is why the cabinet members abandoned the proposal.

In the provincial parliament, KP Minister of Finance Aftab Alam unveiled an annual budget of Rs. 1754 billion for the fiscal year 2024–25, with an excess of Rs. 100 billion.