KP demands due share of NFC Award

September 7, 2017

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Warns to file petition in Supreme Court over undue delay

Share should be increased after new census: KP finance minister

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government on Thursday warned the federal government to ensure due share of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award and take practical step for its implementation, otherwise the provincial government will file a petition in Supreme Court.

“We will invite the representatives of other three provinces to Peshawar on September 19 to chalk out future line of action regarding undue delay in NFC Award, and after unanimous decision, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government along with other provinces would file writ petition in Supreme Court” Provincial Finance Minister Muzafar Said said while briefing media persons in Peshawar.

He said that the federal government is violating Article 160 of the Constitution by constantly delaying the NFC Award and despite repeated requests of KP, they are ignoring the due demands of province.

Muzafar added that the NFC Award is a national issue and the government should immediately resolve this problem to ensure the financial rights of the federating units. He said that earlier the federal government delayed the 8^th NFC Award and now it was putting hurdles before the release of the 9^th.

He recalled that despite the promise of Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, his invitation to all provincial finance ministers to hold the NFC Award in 2017 was not implemented. He said that it is the sheer violation of the Constitution to stop the 80 per cent share of the provinces under the federal divisible pool.

He also mentioned that after the new census, and subsequent increase in the population of KP, the government should increase its share in the NFC Award and as per the prescribed formula, the federal government should allocate only 20 per cent of the total revenue for itself and FATA.

He appealed President Mamnoon Hussain to approve the NFC Award and fulfill his constitutional obligation regarding financial shares of the small federating units.