Rabbani demands to include NFC award in budget

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Senator Raza Rabbani has demanded to announce the new National Finance Commission (NFC) award before the next budget to ensure equitable distribution of national resources among all the federating units.

Speaking on a point of order in Senate on Thursday, he said announcement of NFC award after every five years was a constitutional obligation. A total of seven NFC awards have already been announced in the country. While three NFC awards were not announced during the tenures of General Zial-ul-Haq and General Pervez Musharraf.

Currently, the resources were being distributed among the provinces under the NFC award announced in 2010. A new NFC award was constituted by incumbent president Arif Alvi, which did not see light of the day. In the award, there were two problems. First it was proposed that the advisor on Finance and Revenue would chair the NFC in the absence of finance minister. Second, a Karachi based representative was nominated to represent Balochistan province in the NFC.
Right now, federal divisible resources were being shared in accordance with 2010 NFC. He urged Standing Committee on Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs to include the constitution of new NFC in the recommendation on the Finance Bill, 2022.

Senator Mushtaq Ahmed of Jamat-e-Islami supported the inclusion of NFC constitution demand in budget proposals and added that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa should be given its due share from the federal divisible pool.