Parliamentary Secretary for Finance and Revenue Saad Waseem Sheikh has revealed that over Rs628 billion has been provided to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) for the development of the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) since 2019 — an amount over and above the province’s regular share under the National Finance Commission (NFC).
Speaking in the National Assembly in response to a calling attention notice, Sheikh Saad reiterated the federal government’s financial commitment to KP, particularly the development of the merged tribal districts, while stressing the urgent need for a new NFC Award based on national consensus.
Highlighting the complications following the 2018 merger of FATA into KP, the parliamentary secretary acknowledged concerns over the lack of proportional adjustments in NFC allocations. He noted that while the population increase in KP warrants a revision in its share, such changes can only materialise through an updated NFC Award, which remains pending since the 7th Award was agreed upon 15 years ago.
Sheikh Saad emphasized that the responsibility for achieving this consensus lies with all provinces, including Punjab, Sindh, and Balochistan. He pointed out that although a sub-group led by KP’s finance minister was tasked with drafting recommendations, no formal proposals have been submitted by the province.
Calling for unity and cooperative federalism, he urged political leaders to set aside differences and work towards a new NFC formula that ensures fair resource distribution across all provinces.
“It is a matter of national concern that we continue to operate under an outdated framework,” he said. “Only through political harmony can we ensure justice and progress for all regions.”
