Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has voiced concerns over three key terms in the National Finance Commission (NFC) that he believes could undermine constitutional limits on financial allocations, The Express Tribune reported.
Addressing the first NFC meeting, Shah stated that terms related to the Higher Education Commission (HEC), the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), and federal development projects were unconstitutional. These provisions, which involve the sharing of financial responsibilities for national and provincial projects, could complicate the transfer of expenses from the federal government to the provinces.
In response, Federal Finance Secretary Imdad Ullah Bosal stated that the inclusion of these terms was in line with President Asif Ali Zardari’s authority and was necessary to account for a broader scope of national projects. The debate centers on the interpretation of Article 160 of the Constitution, with the federal government arguing that these expenditures are indirectly linked to NFC matters, including borrowing powers.
Despite Sindh’s objections, the federal government has engaged legal advice from the Attorney General for Pakistan, who ruled in favor of the Centre. The ruling affirmed that the terms under review were within the constitutional framework, especially concerning borrowing and expenditure decisions.
While the issue remains contentious, the Finance Ministry has called for more dialogue within the NFC framework, with the aim of addressing Sindh’s concerns and finding a way forward for the distribution of national financial responsibilities.
