ISLAMABAD: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Wednesday said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has assured a revision of the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, including the incorporation of the merged districts, a move seen as significant for the province’s fiscal claims.
Speaking at a press conference after attending National Economic Council (NEC) meeting, the chief minister said the province had firmly presented its case regarding constitutional, financial and development rights.
He said the prime minister had assured that formal meetings for the NFC Award revision would be convened within 180 days, and in case of a lack of consensus, a summary would be forwarded to the president for a final decision through a presidential order. Afridi said inclusion of the merged districts in the NFC framework would ensure a fairer distribution of resources and address longstanding grievances of residents in the former tribal areas.
He added that proposed reductions in the Accelerated Implementation Programme (AIP) for the merged districts had been “substantially improved” following negotiations, though the provincial government continued to press for further enhancements.
He expressed hope that both the Annual Development Programme and the AIP allocations for the merged districts would be strengthened to ensure timely delivery of development benefits. Referring to Article 151 of the Constitution, the chief minister said the free movement of essential commodities was a federal responsibility.
However, he argued that if implementation of the provision was not feasible, it should be reconsidered or amended to allow provinces greater policy flexibility.
Afridi said under an agreement with PASSCO, 175,000 tonnes of wheat would be supplied to the province at a fixed rate, adding that the federal government had assured there would be no increase in wheat prices.
He further said the provincial government was making the largest investment in strengthening law enforcement and security institutions, with more than Rs30 billion spent since October 2025 on enhancing the capacity of police, the Counter Terrorism Department and the Special Branch.
The chief minister said efforts would continue to improve public safety through institutional strengthening. Reiterating his government’s priorities, Afridi said education, health, and law and order remained central to its agenda. He said social welfare initiatives, including the Ehsaas Programme, shelter homes, Zamaung Kor and “No One Sleeps Hungry,” were being implemented successfully.
He described the Sehat Card initiative as a flagship welfare programme, providing free healthcare services to all citizens of the province. On environmental issues, Afridi said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa contributed around 45 per cent of Pakistan’s total forest cover, with forests occupying 26.7 per cent of its land area.
He announced plans to allocate a dedicated fund for forest expansion and said the government would purchase trees grown on private land rather than allowing them to be felled, in order to encourage afforestation.
He added that individuals undertaking plantation on barren land would be provided with all possible support to expand the province’s forest cover further.—ZULFIQAR AHMAD
