PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur has said “despite the passage of six years of the merger of the erstwhile tribal areas into KP, the province has not received its due share in the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, which amounts to Rs 250 billion annually. Furthermore, Rs 2,200 billion in net hydel profit remains unpaid by the federal government, and the province is also entitled to Rs 225 billion annually from the tobacco cess.”
He expressed these views during his meeting with a delegation of the Local Council Association, KP, which called on him under the leadership of its President Himatullah Mayar, here at Chief Minister’s House on Tuesday.
The meeting focused on the province’s financial issues related to the federal government, including the share of merged districts in the NFC Award,
outstanding dues from net hydel profit, and the tobacco cess.
During the meeting, elected local government (LG) representatives pledged full support to the provincial government and the chief minister in its struggle to secure the province’s constitutional financial rights.
It was decided that on February 25, meetings of tehsil councils across the province would be convened to pass resolutions demanding the immediate release of KP’s rightful share from the federal government. If these funds are not provided, local government representatives, under the leadership of the chief minister, will stage strong protests.
Additionally, if necessary, the provincial government will take the matter to the Supreme Court to fight for its constitutional rights.
The delegation reaffirmed its commitment to standing by the CM in this struggle, stating that the issue concerns the rights of the KP people and is beyond political affiliations.
They emphasized that there would be no compromise or political manoeuvring on this matter.
The meeting also addressed issues faced by local governments.
The CM assured local representatives that their problems would be resolved on a priority basis. He reiterated his commitment to empowering local bodies in line with the vision of PTI’s founding chairman, adding that necessary amendments would be made to relevant laws to grant them more authority.
He stressed that local representatives, directly elected by the people, must be empowered to serve their constituents effectively. Provincial Minister for LG Arshad Ayub Khan, LG Secretary Dr Anbar Ali, and Law Secretary Akhtar Saeed Turk were also present at the meeting.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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