PESHAWAR: Advisor to KP Chief Minister on Finance Muzzammil Aslam has said that Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has formally approached the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) for review of the Seventh National Finance Commission (NFC) Award.
Addressing a press conference, he said that all objections previously raised by the Court against the petition have been removed, and the case has now been officially numbered and fixed for hearing.
Muzzammil Aslam stated that the Seventh NFC Award has remained in force since 2010, despite significant constitutional, administrative, and financial changes that have taken place since then.
He said the provincial government has requested the Constitutional Court to interpret Article 160 of the Constitution and determine whether Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s share in the NFC should be revised in light of the 25th Constitutional Amendment, which increased the province’s population, geographical area, and constitutional responsibilities following the merger of the tribal districts.
He added that the continued extension of the Seventh NFC Award is inconsistent with the spirit of the Constitution and requires constitutional correction.
He further said that updating the Seventh NFC Award in accordance with constitutional requirements would also pave the way for the formulation of the Eleventh NFC Award.
Referring to the recent meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC), the Finance Advisor said an impression had been created that the provinces had made an unconditional commitment to provide Rs1.1 trillion to the federal government. However, he clarified that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had clearly stated that it should first be allowed to consult the Founding Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, just as other political parties consult their respective leaders.
He said this position was misrepresented in the media, and no allocation for such funding had been made in the provincial budget.
Muzzammil Aslam said that of the Rs1.1 trillion being discussed by the federal government, a portion is intended for projects of strategic national importance. However, no clear mechanism or formula has yet been presented regarding its distribution. He questioned how these funds would be arranged if the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) failed to achieve its revenue target, noting that no clarification had been provided on this issue.
He revealed that during the NEC meeting, the Prime Minister of Pakistan assured participants that if consensus on the Eleventh NFC Award is not reached by December 2026, the federal government will advise the President of Pakistan to introduce the necessary constitutional amendments to the Seventh NFC Award through a Presidential Ordinance. He said this commitment has been formally recorded in the official minutes of the NEC meeting.
The Finance Advisor said this development is the result of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s sustained efforts over the past two years. He credited the achievement to the current Chief Minister Suhail Afridi, former Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, and the entire provincial government.
He further stated that the NEC minutes also provide that meetings of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) will now be held regularly every three months. He noted that the last CCI meeting was held in May 2025 and emphasised that regular meetings are essential to ensure timely resolution of pending constitutional and administrative issues between the federation and the provinces.
Muzzammil Aslam said that Pakistan is already facing a wheat shortage only four months after the wheat harvest, describing it as an unprecedented situation in the country’s history. He stressed that the underlying causes of the crisis must be carefully examined and effective corrective measures taken without delay.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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