NFC Award: Opposition accuses govt of seeking to curtail provincial shares

ISLAMABAD: The opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday launched a blistering attack on the federal government, accusing it of unconstitutionally attempting to curtail provincial shares under the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award in what it termed a brazen violation of the 18th Amendment.

Speaking on a point of order in the National Assembly, acting PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan criticised the government for shifting its responsibilities onto the provinces, warning that borrowing had soared to unprecedented levels in the country’s history.

“Provincial shares under the NFC Award must be fully transferred in accordance with the 18th Amendment. What you cannot do directly on NFC, you cannot do indirectly either,” he said, insisting that the federal budget was not a political issue but a constitutional imperative.

Gohar also underscored the importance of defence spending, saying the nation’s armed forces must remain “invincible” and that it was the federal government’s duty to fully fund the defence budget.

Turning to economic governance, he condemned the government’s four-year record, highlighting failed reforms in the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) that had negatively impacted the business community.

He called for the immediate appointment of a Chief Election Commissioner and two members of the commission whose terms expired more than a year ago, declaring that they “must go home.”

On electoral reforms, Gohar pressed the government to adopt the opposition’s proposal for electronic voting machines to ensure transparency and prevent rigging.

He also rejected the results of the Gilgit-Baltistan elections, alleging manipulation in favour of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

The opposition leader in National Assembly Mehmood Khan Achakzai expressed concern about ongoing protests in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), warning that the law-and-order situation in the country is worsening.

He also linked this instability to broader security challenges the country is already facing in Balochistan, suggesting that unrest is now spreading to AJK as well.

He demanded access to former Prime Minister Imran Khan, allegedly held in solitary confinement, and threatened parliamentary protests if the party’s meetings were blocked.

Responding, Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarrar described Kashmir as the “jugular vein of Pakistan” and called for political unity, asserting that the Popular Action Committee’s actions were influenced from across the border.

He said a committee formed by the prime minister had received 38 demands from AJK residents, of which 35 had been met, and noted that electricity was being supplied at a subsidised rate of three rupees per unit.

Tarrar added that an All-Parties Conference (APC) on Kashmir had been held, suggesting PTI leadership would have been better served by attending rather than delivering speeches in the assembly.

He dismissed objections to the Gilgit-Baltistan elections, calling allegations of rigging “baseless” in the age of social media, while emphasising the need for consensus and serious dialogue on Kashmir.

However, Tarar, who also holds the portfolio of Minister for Human Rights, remained silent on the restrictions on meetings with Imran Khan, even though the former prime minister is reportedly being denied access to his party leaders, family, and legal team.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026