KP not receiving constitutionally-mandated financial share: Afridi
PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muhammad Sohail Afridi has said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is not receiving its constitutionally mandated financial share in full, adding that outstanding dues owed by the federal government to the province had exceeded Rs 4,500 billion.
Addressing the annual Parents’ Day ceremony at Girls Cadet College Mardan as chief guest on Saturday, he said, these include hydel power arrears, promised allocations for merged districts, net hydel profits and other financial liabilities. He added that while the merged districts had been administratively integrated, their financial integration remained incomplete, which he described as a constitutional violation.
He said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is providing the country’s cheapest electricity, while expensive agreements at the federal level had resulted in a sharp increase in power tariffs. He maintained that the provision of the provinces due financial resources would enable greater investment in energy, education, health and social sectors.
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The chief minister said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa faced challenges far greater than those confronting other provinces, but added that human development and public welfare remained the government’s foremost priorities.
During the ceremony, the Chief Minister distributed medals, trophies and certificates among cadets who excelled in academic and co-curricular activities, and reviewed a march past presented by the students.
Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister noted that Girls Cadet College Mardan enrolled students not only from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but also from other provinces and overseas Pakistani families, reflecting confidence in the institution’s academic standards. He said the provision of quality education to girls was a key priority of the provincial government and that further investment in the education sector would be ensured.
CM Sohail Afridi announced the establishment of a Girls Cadet College in District Khyber and also pledged the provision of funds for the timely completion of the under-construction building of Girls Cadet College Mardan. He reiterated the government’s commitment to supporting quality educational institutions across the province.
Referring to the broader economic situation, Sohail Afridi said political instability, flawed economic policies, rising inflation, declining industrial and agricultural output, and growing unemployment had weakened the national economy and compelled millions of Pakistanis to seek opportunities abroad.
Outlining the way forward, the chief minister said Pakistan’s progress depended on constitutional supremacy, fair distribution of resources and political stability. He stressed the need to set aside personal differences and political vendettas in favour of national interest, adding that the provincial government would continue working to build a strong, self-reliant and prosperous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025