QUETTA, March 30: The Balochistan government would finalize its demands and recommendations for the next National Finance Commission (NFC) award in consultation with all its coalition partners and other political parties having representation in the provincial assembly.

“We would resolve this important financial issue with Islamabad through a ‘give-and-take’ policy,” Chief Minister Jam Mir Mohammad Yousuf said while talking to newsmen at his residence here on Sunday.

He said he would try to take all coalition partners and leaders of other political parties into confidence on the NFC issue and prepare final recommendations with their consultation.

The chief minister apprehended that the province might be given a smaller share on account of gas development surcharge in the NFC Award.

“Balochistan’s share in the gas development surcharge is expected to be reduced in the next NFC Award,” Jam Yousaf told reporters.

He said gas rates in Balochistan were quite low as compared to other provinces.

“We would adopt a joint stand on the NFC issue after consulting all political parties of the province,” the chief minister said while responding a question. He said the concerned government officials were briefing Balochistan’s senators and MNAs about the problems being faced by the province so that they could take up these issues in the Senate and the National Assembly.

Jam Yousuf said Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali also belonged to Balochistan and as such he was well aware of the problems of the province and the provincial government expected that he would extend all possible help and cooperation for resolving these issues.

Replying to a question, he said China had assured the prime minister during his recent visit that it would extend more help and cooperation in implementing other development projects for the success of Gwadar port. He said adviser on financial affairs Shaukat Aziz would soon visit Gwadar in this respect.

While referring to the district governments’ affairs, the chief minister said a meeting of the PML-Q’s central leadership had been convened in Islamabad on April 3 to review the system and in this connection proposals and recommendations would be sought from the provincial governments to evolve a system to resolve the problems.

He said maintaining law and order was the prime responsibility of the government in which the district governments had very important role as the police force had been placed at the disposal of the district Nazims who also had the powers to enforce section 144.

The chief minister said with improved performance of the district governments the law and order situation would also improve.