04 April 2004	Sunday	13 Safar 1425

LAHORE, April 3: Sindh Chief Minister Sardar Ali Mohammad Mahar discussed his province's stand on the NFC award with financial experts from public and private sectors here on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi met Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz in Islamabad and discussed the matters relating to the award.

Official sources said that Mr Mahar had also discussed with financial experts other provinces' demand of 50 per cent share in taxes and a suggestion that the federal government should get 2pc of taxes in collection charges.

The issue of keeping 2.5pc of the total GST collection out of the divisible pool and its distribution among provinces to compensate them for the now abolished octroi tax was also discussed.

Officials accompanying Mr Mahar said Sindh was trying to evolve a consensus among provinces so that they could get maximum share without opposing each other.

"We have met chief ministers of the NWFP and Balochistan and will soon meet Mr Pervaiz Elahi for the purpose. We are talking to Punjab mainly on the issue of the distribution of resources on the basis of population," they pointed out.

The officials said Sindh was also demanding 1pc more for generating more revenue.

In Islamabad, during his meeting with Mr Aziz the Punjab chief minister emphasized the need for distributing resources among provinces only after all stakeholders reached a consensus and without jeopardizing the right of any province.