ISLAMABAD, March 3: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Thursday sought cooperation and flexibility from all the provinces for an early finalization of the National Finance Commission award.

An official statement said the prime minister held a meeting with the chief ministers of Sindh, Balochistan and the NWFP and discussed inter-provincial matters as well as prevailing political situation in the country.

The premier said the early finalisation of the NFC award would require cooperation and flexibility from all the provinces, so that they could work with the centre for the prosperity of the country, he said.

The chief minister of Punjab did not attend the meeting because of his visit abroad. Meanwhile, Sindh Finance Minister Syed Sardar Ahmad told reporters that the province would not withdraw its demand for the distribution of resources based on multiple factors, including revenue generation.

It is learnt that the parliamentary sub-committee on Balochistan, headed by Senator Wasim Sajjad, has recommended the announcement of the National Finance Commission Award before the 2005-06 budget.