KARACHI, Aug 6: The composition of the National Finance Commission has not been finalized two weeks after its notification as the NFC directorate in Islamabad has been waiting for the nomination of private non-statutory members of the NFC by two provinces.
Having failed to develop a consensus on the sixth NFC award and on the expiry of the five-year constitutional term of the last NFC headed by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, the government had on July 22 notified the constitution of the new NFC. This NFC is also headed by Mr Aziz and has finance ministers of the four provinces and the prime minister’s adviser on finance Dr Salman Shah as its members.
Under the constitutional provision, provincial governors have to propose the names of the private non-statutory members on the NFC. The Balochistan government has proposed Dr Gulfaraz’s name while Sindh has proposed the name of Nazar Sheikh.
The NFC directorate announces the composition of the NFC after it has received names from all the provinces. The directorate confirmed on Saturday that it had not received names from all the provinces and hence the delay in the announcement of the full composition.
“The NFC will hold its first meeting only after its composition has been completed,” a source in Islamabad said. He recalled that the last NFC was constituted in July 2000, its composition was completed in December 2000 and its first meeting was held in July 2001.
The source said that the government was trying to reach a consensus with the provinces through back-door channels on resource distribution. Sources are of the view that a major initiative to address the inter-provincial issues will be taken up after the local body polls. The trend in the local bodies will help the federal government to address the Kalabagh dam and NFC award issues, they say.
