PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is likely to appoint Professor Mohammad Ibrahim, the provincial president of Jamaat-i-Islami, as the province’s next non-statutory member on the National Finance Commission.

Mr Ibrahim, a former senator and member of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan’s negotiation team, has also been contacted by the provincial finance department to know his consent for representing the province in the NFC.

“Yes, they contacted me and I gave my consent,” the JI leader said on Friday to confirm his likely appointment on the NFC.

A hint to this effect was dropped by provincial finance minister Sirajul Haq at a news conference on Thursday when Dawn asked him about the delay in the appointment of the new NFC member.

“The deliberations are on. Someone experienced and a journalist would be appointed as the next NFC member,” the minister had said.

Mr Ibrahim, a long time JI associate, taught editorial and feature writing at the Journalism department of Dera Ismail Khan’s Gomal University in the 1980s and, according to one of his ex-students, he also did LLB in addition to BEd and masters in journalism.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government needs to nominate the province’s non-statutory member for NFC after Awami National Party’s Senator Haji Mohammad Adeel resigned from the NFC after his party’s convincing defeat in the May 2013 elections.

Despite tendering resignation, he continues to represent the province because neither his resignation has been accepted nor the provincial government has been able to decide about his replacement.

The matter has been a subject of deliberations at the provincial finance department for the past six months after the need arose for appointing the next statutory member on the NFC. The corridors of power, until a couple of months ago, were abuzz with the likely appointment of a retired secretary environment of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government as the new NFC member.

However, the man from the Dir region of the province, according to knowledgeable circles, has reportedly been saved for the next year’s senate election and in his place Prof Ibrahim’s name has been brought in to represent the province on the NFC.

With years of experience in the active politics and one full term as senator from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under his belt, mild-mannered Professor Ibrahim has yet to establish his credentials as an economic wizard to effectively plead Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s case for the 8th NFC award.

“Insha Allah, we will present our case effectively,” said the soft spoken professor.

However, his political opponents have got their doubts about his abilities to present the province’s case vigorously.

“Being a highly technical job in nature, the position requires someone with good knowledge of the province’s economic and financial issues, and expert negotiations skills as at times one needs to be defiant and one other occasions pliant,” said senator Haji Adeel, sharing his experience of the 7th NFC deliberations.

“Professor Sahib was used to speak on different issues on the floor of the Senate as per his party’s policy, but I never heard him shedding the light on economic issues,” said Senator Adeel, recalling his years of association with Professor Ibrahim in the Upper House of the parliament.

Israrullah advocate, JI’s secretary information, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, views Professor Ibrahim as an experienced and effective voice to represent the province on the NFC.

“He has journalistic background, knowledge about legal matters as he has done LLB, and has also remained a member of the Senate, which all make him a good choice for the responsibility,” said the JI spokesman.

He said the professor would be effective in pleading the case while economic and financial experts of the provincial government would always be there to assist him (preparing/explaining the province’s economic interest).

Haji Adeel thinks the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government would face tough times ahead at the NFC deliberations.

ANP was part of the previous federal government, but even then Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said Haji Adeel, experienced had to fight its way out to get its voice heard at the last NFC deliberations.

“This time, it is going to be much more difficult than the previous NFC award as the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the federal governments are opposed to each other,” said the ANP leader.