ISLAMABAD, May 19: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz admitted on Thursday that there were difficulties in the finalization of the NFC award before the budget but vowed to continue efforts to bring provinces closer to a consensus formula. Talking to MMA’s deputy parliamentary leader Hafiz Hussain Ahmed, who had called on him at the prime minister’s house along with legislators from Balochistan, Mr Aziz agreed that the provinces should have worked out a formula before the budget.

Talking to Dawn after the 35-minute meeting, the MMA leader said that constitutional issues, including restoration of parliament’s sovereignty and powers of the prime minister, had come under discussion.

He said he had pointed out to Mr Aziz that instead of President Pervez Musharraf, the country’s prime minister should have represented Pakistan in talks with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The prime minister replied that in the prevailing international situation Pakistan had to play a special role and needed President Musharraf’s help. The MMA leader said he had told the prime minister that the federal government should use its influence over its coalition partner, the MQM, to withdraw its demand for a major change in the resource-distribution formula which was blocking the finalization of the NFC award.

The MMA leader pointed out that the NWFP needed to be paid its share in the net hydel profit and arrears under this head, and that Balochistan had been denied its due share in the sale of gas.

He told the prime minister that if the federal government implemented the 29 proposals recommended by a parliamentary sub-committee on Balochistan and incorporated them into the budget, grievances of Balochistan would be redressed to a great extent.

He said that the parliamentary committee which had been formed on October 7 and asked to submit its report within three months had not yet submitted its report to parliament, creating doubts about its working.

Hafiz Hussain Ahmed said he had also apprised Mr Aziz about development projects being carried out in his constituency and informed him about problems including the slow progress of work on development projects in the area.

The prime minister assured the delegation that the federal government would extend all possible cooperation to the provincial government in its efforts to provide basic facilities and accelerate pace of development in Balochistan.