KARACHI, July 18: Leaders of various parties on Monday urged the federal government to announce the NFC award at the earliest. Speaking at a national conference on NFC award, they claimed that decision on NFC award by the President would be in violation of Article 160 of the Constitution. In a resoltuion, the participants said the task of NFC award be left to concerned institutions.

The speakers opposed “unjust distribution” of wealth from divisible pool and demanded of the federal government to only keep 40 per cent of the wealth and dispense the rest among provinces instead of present 62.5: 37 per cent formula.

With reference to Sindh, it was demanded that provinces should be given royalty on their natural resources, and development projects under Public Sector Development Programme initiated in all provinces on equitable grounds. They said constitution’s concurrent list be abolished. On tax collection charges by the centre, they said it should be reduced from 5 per cent to 1 per cent or else provinces be given the collection charge.

Haji Adeel, describing the NFC award of 1997 as the “worst”, said even if the 1975 award was implemented, it would be acceptable.

Siddiqul Farooq said it won’t matter what formula was used for NFC award if it provided facilities to even those who lived in far-flung rural areas.

The conference was organized by the Participatory Development Initiatives (PDI) and Actionaid Pakistan.—PPI