PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa caretaker government has decided to approach the centre for payment of net hydel profit arrears and share in the 7th National Finance Commission Award.

A statement issued here on Tuesday said that caretaker Chief Minister Mohammad Azam Khan chaired a meeting to review the province’s economic situation.

Adviser to the chief minister for finance Himayatullah Khan, chief secretary Imdadullah Bosal, additional chief secretary Ikramullah Khan, principal secretary to chief minister Amjad Ali Khan and other relevant officials attended the meeting.

The forum was briefed about the province’s financial issues related to the federation, including its share in the National Finance Commission Award, net hydel profit arrears, food security, oil and gas royalty, issues regarding water resources and other related matters.

The forum discussed the prevailing economic situation in the province and decided to take up the issues with the federal government effectively.

The finance department officials presented various recommendations to be taken up with the federal government, including an immediate revision of the share of KP in the 7th NFC Award in the context of the merger of the erstwhile Fata with the province and adding the population of 2017 census to the 7th NFC formula, strict implementation of Article 151 of the Constitution by all the federating units so that no unit should take any arbitrary legislative or executive action restricting fair trade and interprovincial movement of goods, especially wheat, immediate rehabilitation of Chashma Right Bank Canal and Gomal Zam Dam command area and construction/completion of Tank Zam Pezo Dam, Baran Dam and Kurram Tangi Dam.

It was decided that all the financial issues of the province related to federation would be taken up with the incumbent federal government in writing.

The caretaker chief minister directed the quarters concerned to prepare proper cases of aforementioned issues for presentation in the Council of Common Interests and other relevant forums.

Mr Azam said that he had already taken up these issues with the prime minister. He added that the caretaker set-up would go all out to steer the province out of the current difficult situation. “There would be no compromise on the legitimate rights of the province,” he made clear.

Published in Dawn, March 8th, 2023