PESHAWAR, March 14: Rejecting the announcement of the National Finance Commission (NFC) award on the basis of population, participants of a seminar suggested a multi-criterion formula for allocation of funds.

The seminar was part of a series of dialogue entitled ‘Re-examining Federalism in Pakistan’, in all the provincial capitals, Northern areas and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas organized by Friedrich Naumann Foundation in collaboration with the Liberal Forum of Pakistan on Monday.

Various topics were discussed including the Kalabagh and Bhasha dams and the announcement of the NFC award by the president.

Speaking on the occasion Sikander Sherpao of the Pakistan People’s Party (Sherpao) said that announcement of the NFC award had become a bone of contention between the provinces and the president had to interfere.

He said that President Musharraf made the announcement only after chief ministers of all the four provinces authorized him to do so. He also agreed that the political institutions were weak as political parties in the country failed to deliver.

Former Human Rights Commission of Pakistan chairman and ANP secretary-general Afrasiab Khattak rejected the allocation of NFC funds on the basis of population and shared his point of view with other participants regarding a multi-criterion allocation formula.

He said that consideration be given to the least developed areas of the country.