LAHORE (MNN); PML-N President and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to provide Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) with funds under the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award.
Nawaz’s statement carries weight, as smaller provinces have repeatedly opposed including AJK and GB in the NFC framework. The proposal had first surfaced during the tenure of former prime minister Imran Khan when NFC talks began, while current Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had also previously floated the idea to ease the Centre’s financial burden.
Speaking to party leaders in Lahore, Nawaz said both regions must receive annual NFC-based allocations, stressing that they should also develop the capacity to properly utilise those funds. He recalled that AJK and GB had struggled in the past to make effective use of federal grants.
He also directed the party to invite applications for upcoming elections in AJK and GB by December 31, warning that internal disputes over tickets would not be tolerated. Nawaz said he would personally visit both regions to meet candidates and better assess their suitability.
The PML-N leader also commended Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif for her governance initiatives, highlighting projects such as cancer hospitals, model villages and improvements in public transport.
During last week’s NFC meeting, the federal government proposed increasing consolidated revenues by more than 5 percent of GDP over the next three years — roughly Rs6.5 trillion annually. Officials clarified that there was no proposal under discussion to reduce the provincial share in the divisible pool from the current 57.5 percent.
It was also agreed that the fiscal needs of AJK and GB would be examined at the working-group level.
AJK has recently experienced political unrest, particularly between September and November, following a strike by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC) over its unmet demands, including the abolition of 12 refugee seats in the legislative assembly. The situation escalated after a communications blackout and clashes that left at least 10 people dead.
Although talks with the federal government led to an agreement that included additional funds, a smaller cabinet and an inquiry into the casualties, political turmoil continued. Former AJK prime minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq was ousted through a no-confidence vote in November, after which PPP leader Faisal Rathore was sworn in as his successor.
