Islamabad (MNN); The long-delayed meeting of the National Finance Commission (NFC) is set to take place today (Thursday) amid increasing pressure from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government regarding its share in the upcoming NFC Award.
The federal government released the agenda for the 11th NFC meeting on Wednesday.
Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb is expected to chair the crucial session in Islamabad.
According to the Ministry of Finance, finance ministers from all four provinces, as well as private members, will attend the meeting. The federal finance secretary will brief the participants on the country’s overall fiscal position.
The ministry further stated that the meeting will determine the schedule and timelines for future sessions focused on formulating the new NFC Award.
The agenda notes that the federal government will present a detailed overview of its fiscal challenges, while each province will have 10 minutes to explain its own financial situation.
Finance Minister Aurangzeb said the discussions would place national interest at the forefront, assuring that provincial concerns would be heard and the centre’s fiscal constraints will also be shared openly.
All stakeholders from the federal and provincial levels are expected to deliberate on the contentious matter of drafting a fresh NFC Award.
Sources indicated that the commission’s opening session will likely examine working-level proposals, set up technical sub-groups, and finalise a roadmap for months-long negotiations. Officials described the approach as a time-bound and results-oriented process toward a new award.
Reports added that the talks may be challenging due to the centre’s limited fiscal space, increasing debt servicing, and provincial demands for greater autonomy and larger resource allocations.
