PM Pledges to Finalize NFC Award Within 180 Days, Says KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi

ISLAMABAD: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said on Wednesday that he effectively presented the case of the province’s people during the meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC).

Speaking to the media after the NEC meeting, Afridi stated that the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award had not been updated for a long time. He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif assured participants that the NFC Award would be finalized within the next 180 days.

Afridi added that the NFC Award is being updated to address the needs of the merged tribal districts. He expressed confidence that all provinces would approve the revised award. However, if a consensus among the provinces is not achieved, the matter will be forwarded to the President through a summary from the Prime Minister.

The KP chief minister also stressed that ensuring the free movement of wheat across the country is the responsibility of the federal government. Referring to an agreement with the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO), he said certain parties were attempting to push wheat prices above Rs4,150 per maund. He added that the federal government had assured the province that wheat prices would not be increased.

Afridi said the discussions at the NEC meeting focused on key economic issues affecting the provinces and emphasized the need for coordinated efforts between the federation and provincial governments.