- Expresses concerns over ‘proposed reduction in provinces share’ in upcoming NFC Award from 57.5%
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) senior leader and former Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani on Tuesday demanded the federal government disclose all international agreements being made abroad, claiming that even the public found out about major petroleum and mineral deals “through a tweet by the US President.”
Addressing a press conference, Rabbani criticised the lack of transparency and exclusion of the Parliament from key foreign agreements, saying it directly affected Pakistan’s natural resources and provincial rights.
“The government is planning to reduce the provinces’ share in the upcoming National Finance Commission (NFC) Award from 57.5%, which would be a clear violation of the 18th Amendment of the Constitution,” Rabbani voiced his concerns.
“More than 15 years have passed, and a new NFC Award has still not been introduced,” he lamented, calling the situation a deliberate constitutional breach.
Referring to foreign agreements reportedly involving petroleum and mineral resources, Rabbani said these were first made known through a tweet by US President Donald Trump, not through any official channel in Pakistan.
The PPP leader emphasized that 50% of such resources belong to the provinces, and their exclusion from such decisions is unjust and unconstitutional.
“The rights of the provinces are being ignored in every overseas deal,” Rabbani said, adding that the Federation must stop centralized tax collection.
He also called for an overhaul of the tax system, demanding that all tax collection responsibilities be handed over to the provinces instead of the federal government controlling fiscal flows.
