ISLAMABAD: The working group of National Finance Commission has noted the enhanced responsibilities under the 18th constitutional amendment, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) was facing problems in meeting up the revenue targets.
The working group also maintained that a number of devolved subjects from the concurrent list had also resulted in reduced revenue collection by the FBR.
Working Group also has demanded the federal government to convene a meeting of the NFC Award Commission soon to address the reservations of the provinces.
The working group also demanded of the federal government to pay Rs 144 billion under net hydle profit to Khyber Pukhtunkhwa at the earliest as well as to increase the share of provinces in the funds allocated for counter terrorism from one percent to five percent from the divisible pool
Working Group held its maiden meeting here with Professor Muhammad Ibrhahim in the chair. Aysha Ghuas Pasha and Syed Muzaffar Finance Ministers Punjab and Khyber Pukhtunkhwa represented their respective provinces respectively in the meeting while provincial Finance Secretaries represented Sindh and Balochistan.
The meeting reviewed and discussed the report on the implementation of NFC Award prepared by Khyber Pukhtunkhwa.
After the meeting, while speaking at a media briefing, Professor Ibrahim along with Aysha Ghaus Pasha said that Punjab had moved names to the federal government to complete the quorum of the NFC Award Commission.
Aysha Ghaus said that provinces required more funds to bridge the gape in their budgets, which had emerged to the additional liabilities in result of devolved subjects under the 18th constitutional amendment. She also advocated for the inclusion of review of China-Pak Economic Corridor (CPEC) and National Action Plan (NAP) on terror in the NFC Award Commission’s agendas for future.
She observed that provinces were required to work more because of enhanced role of provinces in result of 18th constitutional amendment. “After 18th constitutional amendment, provinces are required to work more in social sector and other sectors” she concluded
