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NFC and beyond

PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif said his party was ready to accept a new NFC formula that would guarantee the equitable division of resources between the centre and the four federating units.

Are we to assume that the issue of omissions in the National Finance Commission is as good as settled? PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif on Sunday said his party was ready to accept a new NFC formula that would guarantee the equitable division of resources between the centre and the four federating units.

In the light of what the PML-N chief is believed to have said to Mahmood Achakzai, who leads the Pakhtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party, it can be surmised that Punjab is ready to agree to an NFC formula that takes into account other factors such as the ratio of revenue generation, area span and the backwardness of a province instead of the award being based solely on population numbers. Mr Sharif reposed his trust in the 1973 constitution and in return for his assurances elicited from Mr Achakzai an invitation to tour Balochistan.

The Sharif statement is consistent with recent PML-N overtures after the party was criticised for ignoring the smaller provinces and concentrating on what it perceived as Punjab’s problems. It would be advisable for Mr Sharif to acquaint himself with the strong feeling of alienation and deprivation present in Balochistan. Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif visited the province in February this year and he was sufficiently moved by the situation to loudly call for a new social contract. Long before his visit, a number of politicians and political commentators had talked about the need for a fresh social contract in Pakistan, perhaps the most prominent among them being Benazir Bhutto.

As this refrain vended its way from one newspaper column to another, conditions in Balochistan as well as many other areas in the country went from bad to worse. It is about time that the ‘new social contract’ is defined in precise terms and backed by a constitutional amendment package that would give the sacred document clauses to satisfy all parties. In fact, what we are looking for is provincial autonomy. It is doubtful that anything less than this will be acceptable to those who have been deprived for long.

The Sharifs should take their campaign to the National Assembly, and it would not be out of place for the Punjab Assembly to come out with a resolution demanding an NFC award that is favourable to all the provinces. Time is precious. They should not waste it waiting for the moment when they are in power in Islamabad.

DAWN: Dawn Editorial: Tuesday, 26 May, 2009