Barrister Gohar opposes any cut in provincial share under NFC award

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan Wednesday opposed any reduction in the provinces' share under the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, saying such a move would be unconstitutional and an attempt to shift the burden of the federal government's economic failures onto the provinces.

Speaking to reporters at Parliament House, Gohar said meeting the country's defence requirements was the constitutional responsibility of the federal government and should not come at the expense of provincial rights.

"Defence is not a political issue but a constitutional, legal and institutional matter," he said. "If Rs2 trillion is required for defence instead of Rs1.7 trillion, the federation should make arrangements to meet that requirement."

The PTI chairman said the federal government had failed to implement meaningful reforms over the past four years, particularly in tax collection and revenue generation. He criticised the performance of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), saying the tax system remained dysfunctional and had failed to achieve the desired increase in revenue.

Gohar said the government had not delivered on promises related to pension reforms, expenditure control and economic restructuring. He also expressed concern over what he described as a lack of effective reforms in the retail, real estate and agricultural sectors.

"The federation could not achieve its revenue targets during the last four years, and now it is trying to place the financial burden on the provinces," he said.

Referring to reports of possible changes to the NFC framework, Gohar said reducing the provincial share after the 18th Constitutional Amendment would be unconstitutional.

"What cannot be done directly cannot be done indirectly," he said, adding that technical committees could not resolve constitutional matters.

The PTI leader said the federal government had retained substantial revenues from petroleum levies and surcharges and should focus on improving its own financial management rather than seeking additional resources from the provinces.

He said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, as the trustee of the province's resources, would protect provincial interests and ensure that the province received its constitutional share.

Gohar urged all political parties to adopt a united stance on the NFC Award, describing it as an issue concerning the rights and welfare of the people rather than partisan politics.

He said PTI was also seeking the support of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on the matter and stressed the need for a joint struggle to safeguard provincial rights.

Commenting on the upcoming federal budget, Gohar said the government was unlikely to provide significant relief to the public. He argued that the depreciation of the rupee, rising inflation and poor economic policies had increased hardships for ordinary citizens.

"The people are already burdened by taxes," he said. "Instead of imposing more taxes, the government should provide relief."

The PTI chairman also criticised the government for failing to reduce expenditures and introduce a meaningful austerity plan, adding that expectations of a major public relief package in the budget were low.