PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Adviser on Information, Barrister Dr. Saif, has called on the federal government to immediately release the remaining Rs267 billion from the Rs350 billion allocated under the National Finance Commission (NFC) award for the merged tribal districts.
Saif accused the federal government of intentionally delaying the disbursement, which he argued is severely hindering the development of these areas.
Saif pointed out that for the fiscal year 2024–25, the federal government had allocated Rs. 350 billion for the merged districts.
However, only Rs. 83 billion have been released over the past 10 months, leaving Rs. 267 billion still pending. He stressed that the timely release of these funds is crucial for the integration and development of the merged districts, which is a shared responsibility between the federal and provincial governments.
The adviser further stated that the federal government’s failure to disburse the allocated funds is compromising the development of key infrastructure, education, healthcare, and employment opportunities in the region.
He warned that the delay in development projects in these areas could fuel terrorism and undermine efforts to eliminate it.
Saif urged the federal government to release the full NFC allocation to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, allowing for the provision of essential services and the successful integration of the merged districts into the national framework.
