Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari urges early Provincial Finance Commission meeting for local government funding

KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has instructed authorities to promptly convene a meeting of the Provincial Finance Commission (PFC) to facilitate the timely allocation of financial resources to local governments throughout Sindh.

The directive was issued during a meeting held at Bilawal House on Monday between Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Sindh Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah. The PPP chairman emphasized the importance of ensuring that local governments receive their due share of funds without delay.

The PFC operates as the highest body within the provincial government for matters of financial resource distribution under the jurisdiction of the provincial finance minister. According to information from the Sindh Finance Department’s official website, the commission is tasked with determining the division of available resources between the provincial and local governments, a process referred to as vertical distribution. Additionally, the PFC establishes the criteria for distributing allocated funds horizontally among various tiers and local councils.

Since its inception, Sindh has designed and implemented four PFC awards, which have played a significant role in shaping the financial landscape for local governance in the province.

The PPP chairman’s call for an early PFC meeting underscores the party’s commitment to strengthening local governance and ensuring equitable financial distribution across all levels of local government in Sindh.