Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly (GBA) has passed a unanimous resolution regarding the provision of share out of NFC Award to the region instead of provision of grant in aid per year. Resolution to this effect was tabled by the senior minister/minister finance of the regional government Engineer Muhammad Ismail and it was pointed out in the resolution that annual budget of the region was being provided through grant in aid during every fiscal yearinstead of provision of due share out of NFC Award. It was also explained by the finance minister of the region that federal government has asked to provide the list of PSDP projects and annual development fund of the region was much meager and the region was depending on the PSDP projects and federal government was required to allocate more PSDP projects for the area. Resolution regarding the provision of share out of NFC Award was passed unanimously by the Assembly of the area. Where-as Assembly of the area has also passed a resolution tabled by the Member Assembly JaveedManwa regarding the amendment in the Karakorum International University Order and Baltistan University Order besides passing of other resolutions tabled by the Law Minister Syed Sohail Abbas and Member Assembly AmjadHussain Advocate respectively.
Annual budget of the region was being provided through Ministry of Kashmir Affairs in the shape of grant in aid during every fiscal year and government of the area was facing hardship to get released the allocated budget especially development budget of the area due to which development projects of the area were being un-necessarily delayed. Now the finance minister of the regional government engineer Muhammad Ismial has tabled a resolution in the region Assembly through which it was demanded from the federal government that instead of providing the annual budget of the area through the method of grant in aid, due share out of NFC Award be provided to the government of the area, which is reasonable demand on the part of regional government, but it would be premature to comment upon the matter whether the share out of NFC Award can be provided directly to the area due to its legal status under the ambit of Constitution of Pakistan-1973 or not. But one thing is loud and clear that the region was being deprived from its due share out of NFC Award due to which the government of the area was facing financial problems, it may be necessary to point out here that people of the area were paying all indirect federal taxes imposed by the federal government, but the government of the area was not getting its due share out of revenue collection. Moreover, annual development budget of the region was very meager and it was not possible for the government of the area to launch mega development projects in all districts of the region and brought the area at par with the other developed parts of the country, hence, it was essential that annual development budget of the region be increased up-to 35-40 billion rupees per year, so that equal development opportunities could be provided to the people of the area like other parts of the country bedsides allocation of PSDP projects for the area. It would be appropriate for federal government to provide due share out of NFC Award to the government of the region by replacing the existing method of budget i.e provision of budget through grant in aid system, so that the government of the area may be able to develop the region like other parts of the country
