Merged Districts to Get Share in New NFC Award, Says KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi has said that the province strongly presented its case regarding financial rights and public interests during the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, the Chief Minister said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif assured participants that formal meetings on the new National Finance Commission (NFC) Award would be held within the next 180 days.

Afridi stated that if consensus is not achieved within the stipulated period, a summary will be sent to the President, and the NFC Award may be updated through a presidential order.

He described the inclusion of merged districts in the new NFC Award as a major development and good news for the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The Chief Minister also noted progress regarding proposed cuts in AIP and ADP funds for merged districts, adding that efforts are underway to secure further improvements.

According to Afridi, under an agreement with PASSCO, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will receive 175,000 tons of wheat at fixed rates. He added that the federal government has assured the province that wheat prices will not be increased.

Highlighting security measures, he said the provincial government has invested heavily in maintaining law and order, spending more than Rs30 billion since October 2025 on enhancing the capabilities of police, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), and other security institutions.

Afridi emphasized that education, healthcare, and public security remain the government’s top priorities. Welfare initiatives such as the Sehat Card, Ehsaas Program, Shelter Homes, Zamung Kor, and the “No One Sleeps Hungry” project will continue.

Discussing environmental protection, he said nearly 45 percent of Pakistan’s forests are located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while forests cover 26.7 percent of the province’s total land area. The government plans to purchase trees grown on private land and introduce further measures to promote afforestation across the province.