Govt weighs NFC-based financial framework for Gilgit-Baltistan

Federal Minister for Law and Justice Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar announced on Friday that consultations on the constitutional and legal status of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) are underway, alongside discussions about the region receiving a share in the National Finance Commission (NFC) award. Currently, the federal government offers annual financial grants to GB, yet regional leaders have persistently sought a share in the NFC award.

The federal minister emphasized that broad consultations would be held on GB's future administrative and constitutional arrangements, inviting key stakeholders to participate.

GB Chief Minister Amjad Hussain Advocate and the Leader of the Opposition Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman were invited to the next meeting of the GB Issues Working Group, chaired by Tarar. The meeting discussed various issues, including constitutional, legal, financial, and administrative matters, and reviewed prior reports to explore possible solutions. Participants examined reforms within the existing governance framework and directed the working group to prepare an interim report and recommendations for the main committee.

Simultaneously, the GB Assembly unanimously approved a proposed financial agreement modeled after the arrangement between the federal government and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). The GB cabinet had already backed the proposal. The chief minister highlighted that GB requires approximately Rs17 billion more than its estimated needs, which stand at Rs320 billion.

Under the proposed agreement, the federal government would provide Rs250 billion. He stressed that this arrangement should be conditional on eventual constitutional amendments and GB's inclusion in the NFC. The GB Assembly approved the proposal unanimously.