Awami National Party Central General Secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain. PHOTO: NNI/FILE
He was referring to a recent meeting between Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, Federal Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar and Federal Minister for Water and Power Khwaja Asif in Islamabad on February 26.
Mian Iftikhar criticised the federal government, saying by deceiving the provincial government, it was being unjust to
the Pukhtuns.
“The K-P government has to justify how it agreed to receiving only Rs70 billion when the federal government owes liabilities worth Rs385 billion to the provincial government.” The ANP leader added, “The people of K-P will not tolerate such injustices and are determined to take their due rights from the Centre [by force].”
Mian Iftikhar commented the K-P government should have taken all political parties into confidence before reaching such a decision at the Islamabad meeting.
He also pointed out the PTI-led government failed to raise the issue of China Pakistan Economic Corridor at this meeting. “The provincial government has lost an opportunity.”
Long-standing dues
Three months after the top power regulator approved new hydel power supply tariffs, the K-P government and the centre reached an understanding on thorny financial issues. The decision was reached during a meeting between Khattak and Dar and Asif in Islamabad.
This paved the way for the province to receive Rs70 billion in profits for hydel electricity which it generates.
The deal is considered the biggest breakthrough in settling the 15-year-old issue of uncapping net hydel profits.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 29th, 2016.
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