Funds stoppage by Centre ‘creates fiscal instability’

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has criticized the federal government for what he called its “biased and discriminatory policies” towards the province, saying that the ‘imported cabinet’ has resorted to immoral tactics against K-P for its political survival.

In the first phase, the federal government excluded development projects of the province from the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) and is now involved in creating financial instability by withholding the due share of the province in federal transfers and net hydel profit.

In a statement issued here from the Chief Minister Secretariat, Mahmood Khan said that the funds allocated for the development of the newly merged districts are not being released, which is not only fuelling apprehensions of continued exploitation among the tribal people but is tantamount to usurping the rights and resources of the tribal districts.

The sheer injustice towards the people of tribal districts is a clear deviation by the federal government from its commitments made to tribal people. He said that the federal cabinet, since its coming into power in April 2022, has not paid a single penny to the province under net hydel profit, which is the constitutional right of the province.