Shehbaz laments K-P’s failure to set up CTD

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday questioned the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government’s inability to set up a Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) despite receiving Rs590 billion under the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award established in 2010.

Speaking in the National Assembly, the premier highlighted that the last NFC Award was agreed upon in 2010 by the government of then prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani when terrorism was at its peak and K-P suffered the most, followed by Balochistan and other provinces.

He added that the people of K-P bore the brunt of terrorism and that would always be remembered. The premier noted that an additional 1% share for K-P in the NFC Award was still allocated and no other provinces including Balochistan had received so much funds despite the immense sacrifices rendered by their law enforcement agencies as well as people against terrorism.

He regretted that the despite receiving Rs590 billion for the last 14 years, the K-P government had failed to establish the CTD — the very purpose for which the funds were allocated.

Responding to a query, the premier highlighted that the federal government had forwarded a panel of three names of officers, asking the K-P government to choose one of them for their appointment to the post of the chief secretary but it had not responded so far.

The premier was responding to Sunni Ittehad Council MNA Asad Qaiser, who demanded that the share of K-P in the NFC Award should be increased from 14% to 19%.

The former NA speaker noted that the decision to merge the erstwhile the Federally Administered Tribal Areas with K-P was made by parliament.

“Has the government and parliament kept its promises [with the people of K-P]?” he asked.

He lamented the inclusion of only the K-P chief minister in the committee formed for the development of the tribal districts.

Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Omar Ayub, condemned the new fiscal year’s budget, describing it as “economic terrorism” against the people.

Ayub claimed that PM Shehbaz had admitted to forming the budget in collaboration with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

“First, they imported wheat, and now they are preparing to sell the same crop abroad. They have no understanding of economic fundamentals.”

Continuing his criticism of the federal government, the opposition leader predicted that the prices of oil, flour, and the dollar would rise.