Centre's merged districts panel causes concern

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has written a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, expressing concerns over a federal steering committee formed to oversee funds for the merged districts.

Officials told The Express Tribune that Gandapur's letter highlighted his reservations regarding the committee's formation, specifically its handling of funds allocated for the merged districts of K-P, following the 25th constitutional amendment.

In the letter, Gandapur reminded Prime Minister Sharif that, under the 25th amendment, the merged districts had been incorporated into K-P, granting the provincial government full administrative powers over these areas.

He argued that the formation of the federal committee was not only unconstitutional but also undermined the province's authority.

"This notification of the committee is a violation of the Constitution and an infringement on the provincial government's authority. The federal government should revoke this notification," the Chief Minister stated in the letter.

Gandapur further added that if the issue remained unresolved, the provincial government may seek legal redress by approaching the higher judiciary to assert its constitutional rights.

It may be mentioned here that on January 22, the federal government had notified the steering committee, with the K-P governor as its member, for accelerated development initiatives in the merged districts of the province.

Around 80 per cent of the Accelerated Implementation Plan (AIP) funds in the tribal districts will be channelled through the steering committee that will also identify the development needs and recommend developmental schemes to be executed by the federal agencies.

A notification stated that 20 per cent of the AIP funds may be channelled for inclusive development through sustainable development goals in the less developed areas.

Apart from the K-P governor, the steering committee also includes four members of the National Assembly, two members of the K-P Assembly from the merged districts, secretaries of finance, PD&SI, the K-P additional chief secretary, chief economist and any co-opted member.

The deputy chairman of the Planning Commission will head the committee.

The steering committee has been given the mandate to identify sectors in ex-Fata where development was needed.

It will recommend development projects based on need in the merged districts.

After the approval of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Islamabad had issued the notification for the formation of the committee.

In December last year, K-P Governor Faisal Karim Kundi had said that the promises made to the people of the tribal districts before the FATA merger had not been fulfilled and that no attention had been paid to development works in the merged districts.