Nawaz urges early NFC allocations for G-B, AJK

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif has urged the federal government to allocate National Finance Commission (NFC) Award shares to Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) even before any formal request is made by the two regions.

Speaking to party leaders from G-B and AJK in Lahore, Nawaz underscored the need for selecting the “best possible candidates” for the upcoming elections scheduled for January 24. He said party tickets must be awarded strictly on merit, adding that adherence to this principle was essential for organisational discipline.

Nawaz stressed that all party decisions concerning the two regions must be governed by merit, warning that internal disputes at the local level had cost the party several seats in the past. Such conflicts, he cautioned, would no longer be tolerated. “Anyone involved in internal fights should be kept out. We cannot allow our affairs to be damaged by bringing such individuals into the Centre,” he said.

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He said the political environment was favourable for the party and should be fully utilised. While many would seek party tickets in such circumstances, he noted the importance of distinguishing between genuine loyalists and outsiders.

Nawaz said the NFC Award should not have to be demanded by G-B and AJK; instead, the federal government should take the lead. He said he would take up the matter with the prime minister, adding that federal investment in both regions already exceeded what they would have received through the NFC.

Highlighting development initiatives, he pointed out that more than Rs53 billion had been spent on the Gilgit–Skardu Highway. The Frontier Works Organization had earlier estimated the project cost at between Rs50 billion and Rs60 billion. Even if funds had come through the NFC, he said, they would not have matched the investment already made.

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Nawaz said both regions should receive funds according to their rights but noted that neither AJK nor G-B currently had the institutional capacity to fully utilise large financial allocations. He stressed that strengthening institutional capability must accompany increased funding.

The former prime minister asked Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal to convey the party’s position to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, saying he would also raise the matter himself. He reiterated that G-B and AJK must receive NFC-based funding, and that such allocations should not hinge on anyone’s discretion.

Nawaz called for a fixed annual amount to be allocated for each region, with clear specification of how much is meant for G-B and how much for AJK. He directed party officials to begin receiving applications for election tickets, saying he would visit Muzaffarabad, Gilgit or Skardu to meet candidates and hold consultations aimed at helping the party make informed political decisions.