K-P seeks JUI-F support on provincial rights

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government on Monday sought the support of the JUI-F to help resolve a range of longstanding provincial issues.

Both sides have pledged to work together on matters relating to provincial rights and law and order, including net hydel profits, the National Finance Commission award and restrictions on wheat supplies from Punjab.

The understanding emerged during a meeting between Khyber- Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman at the party's central office in Peshawar.

Addressing a joint press conference with Fazl following the talks, Afridi said discussions focused on provincial rights and a range of issues confronting K-P, accusing the federal government of treating the province unfairly in the distribution of resources under the NFC framework.

He said the NFC award was constitutionally meant to ensure an equitable distribution of resources among all four provinces, but claimed K-P was not receiving its due share.

As for his part, Fazl said the two sides had reached consensus on a number of important issues. He said that the NFC award was a constitutional right of the provinces and had been approved through parliamentary consensus.