ANP Acting central president and Member National Finance Commission (NFC), Haji Mohammad Adeel, has expressed the hope that federal government would announce schedule of payment regarding outstanding arrears of net hydel profit (NHP) in the month of October well before the NFC meeting scheduled in Peshawar.
The credit of all this goes to party's Central President Asfandyar Wali Khan, Pukhtoonkhwa Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti and the team representing the province in the NFC. In a statement issued here, on Saturday, from Peshawar, Haji Adeel said that Federal Finance Minister was taking keen interest in the matter and there was no confusion viz-a-viz payment of Rs 110 billion to the province.
He added that the remaining outstanding amount of Rs 141 billion would also be discussed at length soon after the return of President Asif Ali Zardari from abroad and hoped that the schedule of payment of Rs 141 billion would also be announced. Haji Adeel said that Federal Finance Minister has assured him that the matter of Chashma Right Bank Lift Canal would be tabled in the next meeting of ECNEC and hopefully got approved as a Non-PSDP project.
He said that necessary papers about the said project has already been handed-over to the Federal Finance Minister. He said that our province supported the proposal of Sindh province to have a separate company for gas supply and establishment of separate gas supply for Gurguri project was part of party's manifesto.
He further said that Pakhtoonkhwa Finance Minister, during NFC meeting, stressed that NFC forum should resolve contentious issues and announce award acceptable to all even if much time is required. Our province also agreed to the proposal of Federal Finance Minister that every province should have the right to utilise its own resources and to give NFC forum a permanent status which should meet regularly after every three month's interval in order to monitor implementation on the award. He also proposed strengthening of provincial cells of NFC.
Haji Adeel also supported Balochistan's stand to redress their grievances, as Balochistan has been kept deprived of their right to control over gas and rather its earnings were utilised in other parts of the country. He said that by removing the sense of deprivation of the people of Balochistan, it would not only strengthen federation, but, also ensure rapid socio-economic development of smaller provinces. He said that provincial government and Finance Department NWFP has already completed necessary homework for the next NFC meeting.