General secretary ANP Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and deputy opposition leader in KP Assembly, Sardar Hussain Babak has asked the federal government to announce National Finance Commission (NFC) Award with immediate effect.

Addressing at a multi-party conference "Tribal Jirga for the Rights of Tribesmen" here on Saturday, he said that any further delay in the announcement of new NFC Award will affect Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in general and newly merged districts (NMDs) in particular that will be sheer injustice with the people of the province.

Sardar Hussain Babak asked the government to take steps for the rehabilitation of the infrastructure destroyed during terrorism and operations on war footing and shifting of the administrative powers in the merged districts to the people of the respective areas.

He was of the opinion that the government is required to take serious steps for providing essential facilities of life to the people.

The ANP stalwart further urged the government for opening of new trade crossings on Pak-Afghan border to promote trade with Afghanistan and redressal of hardships at Torkham border as well as simplification of trade process as it is the only route that can help improve the export volume of the country.

He further called for the implementation of the 10-year interim relief package in letter and spirit and giving of priority to different projects in the newly merged districts to the local residents and stoppage of the process of non-locals.

He said that the lack of consultations with the elected public representatives in the development process of the merged districts is tantamount to lack of trust on them that is unacceptable in any circumstances.