The APC criticized both the central and provincial governments for their failure to restore peace and ensure the safety of citizens, calling for urgent measures to address these escalating challenges
By Mehrab Shah Afridi
PESHAWAR: The All-Parties Conference (APC) held in Peshawar issued a strong statement expressing deep concerns over the worsening law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The political leadership at the conference acknowledged a significant deterioration in security, with the region experiencing more bloodshed this year compared to the previous one. Over 70 security personnel lost their lives last month alone, and the violent clashes in Kurram resulted in more than 200 fatalities, further highlighting the gravity of the situation.
The APC criticized both the central and provincial governments for their failure to restore peace and ensure the safety of citizens, calling for urgent measures to address these escalating challenges. The participants also expressed dissatisfaction with the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, which has been ineffective for nearly two and a half years, exacerbating the province’s financial difficulties. They demanded the immediate release of the 11th NFC Award and the disbursement of the 3% share allocated to the merged tribal districts, which has remained unpaid for the last five years.
In response to the region’s financial crisis, the APC decided to form a political and technical committee tasked with addressing the financial and political challenges faced by the province. The committee’s focus will include ensuring the payment of the 3% owed to the merged districts and advocating for a new NFC Award that reflects the latest census figures, while also considering environmental concerns such as forests in the resource-sharing formula.
Further, the declaration highlighted the need for the provinces to have control over their own natural resources, particularly mines and minerals, emphasizing that they should be considered the property of the provinces and their people. The APC called for full transparency in the mining sector, urging the government to disclose the details of mining leases to the public.
The conference also underscored the importance of reopening historic trade routes along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border to facilitate cross-border trade, while demanding that the federal government provide gas to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as stipulated in Article 158 of the Constitution. The payment of the federal excise duty on oil as outlined in Article 161 was also demanded. Additionally, the APC called for the timely convening of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) and the establishment of the Provincial Finance Commission (PFC) to ensure equitable resource distribution within the province.
