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| A new socio-political contract |
| S. Rahman |
| First time in the history of Pakistan the National Finance Commission (NFC) has met with complete departure from the past attitude of unequal inter-provincial ties and now one sees a kind of a new socio-political contract coming into being among the federation and the provinces that is aimed at consolidating national cohesion and understanding.
The hope is in the pattern being followed by the Pakistan People’s Party-led government that is somewhat emulation of the style and manner followed when the 1973 Constitution was adopted with unprecedented unanimity with the consensus of even those political firebrands who were never expected to lend unconditional support to the champion of 1973 Constitution, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Shaheed.
Ordinary people and leaders alike, from all walks of life, still take pride in that moment when the 1973 Constitution was passed unanimously.
Of course, it was a political achievement of all the political forces but the main driving force behind that consensus constitution was none other than ZAB.
Even today, the same spirit is being followed, the custodians of Bhutto’s legacy of tolerance and mutual understanding i.e President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, taking to the same route, for arriving at the consensus NFC Award. No doubt, it owes to all the provinces especially Punjab which has shown its willingness to forego its old demand of getting resources on the basis of population (even too much rigidity is not being shown on revenue generation and collection issues). Nevertheless, the enabling environment has been provided by Zardari-Gilani duo by way of their proven respect for others’ genuine claims and exigencies. Right from day one, Zardari and Gilani are sacrificing their own preferences and priorities to keep the system running without showing any kind of inflexibility. This flexibility is likely to manifest once again in the forthcoming NFC Award to benefit the entire country in general and the backward regions in particular as one of the four new criteria agreed upon for the NFC Award is backwardness.
Who says that the government of the day is unaware of the problems of its backward people in different parts or of the provinces like Balochistan whose bereavements have crossed limits even to the extent of threatening the national solidarity?
So, while backwardness is being made a criterion, the other important criterion is inverse population density. That too is going to substantially benefit Balochistan. Let this be adjudged on the comparative yardstick meaning thereby adjudging the situation by comparison i.e by making comparison with non-democratic rulers and democratic governments. No undemocratic setup has ever shown concern and compassion for the deprived and neglected classes or provinces. Even some democratic setups of the past have been indifferent to the sufferings of the people suffering from backwardness. But now PPP-led government has taken it upon itself to do away with all such past practices and come up with a consensus NFC Award.
Obviously, that is not going to come about without accommodating others’ claims and demands with the spirit of sacrifice. If Zardari and Gilani are serious about it, then that means yet another national achievement in sight.
The time being consumed in the NFC meetings is due to the same factor that of arriving at a mutually acceptable formula for distribution of resources.
The focus is on national conciliation that has now become the fulcrum of all pivotal decisions revolving around the fate of 170 million Pakistanis whose neglected segments have continued to face more neglect at the hands of overly centralized administrations having little or even no concern for the people of neglected areas like Balochistan.
The credit goes to the Pakistan People’s Party and its allies in the government which are not only concerned about the deprivations of the Baloch people but also about the troubles coming the way of NWFP people in the wake of ever-escalating terrorism (a separate fund is being set up for supporting the Frontier province in that matter).
The central idea is to accommodate all the provinces in such a manner that neither their concerns and needs are overlooked nor their problems are put on the backburner.
This theme had never been the axis of all the previous NFC Awards. However, during Mian Nawaz Sharif’s first prime ministerial term, two good things were introduced in the Fourth NFC Award, 1990. One was the expansion of the federal divisible pool and the other was recognizing the provinces’ right on net hydel profit and development surcharge (on gas) and excise duty on crude oil.
Gilani government deserves a pat on the back for implementing that idea in letter and spirit as it has embarked on practical planning to pay sizeable portions of profits and royalties to the provinces. To start with, an amount of Rs.10 billion has already been given to NWFP under the head of hydel profit. The total amount equals Rs. 100 billion to be given to the province in different phases over a period of five years. The same formula is being contemplated for Balochistan to pay its royalties, etc.
In essence, the NFC Award in the making promises hope not only in terms of prosperity for the provinces but also in terms of national cohesion and mutual understanding. |
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