PESHAWAR: Awami National Party (ANP) Chief Asfandyar Wali Khan on Thursday said that his party would be on roads despite COVID-19 pandemic if any changes were planned to be made in the 18th constitutional amendment. He said that any changes in the amendment would bring them on the roads. “It is not a child’s play to bring any changes to 18th amendment or National Finance Commssion (NFC) Award,” he warned. His remarks came in the back drop of the reports that the federal government has decided to revisit the National Finance Commission (NFC) award and 18th amendment. According to sources, the federal government has contacted several political parties for the key changes in the NFC award and 18th amendment. Some political parties have assured support to the Centre for the changes in the NFC award and the 18th amendment, added sources. What is NFC Award? The NFC Award is a constitutional obligation. It is clearly indicated in the Article 160 of the “Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973” that it has been made mandatory for the government to compose NFC Award at an interval extending not more than five years for the amicable resource distribution among the federation and its respective units. According to Article 160 of the Constitution, after every five years the president will constitute the NFC for a period of five years. Last year, President Dr Arif Alvi had reconstituted the ninth National Finance Commission (NFC) to formulate a new resource distribution formula between the Centre and federating units. The 18th amendment to Pakistan’s constitution (passed in 2010) provides the provinces with significant decision-making autonomy.
