Khyber‑Pakhtunkhwa’s decision to boycott the National Finance Commission (NFC) deliberations marks Pakistani establishment’s persistent failure to deliver equitable resource distribution. [2]K‑P’s Finance Minister Muzzammil Aslam has made it clear that the process cannot move forward unless the issue of the merged districts is settled. Economically, this translates into sluggish development in the merged districts, which already rank among the most deprived regions in the country. Moreover, the exclusion of the merged districts undermines the credibility of Pakistan’s commitment to inclusive development and peacebuilding. Khyber‑Pakhtunkhwa’s boycott of NFC talks is, at its core, a demand for the Pakistani state to honour its own constitutional order.

Source: The Express Tribune April 08, 2026 03:45 UTC