Lahore: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President and former prime minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has urged the federal government to allocate National Finance Commission (NFC) Award shares to Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) even before any formal request is made by the two regions.
Speaking to party leaders from GB and AJK in Lahore, Nawaz Sharif underscored the need for selecting the 'best possible candidates' for the upcoming elections scheduled for January 24 in GB. He said party tickets must be awarded strictly on merit, adding that adherence to this principle was essential for organisational discipline.
Nawaz Sharif stressed that all party decisions concerning the two regions must be governed by merit, warning that internal disputes at the local level had cost the party several seats in the past. Such conflicts, he cautioned, would no longer be tolerated. 'Anyone involved in internal fights should be kept out. We cannot allow our affairs to be damaged by bringing such individuals into the Centre,' he said.
He said the political environment was favourable for the party and should be fully utilised. While many would seek party tickets in such circumstances, he noted the importance of distinguishing between genuine loyalists and outsiders.
Nawaz Sharif said the NFC Award should not have to be demanded by GB and AJK; instead, the federal government should take the lead. He said he would take up the matter with the prime minister, adding that federal investment in both regions already exceeded what they would have received through the NFC.
Highlighting development initiatives, he pointed out that more than Rs53 billion had been spent on the Gilgit-Skardu Highway. The Frontier Works Organization had earlier estimated the project cost at between Rs50 billion and Rs60 billion. Even if funds had come through the NFC, he said, they would not have matched the investment already made.
Nawaz Sharif said both regions should receive funds according to their rights but noted that neither AJK nor G-B currently had the institutional capacity to fully utilise large financial allocations. He stressed that strengthening institutional capability must accompany increased funding.
The former prime minister asked Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal to convey the party's position to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, saying he would also raise the matter himself. He reiterated that GB and AJK must receive NFC-based funding, and that such allocations should not hinge on anyone's discretion.
Nawaz Sharif called for a fixed annual amount to be allocated for each region, with clear specification of how much is meant for GB and how much for AJK. He directed party officials to begin receiving applications for election tickets, saying he would visit Muzaffarabad, Gilgit or Skardu to meet candidates and hold consultations aimed at helping the party make informed political decisions.
Nawaz Sharif also praised Punjab's governance, citing mega projects, improved roads, and initiatives for farmers, highlighting it as a model of rapid development.
Leaders from Azad Kashmir, led by Shah Ghulam Qadir, and from Gilgit-Baltistan, including Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman, attended along with party figures like Rana Sanaullah Khan, Engineer emir Muqam, Ahsan Iqbal, Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Aurangzeb, Senator Anusha Rehman Ahmed Khan, Chaudhry Muhammad Barjees Tahir, Raja Farooq Haider Khan, Chaudhry Tariq Farooq, Raja Mushtaq Ahmed Minhas and others.
During the meeting, Shah Ghulam Qadir briefed Nawaz Sharif on Azad Kashmir's current government and electoral plans. Nawaz Sharif announced a two-day visit to Azad Kashmir next month to finalize organizational, electoral, and public outreach strategies.