Sindh, KP Chief Ministers decide to take fight to the Federal govt in CCI

KARACHI - In a meeting in Karachi on Sunday, the chief ministers of Sindh and Khyber Pakhtukhwa decided to raise concerns with the federal government regarding the distribution of state resources in the upcoming session of the Council of Common Interests (CCI), a constitutional body that resolves disputes between the federal and provincial governments pertaining to power-sharing.

Both leaders agreed that the financial support provided by the federal government to the provinces under NFC award was not sufficient to fund development projects in the two provinces.

Talking to newsmen on Sunday, the KP chief minister alleged that the federal government was not providing his province its rightful share in electricity. He alleged that the federal government was withholding 500-600 MW electricity from his province, adding that this move would be protested.

He also urged the Sindh CM to take notice of the "electricity theft" by the federal government, further alleging that over 1000 MW electricity had been stolen from the share of the Sindh province in the outgoing fiscal year.

On the occasion, Sindh CM Syed Qaim Ali Shah also complained that the federal government had not consulted his government over mega-projects. Peaceful protest for constitutional rights is our legal obligation to protect the rights of our people, he added.

He said that provincial matters should not be run by the federal government as the people of Sindh could not go to Islamabad to demand their rights.