DLP Report
HARIPUR
Two major universities in Hazara Division, the University of Haripur and Hazara University Mansehra hosted awareness seminars highlighting the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, provincial fiscal rights, and financial challenges.
The sessions aimed to educate students and the public on provincial resources, NFC allocations, and strategies to strengthen Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s economic position.
At the University of Haripur, Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Shafiq-ur-Rehman stressed the importance of strong financial management for sustainable development, noting the ongoing pressures on KP’s economy caused by war, brain drain, and population displacement. Dr. Ihtisham, Chairman of the Economics Department, discussed the structure and key elements of the NFC Award, urging the province to reduce dependence on federal revenues and enhance its fiscal capacity through efficient banking and resource management.
Senior journalist Rifatullah Orakzai highlighted KP’s unfulfilled financial entitlements, including over Rs1 trillion in dues from the federal government, underutilized hydropower, withheld oil royalties, and delayed water projects.
He emphasized that the NFC share must compensate for losses caused by terrorism.
Dr. Irfan Ashraf, Assistant Professor at the University of Peshawar, highlighted the economic potential of the Silk Route for regional development and growth.
At Hazara University Mansehra, Dr. Adil Saimaab, Head of the Political Science Department, underlined KP’s financial pressures due to terrorism, its strategic location, and the merger of tribal districts. He stressed the importance of youth understanding the country’s financial framework to contribute effectively to future economic planning.
VC Prof. Dr. Ikramullah Khan highlighted the province’s mineral wealth, particularly gas reserves in Lakki Marwat, and announced plans to launch a Mines and Minerals program at the university to promote specialized research. The seminar was attended by deans, professors, administrative officers, and a large number of students. The events reinforced the need for public awareness and active participation in securing KP’s constitutional financial rights and ensuring sustainable provincial development.
