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National Finance Commission Awards in Pakistan: A Historical Perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Iftikhar Ahmed

    (Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, Islamabad.)

  • Usman Mustafa

    (Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, Islamabad.)

  • Mahmood Khalid

    (Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, Islamabad.)

Abstract

This study explores the evolution of fiscal resource distribution in Pakistan. Pakistan is a federation comprising four provinces, federally-administered areas, and the Islamabad Capital Territory. Being a central type of government, most of the revenues are collected by the centre and then redistributed vertically between the federal and the provincial governments, and horizontally among the provinces. Provinces then also redistribute revenues among lower tiers of the government, through a revenue-sharing formula. A thorough look at the history indicates that this process has been complex and has a far-reaching impact. A less systematic approach has been adopted to decentralise the financial matters. Over time, the divisible pool has expanded due to heavy reliance on indirect taxes as well as improvement in the collection. Population is the sole distribution criteria, adopted in all NFC awards from the divisible pool. This has raised friction among the provinces, necessitating inclusion of other potential variables evolved from international best practices. In addition to that, absence of technical experts and permanency of the NFC is another impediment. The NFC is supposed to provide the framework for amicable distribution of resources between the federal and the provincial governments for the joint goal of development and prosperity.

Suggested Citation

  • Iftikhar Ahmed & Usman Mustafa & Mahmood Khalid, 2007. "National Finance Commission Awards in Pakistan: A Historical Perspective," PIDE-Working Papers 2007:33, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:pid:wpaper:2007:33
    as

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    File URL: https://www.pide.org.pk/pdf/Working%20Paper/WorkingPaper-33.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mohammad Zubair Khan, 2006. "Intergovernmental Resource Transfers: Prospects and Issues," Lahore Journal of Economics, Department of Economics, The Lahore School of Economics, vol. 11(Special E), pages 41-48, September.
    2. A.F. Aisha Ghaus & Hafiz A. Pasha, 1994. "Dynamic Budgetary Consequences of the 1991 NFC Award," The Pakistan Development Review, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, vol. 33(4), pages 627-645.
    3. Muhammad Sabir, 2001. "Dynamic Consequences of the 1997 NFC Award: Provincial Social Sector Expenditures," The Pakistan Development Review, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, vol. 40(4), pages 967-984.
    4. Shahid Kardar, 2006. "Local Government Finance in Pakistan Post 2001," Lahore Journal of Economics, Department of Economics, The Lahore School of Economics, vol. 11(Special E), pages 88-101, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Rabia Nazir & Muhammad Nasir & Idrees Khawaja, 2022. "Political Budget Cycle: A Sub-National Evidence from Pakistan," Journal of Business Cycle Research, Springer;Centre for International Research on Economic Tendency Surveys (CIRET), vol. 18(3), pages 343-367, November.
    2. Roy Bahl & Sally Wallace & Musharraf Cyan, 2008. "The Challenge of Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations in Pakistan: The Property Tax Division," International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper0825, International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.
    3. Bob Searle, 2011. "Decentralization in the Post-Conflict African Environment: Sierra Leone and Southern Sudan," Chapters, in: Jorge Martinez-Vazquez & François Vaillancourt (ed.), Decentralization in Developing Countries, chapter 3, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    4. Usman Mustafa, 2011. "Fiscal Federalism in Pakistan: The 7th National Finance Commission Awardand Its Implications," PIDE-Working Papers 2011:73, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics.
    5. Rashid Mehmood & Sara Sadiq, 2010. "Impact of Fiscal Decentralisation on Human Development: A Case Study of Pakistan," The Pakistan Development Review, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, vol. 49(4), pages 513-530.
    6. Roy Bahl & Sally Wallace & Musharraf Cyan, 2008. "Pakistan: Provincial Government Taxation," International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper0807, International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.
    7. Nadeem Ul Haque & Musleh-ud Din & Lubna Hasan, 2007. "Research at PIDE: Key Messages," PIDE Books, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, number 2007:2, October.
    8. Manzoor Ahmed & Abdul Qayyum, 2023. "Decentralisation’s Effects on Health: Theory and Evidence from Balochistan, Pakistan," The Pakistan Development Review, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, vol. 62(3), pages 331-356.
    9. Imran Hanif & Pilar Gago-de Santos, 2017. "Impact of Fiscal Decentralization on Private Savings in a Developing Country," Journal of South Asian Development, , vol. 12(3), pages 259-285, December.
    10. Sajida Begum & Muhammad Imran Ashraf & Waseem Ishaque, 2018. "National Plan for Devolution of Power under 18th Amendment: Challenges for Government in the New Pakistan," Global Social Sciences Review, Humanity Only, vol. 3(2), pages 71-80, June.
    11. Qurat ul Ain & Yan Jie & Larisa Ivașcu & Syed Ghulam Meran Shah & Tahir Yousaf, 2023. "Whether rising tide has lifted all the boats? Effect of inter‐governmental transfers on household income inequality in Pakistan," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(1), pages 430-447, January.
    12. Naeem ur Rehman Khattak & Iftikhar Ahmad & Jangraiz Khan, 2010. "Fiscal Decentralisation in Pakistan," The Pakistan Development Review, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, vol. 49(4), pages 419-436.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    NFC; Pakistan; Fiscal Federalism; Rule and Discretion; Political Economy; Population; Subventions; Doing the Business of Government;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H71 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue
    • H72 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Budget and Expenditures
    • H73 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - Interjurisdictional Differentials and Their Effects
    • H77 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - Intergovernmental Relations; Federalism

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