Provinces won’t be asked for more sacrifice beyond defence contribution: Bilawal

 Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Thursday that the federal government and provinces had mutually agreed to share the burden of “unusual national necessities”, adding that beyond the three-year financial arrangement, the Centre would not request any further help from the provinces.

“We have agreed with the government to contribute our share for country’s defence,” he said while addressing the National Assembly budget session.

Bilawal, whose party is a key ally of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in the Centre, said the provinces’ National Finance Commission (NFC) Award share remained protected and that beyond this decision, no further share or sacrifice would be demanded from them.

“The provincial governments have made sacrifices time and again… they are doing so today as well,” he said, adding that multiple issues had been resolved through constitutional means in coordination with the federal government.

This is a developing story and is being updated with more details.