Interior Minister said the system has collapsed. Fair enough! But we shall look at the numbers first, because they tell a different story than the one being argued about on television and social media.

The federal government is facing a deficit of approximately PKR 6501 billion this year. With the current NFC Award, it gives 57.5% of the divisible pool to the provinces and retains Rs 11072 billion for itself, against Rs 17573 billion in expenditure. So, the calculation is made with just three line items – interest payments, defence and pensions – that eat up almost Rs. 11812 billion on their own. That's more than the entire federal share. The cupboard is already empty before a single school is constructed or a single road is laid with funds provided by the central government.

Now look one level down. The provinces, collectively, are sitting on a surplus of about Rs. 1464 billion. Not a deficit. A surplus!

But nobody in the debate wants to ask the right question, which happens........

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