In Pakistan, provincial finances largely hinge on federal transfers from the divisible pool via the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award. While provincial share in tax revenue is less than 5 percent, provincial share in expenditure is over 25 percent, indicating dependence on federal...

One of the major developments in 2009-10 was a successfully concluded 7th NFC Award [NFC Award (2009)], which has brought about some profound changes in the resource distribution formula. Since 1973, it is the first time when the distribution of resources among provinces is based not only on the...

An adequate provision of social services is a concurrent function of federal and provincial governments. However, in Pakistan, the financing and delivery of social services largely prevails in the hands of provinces and major sources of revenues in the hand of federal government, which creates...

An agenda of economic reform encompassing a broad range of structural adjustment policies (SAP) is underway in Pakistan since 1987-88. These policies have an adverse impact on the pace of economic growth and created more poverty and inequality in the country [see Bengali and Ahmed (2002); Kemal...

It is generally believed that education is one of the basic rights of every human being, irrespective of sex, age, creed, religion, etc. Moreover, the target of universal primary education cannot be achieved without female access to educational opportunities, which contains several external...