The federal government on Wednesday issued the agenda for the 11th NFC meeting.

Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb is expected to preside over the high-stakes huddle in Islamabad.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Finance, the session will be attended by the finance ministers of all four provinces, along with private members.

The federal finance secretary will brief participants on the country’s overall fiscal position.

The ministry said the meeting will finalise the schedule and timelines for upcoming sessions aimed at determining the new NFC Award.

As per the agenda, the federal finance ministry will present a detailed briefing on its fiscal situation, while the four provinces will each be given 10 minutes to outline their respective financial positions.

Finance Minister Aurangzeb said the meeting would prioritise “Pakistan first,” adding that the centre would listen to provincial concerns and present its own fiscal realities for discussion.

All provincial and federal stakeholders are expected to take up the thorny issue of a new NFC Award.

Sources said the inaugural sitting of the commission is expected to review working-level recommendations, establish technical sub-groups, and approve a roadmap for negotiations over the coming months — laying the foundation for what federal officials describe as a “time-bound and outcome-oriented” process toward a fresh Award, according to a report in Business Recorder.

Officials acknowledged that the Centre’s constrained fiscal space, rising debt servicing burden, and provinces’ demand for greater autonomy and resource allocation could make the negotiations complex, the report added.