ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Raza Rabbani has rejected the claim of the adviser to the PM on finance that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has nothing to do with the National Finance Commission (NFC).

In a rejoinder, he said the adviser`s claimwasincontradictionof thestatement issued by Ramirez Rigom, the head of the IMF team that visited Islamabad from April 29 to May 11.

The second last paragraph of Rigom`s statement states: `To improve fiscal management the authorities will engage provincial governments on exploring optionstorebalancecurrentarrangementsin the context of the forthcoming National Finance Commission.

Mr Rabbani said the adviser was either unaware of the expectations of the IMF or was misleading people. He said the IMF agreement negated the democratic and constitutional norms.

He said a joint session of parliament should be convened to take into confidence the lawmakers about the accord. He said any assurance of the government to the IMF to reduce the financial share of the provinces would be against the provisions of the Article 60 of the Constitution.

Mr Rabbani alleged that the IMF had been assured of inserting an amendment in the Constitution of 1973 to do away with the provision, which protects the due fiscal interest of the provinces.