The provincial share in the NFC Award’s divisible pool is protected from reduction by which constitutional clause?

💡 Explanation:

Article 160 of the Constitution of Pakistan establishes the National Finance Commission (NFC) to distribute revenues between the Federal Government and the provinces. The 18th Constitutional Amendment inserted clause (3A) into Article 160, which states that "the share of the provinces in each Award of the National Finance Commission shall not be less than the share given to the provinces in the previous Award." This constitutional bar makes the provincial share irreversible and is a key feature of fiscal federalism in Pakistan.