ISLAMABAD – The implementation commission on 18th Constitutional Amendment on Saturday gave approval to the transfer of five more ministries to the provinces in the second phase of the devolution plan.
However, the federal cabinet would give a final approval to the devolution of the ministries in its upcoming meeting, following which the ministries along with their subsidiary departments would be transferred to the provinces by March 30.
Members of the commission and the chief secretaries of the four provinces attended the meeting with Mian Raza Rabbani in the chair. A source told Pakistan Today that the commission heard in detail the reservations conveyed by Dr Javaid Laghari, chairman of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), against the devolution of HEC.
“Naqvi said the devolution of HEC would compromise national interest and all good work done by the HEC for promotion of higher studies would be lost,” the source said. The source said the HEC Chairman Dr Javaid Leghari said the 18th Amendment fully supported the current powers and functions of the HEC.
He reiterated that the provinces and universities had a strong and forceful voice in the HEC and were full participants and decision makers in the development and implementation of all plans and policies for promotion of higher education in the country.
The Implementation Committee was unanimous in praising the HEC’s achievements over the past eight years. However, given the interpretation of the 18th Amendment, the chairman of the committee said there was no role for HEC in the future except with respect to standards and regulation of higher education.
The committee fully understood that the provinces currently did not have the capacity to manage the functions of HEC and time would be required to sort out the modalities of management of higher education by the provinces. The commission would consult vice chancellors and stakeholders while drafting parameters of the new laws pertaining to higher education at the federal and provincial levels.
Talking to reporters, Raza Rabbani said the commission had decided in principle to devolve the five ministries to provinces and the process of transfer of the charge of ministries would be completed by March 30.
He said after the cabinet’s approval, the sub-committee of the council of common interest (CCI), in its meeting due on March 28, would take up the matter of provision of funds by the federal government for the salaries of the employees of the ministries being devolved even after year 2011.
