PESHAWAR: Politicians, academics and civil society members discussed the challenges for the implementation of the 18th Constitutional Amendment in a consultation meeting held on Thursday.
The consultation meeting regarding the ‘Implementation of 18th Constitution Amendment’ was arranged by Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services (PIPS) in cooperation with German Foundation Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) and the Senate’s Functional Committee on Devolution Process.
The participants agreed that in order to ensure harmony and good governance in the country provinces should be involved in the decision and policy-making process at the federal level.
Senate Functional Committee on Devolution Process Chairman Mir Kabeer Ahmed Muhammad Shahi highlighted the issue of the absence of a secretariat for the Council of Common Interests’ (CCI) which needs urgent attention, adding that the Ministry of Petroleum should be a joint ministry.
He said that under the amendment, 17 federal ministries are to be devolved to the provinces.
The participants were of the view that without giving due rights and devolving power to provinces, the federation cannot be strengthened.
Senator Rubina Khalid, Senator Usman Kakar, Senator Liaqat Taraqai, Senator Tahir Aleem Mashadi, Senator Taj Haider, Senator Ilyas Bilour, Senator Mohsin Aziz, Senator Jan Kenneth William and Deputy Speaker Mehr Taj Roghani also attended the meeting.
