KARACHI: Sindh Minister for Information, Archives and Labor Saeed Ghani and former Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani during a press conference on Friday, said that the 18th Amendment ensures provincial autonomy and prohibits the centre from abrogating rights of the federating units.
They said that while earlier clause 2 of article 149 allowed the federal government to intervene in the internal affairs of a province before the implementation of the 18th amendment, now under Article 149 a provincial government could only be instructed by the centre.
Ghani said that the Sindh government had the ability to tackle the province’s problems and that there was no need for the federal govt to apply article 149 in any part of the province, adding that the impression being promoted by the centre that it wanted to take over the provincial capital was not welcomed by his party.
Rabbani said that the purpose of passing the 18th Amendment was to correct the wrongs committed in the past. The former senate chairman said that he would not allow the 18th Amendment to be rolled back.
“For God’s sake do not let the provincial matters to sow political divisions, it would lead to instability and the entire country will have to suffer,” he added.
He said the federal government did not have a two-thirds majority, so there was no way it could abolish the 18th Amendment.
Ghani said that the Karachi Committee, formed by the Prime Minister must carry out its work as per constitutional norms. He said that efforts were being made by the ruling party for the introduction of a presidential form of government.
The provincial minister added that several TV channels had only shown parts of Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to suit their respective agendas.
Rabbani said that Bilawal in his speech provided an analysis of how PPP leaders strengthened the federation and the country even while their lives were endangered.
He made it clear that there was no clause in the Charter of Democracy which called for an agreement with the MQM. He further said that the ruling party had fostered a tradition of silencing its critics.
Ghani said that the people of Sindh would never accept the partition of their province, adding that those who were planning to separate Karachi from Sindh should consider the regional situation.