Centre-centric mindset against implementation of 18th Amendment: Rabbani

ISLAMABAD: Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani on Tuesday said Centre-centric mindset having roots in all political parties and bureaucracy was against implementing the 18th Constitutional Amendment in its true spirit.

Speaking in a seminar titled Policy Dialogue Future of Fiscal Federalism in Pakistan, he said “The British colonialism still haunts us.” The federation could not be strengthened without granting monetary powers to the Senate of Pakistan, he added. The civil society and youth should play their roles to put the country on the right track, he urged.

The seminar was organised by the Rural Development Policy Institute (RDPI) and Inter University Consortium on Promotion of Social Sciences Center for Policy Studies, Comsats Institute of Information Technology (IUCPPS).

Powers of small federating units must not be grabbed as such an adventure could pose serious dangers to the federation. It is imperative to announce the National Finance Commission Award (NFC) each year. He demanded census for correct allocation of resources. He said the provinces should constitute their own provincial NFCs for resource allocation to lower tiers of the province.