Powers of provinces being rolled back: Raza Rabbani

Says provinces not even resisting over issue

PESHAWAR: Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani said on Monday that the powers of provinces were being rolled back, while the provinces were even not resisting.

Raza Rabbani said protests and demonstrations were the essence of democracy while parliament is the most effective forum to make the ruling party accountable for its policies and actions.

He was addressing a ceremony organised here at the Pakistan Provincial Services Academy on the topic of “18th Constitutional Amendment, challenges and opportunities for provincial government.”

Trainee Provincial Management Service officers and officials of various government departments, including excise and taxation, attended the ceremony.The Senate chairman condemned the terrorist attack in Quetta and said, “The fight against terrorism is a long battle that could only be won through national unity.” He called for coordinated and consistent efforts to stamp out militancy and extremism.

Raza Rabbani said matchless sacrifices had been rendered by the countrymen in the fight against terrorists. The Senate chairman appealed to the nation and all political leaders to shun political differences and agree on a single-point agenda against terrorism to rid the country of terrorism.

Rabbani said that the 18th Constitutional Amendment was the longstanding demand of the people of the federating units. He said the powers of the provinces had been enhanced with the amendment besides it also ended the sense of deprivation of the smaller provinces.

“It is, however, up to the leadership in federating units how they utilise the power 18th Amendment conferred on them,” said Rabbani. He said the federating units could raise their concerns in the Council of Common Interests (CCI) if they had any.

Ambiguities and loopholes in the amendment could also be mended through “participatory federalisation, collective wisdom and rules and regulations as enshrined in the Constitution,” he maintained.

To a query about the Fata reforms, the Senate chairman said decision on the fate of tribesmen should be left to them. However, he said, the time had come to decide about the future of Fata.Earlier, Director General of Pakistan Provincial Services Academy Nighat Mehrooz briefed the Senate chairman on the history and achievements of the institution.