Implementation of 18th Amendment

Senate body seeks report

ISLAMABAD: Senate Functional Committee on Devolution Thursday sought a detailed report from Cabinet Division regarding the devolved ministries to the provinces under 18th Amendment in Constitution.

The Senate body met here under the chairmanship of senator Mir Kabeer Ahmed and expressed displeasure over the non-implementation of 18th Amendment for devolution of ministries and certain departments to the provinces.

The officials of Cabinet Division informed the committee that the division was not responsible for the implementation on 18th Amendment.However, they said about 17 federal ministries have been abolished and seven new ministries have been established.

They said after the amendment, the division has been working for absorption of employees of ministries concerned and affairs related to their assets.An Implementation Commission was established after the amendment for one year to devolve the departments to provinces he added, saying that after this there was no institution working for this purpose.

The committee noted that there was no forum available in the country that could be answerable regarding the devolutions of powers.

Senator Usman Khan Kakar said the Cabinet Division should give detailed answer regarding the current number of ministries devolved and newly-created ministries.Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan said the provinces should also be taken on board regarding the implementation on 18th Amendment as they were main beneficiaries.Senator Taj Haider said sincere and collective efforts should be made for implementation of 18th Amendment, saying that separate ministry should be established for this purpose.