KARACHI: ‘Provinces invite Centre to curtail autonomy’
By Shamim-ur-Rehman
KARACHI, Nov 16: The Chairman National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB) Daniyal Aziz said on Thursday that the provinces were also responsible for the curtailment of provincial autonomy when they asked the Federal government from time to time to handle financial, legal and service matters on their behalf.
Talking to newsmen he cited the provincial governments’ requests made on different occasions to the federal government to collect sales tax on their behalf, resolve the gas royalty issue between provinces as well as hold arbitration on hydel power royalty between the NWFP and WAPDA, etc. In this context he said the chief ministers had pleaded with the President to give the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award. Mr. Aziz also referred to the implication of Articles 232 and 280 on provincial autonomy.
While putting the onus on the provincial governments in this context what Mr Aziz did not mention was the federal government’s persistence in not agreeing to give a just share to the provinces and use the long handle to maintain the Centre’s control in decision making at all levels. Critics, however, were quick to point out that the track record will show that many of the governments, which had come into being due to “manipulations”, were coerced into giving in to federal interventions. The NFC award and the water issue were cited by many critics as a glaring example of the federal coercive manipulations.
Mr Daniyal Aziz who returned from Dubai after representing Pakistan at the Arab Regional Conference governance did agree with a questioner that if a new social contract was to be signed to decide the quantum of provincial autonomy the system of governance had to be geared to meet the evolving compulsions. Pakistan will host the next Regional Conference.
He said that NRB as a think tank wanted that the federal government should transfer power to the provinces and this was being done. He dispelled the impression that Punjab was taking away the rights of the other provinces.
He stressed that the NRB was a facilitator in the devolution of power and ensuring more autonomy for the people of provinces. Currently, he said, the NRB was working on restructuring the financial and banking sector in the country.
