KHAIRPUR: The 18th Amendment to the Constitution is a bold step of the government to strengthen the provinces.
This was stated by Shah Abdul Latif University (Salu) Vice Chancellor Dr Parveen Shah while delivering the presidential address at a one-day national seminar on the “1940 Resolution and Autonomy of Federating Units” held at the university organised by the department of political science.
She said the 1940 resolution was a significant document in the history of the Pakistan movement, which clearly described Pakistan as the federation consisting of autonomous units, completely sovereign and autonomous in their domain.
The VC said the resolution paved the way for a separate homeland for the Muslims and Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah said it was the right of every Muslim of South Asia to enjoy freedom, equality and social justice.
According to a press release of Salu, she said the resolution was a milestone for the Muslims of the subcontinent that provided them a viable political platform and they got their political, economic, social and religious rights.
Tracing the historical context and spirit of the resolution, Director of Karachi University’s Pakistan Studies Centre Prof Dr Jaffar Ahmad said the Lahore resolution remained the subject of debate.
He said India was controlled by 600 British personnel at a time when the population of India was 300 million. He said the spirit of the Lahore resolution was that the constituent units would remain sovereign and autonomous.
He said the 1956 and 1962 constitutions were highly centralised, although the sales tax collection was the domain of the provinces but the centre retained it. He said the 7th NFC Award was good because instead of population, revenue collection and poverty had been given consideration in it.
He said that in the wake of the 18th Amendment, 34 departments were working under the provinces. He suggested that the Council for Common Interests (CCI) meet after three months and submit its report to the National Assembly and the Senate. He stressed upon the political will for implementation of decisions. He said the central bureaucracy was not interested in devolving powers to the provinces. He said Pakistan would be strengthened by involving the provinces in the decision-making process and equitable distribution of resources. Thus the dream of a welfare state would be accomplished, he added.
Sufi University of Bhit Shah Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Mohammad Aslam Parvez Memon said the Lahore resolution provided a sense of provincial autonomy and the concept of modern state based on equality, social justice and distribution of powers among the federating units.
Former Senator Dr Abdul Hayee Baloch said rights to smaller provinces might be given. He said Pakistan was a multinational state. According to the Constitution of Pakistan, rights to the provinces might be given.
Prof Dr Abdul Majeed Chandio said India remained an empire of different states and the British regime introduced various constitutional developments in 1905 and 1935 based on the federal form. He stressed the need for giving rights to the oppressed nations.
Prof Dr Mussawir Hussain Bukhari, chairman of the department of political sciences, Islamia University of Bahawalpur, said the 18th Amendment was the dream of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah which accomplished after 70 years. He termed it as milestone.
He said the autonomy might be given from the union council level to the provincial level in order to strengthen the democracy in Pakistan.
Mr Jagdesh Ahoja said the Lahore resolution was based on the two-nation theory. He stressed that provincial language might be given the status of national language.
Advocate Abdul Khalique Junejo said the spirit of the Lahore resolution was not fulfilled practically, therefore, the East Pakistan crisis and Balochistan problem emerged. He focused on the sovereignty of the provinces and suggested the provinces might be given full rights in the spirit of the Lahore resolution of 1940.
Prof Imdad Chandio said the 1940 resolution provided the concept of the faith based nation and modern nation state. He said the Quaid-i-Azam was the pioneer of a separate state and custodian of the protection of the rights of the minorities.
He said that one unit was negation of the federation and such scheme weakened the country and the relations between the nations remained hostile.
Prof Dr Laiq Ahmed Zardari said Indian Act 1935 gave the right of vote only to the elite class. He said the Lahore resolution was the source of inspiration for the Pakistan Movement.
Earlier, Prof Dr Amir Ali Chandio, chairman of the department of political science, welcomed the guest speakers, reporters and civil society.
He briefed the audience about the performance of the department and shed light on the objectives of the seminar.
Ms Shahida Chandio, Akhlaque Hussain Larik, Aisha Javed Chandio and Ali Nawaz Soomro also spoke on the occasion.
Prof Dr Miandad Zardari, pro-vice chancellor of the main campus, Prof Dr Yasmeen Faiz Kazi, dean of the faculty of natural sciences, chairmen and chairpersons of different departments and a large number of students attended the seminar.
Published in Dawn, March 27th, 2015
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