ISLAMABAD: After the 18th constitutional amendment devolved over a dozen departments and ministries to the provinces, the government has created around ten new ministries and divisions at the federal level.

Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani, who is the architect of the amendment, has expressed displeasure over what he described as ‘rollback’ of the devolution plan.

Mr Rabbani, who co-authored the original bill, was also the head of the Senate’s Implementation Commission on the 18th amendment under the previous PPP government. At a recent meeting, organised by the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination to review the devolution plan, the Senate chairman reportedly expressed his displeasure at the creation of the new ministries and divisions.

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These include the ministries of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination (in place of the health ministry), Climate Change (in place of environment), Federal Education and Professional Training (in place of education), Capital Administration & Development Division, Inter-Faith Harmony, the National Heritage Wing, Human Rights, National Food Security and Research (in place of the food & agriculture ministry), Science and Technology, and Human Resource Development (in place of the labour ministry).

Passed in 2010, the 18th amendment was considered by many political observers to be a ‘constitutional revolution’, giving the provinces their long overdue share.

Talking to Dawn, Mr Rabbani said that there was a mindset in nearly all mainstream political parties which did not believe in the devolution of power. “I have written around 10 letters to the prime minister saying that the devolution plan was being rolled back or not implemented in letter and spirit,” he said.

According to him, the amendment was an endeavour to strengthen, empower, and expand the jurisdiction of the constitutional institutions of the country. The Council of Common Interests (CCI) already existed, but had a limited role with regard to conflict resolution between the provinces and the federation.

Now, any of the provinces can raise issues, particularly those regarding water distribution, at the CCI and it is mandatory for the council to meet every 90 days.

Earlier, natural resources such as oil, gas and other minerals were the sole property of the federation. Now, under Article 172 of the Constitution, the provinces and the centre would share ownership of natural resources on a 50/50 basis.

Dawn placed several queries before Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid, who is also the minister in-charge of the Law, Justice and Human Rights portfolio in the federal cabinet.

He was asked why the government had created these new ministries, what difficulties did the government face in running the affairs of allied departments of devolved ministries and whether, in his opinion, setting up new ministries violated the spirit of the 18th amendment. But the minister seemed reluctant to answer, saying “I have to talk to the relevant departments.”

Published in Dawn, December 1st, 2015