PESHAWAR: The National Awami Party has proposed provincialisation of power and Sui gas in its interim draft constitution, Party sources said today [March 28]. The draft allows … more subjects to [be given to] the Centre… . It now gives defence, foreign affairs, currency, communications, taxations, foreign trade and inter-provincial trade. The draft also eliminates the clauses pertaining to secularism as contained in the party manifesto. The draft states that every citizen would enjoy certain basic right over his property which no one could take away from him without compensation. It, however, provides that the Government could take over lands for distribution among the purely landless peasants.

Party sources said the NAP would not object to the reforms introduced by President Bhutto, in various sectors but particular stress would be laid on the reforms which mainly concern the provinces, and in such reforms the approval of the representative provincial Government would have to be taken. Thus, the party would try to persuade the Government to review all the cases pertaining to the provinces of NWFP and Baluchistan under MLR 114. … The draft also provides for nationalisation of private property without compensation through legislative measures.

Published in Dawn, March 29th, 2022