PESHAWAR, July 27: NWFP cabinet’s committee on provincial autonomy has said that strong federating units are essential for making the federation strong.

In its second meeting held here on Friday, the committee demanded that the centre should to give maximum autonomy to the provinces by handing over to them the administrative and financial control of all government departments, except defence, foreign affairs, currency and communications.

The meeting presided over by NWFP Education Minister Maulana Fazle Ali Haqqani was presented the preliminary report of the financial sub-committee by the provincial finance secretary, while Qazi Anwar advocate briefed it on the contents of his written draft on provincial autonomy.

The committee appreciated both the drafts and decided to incorporate them in its final recommendations after necessary amendments.

The committee, beside recommending more powers for the Senate and provincial autonomy given in the 1973 Constitution, also demanded that the federal government should ensure equal development of the provinces under the Public Sector Development Programme.It decided to take all the political parties of the province into confidence before sending the recommendations to the federal government.—PPI