ISLAMABAD: PPP Senator Raza Rabbani has warned the government against any move to circumvent or repeal the historic 18th Constitution Amendment, stating that the “political fallout of disturbing this national consensus will have disastrous consequences for the federation”.

In a statement on Wednesday, Mr Rabbani declared that the 18th Constitution Amendment was the property of the provinces and the federation.

“Any attempt to undermine it, circumvent it or amend it will be resisted at all forums,” said Mr Rabbani, who was the head of the parliamentary committee that had drafted the 18th Constitution Amendment granting greater autonomy to the provinces about 10 years ago.

Almost all major opposition parties have already warned the government against any move to change the 18th Constitution Amendment or the clauses dealing with National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, stating that such an action would not only damage national unity, but would also plunge the country into a constitutional crisis.

The pledge from the opposition parties came after Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar, during a TV talk show, pointed out some defects in the 18th Amendment and called for reviewing it. Later Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, while talking to reporters, said though the government had no plan to repeal the 18th Amendment, the provinces should sit with the federal government to discuss the issue of its implementation.

Mr Qureshi was of the view that there was a need to review it so that the provinces did not look towards the Centre.

Mr Rabbani, who had also served as the Senate chairman during 2015-18, said the 18th Amendment was passed unanimously by Parliament without dissent.

Mr Rabbani said the 18th Amendment had starved the voice of dissent against Punjab and made the provinces stakeholders in their natural resources, and through participatory federalism broken their isolation in the Federation.

“It is not the 18th Amendment or the 7th NFC which is responsible for the financial problems being faced by the federal government. The fault lies with the federal government which has failed to reduce its expenditure and broaden the tax base,” he added.

He regretted that notifications and ordinances were being issued to vary the tax structure in order to give favour to the capitalist class by avoiding the Parliament in violation of Article 77 of the Constitution.

Published in Dawn, April 30th, 2020