THE composition of the Council of Common Interest (CCI) needs to be revised for making the forum truly representative of the provinces. The Council, at present, has prime minister, three federal ministers and chief ministers of the four provinces, which is unjust.

The chief minister of the province needs the support of the treasury bench in the provincial assembly and, therefore, actually represents only the ‘electors’, who voted for the party in power, or parties in case of a coalition.

On the other hand, the leader of the opposition represents the section of the opposition party or parties in the provincial assembly.

Thus, the opposition represents the entire voters who have exercised their right of franchise for the opposition party or parties.

It is ironic that the opposition which enjoys the mandate of the people who voted for them could not raise their legitimate voice and interest in the CCI though both treasury and opposition in the provincial assemblies should be equally entitled to be member of the Council for complete representation of the population of the province.

Likewise, the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly should also be made member of CCI along with the leader of the house.

It is interesting to note that for the formation of caretaker government on the eve of general elections, both the leader of the house and the leader of the opposition constitutionally contribute to the selection of the caretaker chief executive so that the entire population of the province is partner in the process.

The pioneers of the clauses relevant for the purpose of taking care of the province during the period of elections inserted the clause to ensure public confidence in the process.

Similarly, leaders of house and opposition in the National Assembly jointly undertake the responsibility of the selection of chief executive of the country on the eve of the elections.

Moreover, the leaders of house and opposition in the National Assembly are entitled to select the chairman to run the office of National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

This very principle should be adopted in the composition of the CCI in order to achieve either consensus or the points of view of all the relevant sectors of the population.

The people have witnessed substantial differences of opinion in the share of National Finance Commission (NFC) awards to the provinces as well as various sections of population settled in the province.

It will, therefore, be in the fitness of things that the opposition in provincial assemblies should also be included in the process of determination and sharing of the NFC awards.

Mahfooz un Nabi Khan

Karachi

Published in Dawn, April 24th, 2021