ISLAMABAD: The Punjab government is planning to move the Supreme Court against the federal government for not transferring various departments devolved to provinces under the 18th Amendment.

Punjab government`s spokesman Senator Pervez Rashid told Dawn: “We have the right to seek justice from the Supreme Court since the federal government has adopted delaying tactics for denying Punjab its constitutional right.”

He said the Constitution gave the provinces administrative control over several devolved chapters under the 18th Amendment.

Senator Rashid said the issue of lady health workers also concerned the federal government because it had failed to release funds to Punjab after devolution of the health department.

Even during the dengue outbreak the capacity of Sheikh Zayed Hospital could not be utilised since it was still under the control of the federal government, he said.

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, during his recent interaction with the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufactures Association over setting up of a drug regulatory authority, was quoted as saying: “We will approach the Supreme Court if our [Punjab`s] issues related to the 18th Amendment are not addressed.”

He said Punjab would not set up the drug authority till its concerns related to the 18th Amendment were resolved.

Mr Sharif added: “What answer will I give to about 20 million labourers working in Punjab whose money and genuine rights were held up by the federal government.

Mr Sharif said the committee set up on the orders of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani for addressing the concerns of Punjab was yet to meet.

A source said that Mr Sharif was also critical of the federal government for not handing over Sheikh Zayed Hospital to Punjab.

The hospital is under the administrative control of the Cabinet Division headed by Cabinet Secretary Nargis Sethi.

The source said the Punjab government had raised the issues at a recent meeting of the Council of Common Interests, but there was a cold response from the federal government.