Democratic devolutions: Experts stress need for more provincial autonomy

Urge government officials to consult each other to make provinces stronger economically.

KARACHI: Political and economic experts believe that provinces will progress and become stronger, both politically and economically, if more autonomy is granted to them by the centre.

Speakers at the two-day workshop, 'Consolidating Democratic Devolution in Pakistan', organised by the Forum of Federations at the Pearl Continental Hotel on Sunday, said that the on-going issues would only be resolved if provinces were stronger.



"Unfortunately, politics has divided people in Pakistan," lamented Prof Syed Jaffar Ahmed, director of the Karachi University's Pakistan Study Centre. He said that secular and nationalist forces in Balochistan and Sindh were also struggling for provincial autonomy.

Prof Ahmed also spoke on certain sections of the Constitution, claiming that if all citizens were equal before the Constitution, why was a non-Muslim not allowed to become the prime minister or president of the country. "There is no chance a non-Muslim will catch a bigger slot as about 97 per cent of the population is Muslim."

Speaking about the benefits of the 18th Amendment, he said that Punjab was now generating more revenue than ever before. He stressed for the capacity building of officials of provinces and the centre, adding that the amendments were not being implemented completely even now.

Speaking about the importance of fiscal management, Dr Ikramul Haq, an advocate of the Supreme Court and an international tax counsel, said that financially stronger provinces were in favour of a stronger Pakistan. "The provinces should generate their own funds," he urged. Dr Haq lamented that people [business community] were ready to pay indirect taxes, such as extortion, but do not wish to pay direct taxes.

"Canada has several similarities with Pakistan," said Dr Rachel Laforest of the Queens University, Canada. "It is diverse, ethnically and culturally, like Pakistan," she said.

Speaking on the importance of negations between the centre and provinces and among provinces, Dr Laforest said that the process of dialogue should be continued.

"Federalism is a dynamic process," she explained, adding that inter-governmental machinery is an importance space for dialogue and deliberation. "The implementation of decentralisation may require flexibility and asymmetry."

Dr Laforest stressed that provincial leaders must meet each other and share as it would enhance their capacity. "The civil society groups are important mediating structures between the state and citizens," she added.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 22^nd, 2014.