Sharif protests against ‘incomplete’ devolution

Punjab ready to approach the Supreme Court if PM pays no heed.

ISLAMABAD:

Protesting against an ‘incomplete’ devolution process, the Punjab Chief Minister has written to the prime minister once again, asking him to address Punjab’s concerns before, sources say, the provincial government heads to the apex court.

In his fresh letter to Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, Shahbaz Sharif has said that the devolution process is far from accomplished, contrary to the federal government’s claims.

The federation is ‘unconstitutionally retaining’ many institutions and their functions despite the passage of the 18th constitutional amendment, the letter says.

“The federal government claims that the process of devolution stands completed after the issuance of the requisite notifications. However, government of Punjab is of the firm view that the process of devolution is far from complete,” reads the three-page letter to the premier.

The letter also contains an annexure giving a complete list of institutions retained by the federal government that were previously under the ministries that have now been devolved.

Citing examples of retained institutions, the letter says that hunting areas for foreign dignitaries have been transferred from the ministry of environment to the ministry of foreign affairs. The subject of seed testing and seed certification has been reallocated from the food ministry to the ministry of science and technology.

“All these decisions are wholly unconstitutional, being a negation of devolution as mandated by the 18th Amendment,” Sharif says in the letter.

He has requested the premier to intervene and resolve the issues in light of the stance of the Punjab government.

Sources said the Punjab government has decided to approach the Supreme Court if its concerns are not properly addressed within a few days by the premier this time.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 16^th, 2011.