Devolution of power

Centre should devolve more autonomy but the provinces also need to build up their capacity to utilise that autonomy

Since the passage of the 18^th Amendment through parliament in 2010, the provinces have effectively wanted to have their cake and eat it too. They want the federal government to continue helping them with infrastructure and development projects, but they also want jurisdiction and control over those projects. We have consistently supported provincial autonomy, both political and fiscal. However, we do feel that the provinces have started to take their autonomy for granted. The recent meeting of the Interprovincial Coordination Committee (IPCC) is a case in point. The provinces asked Islamabad for help in financing the development of several projects in the energy sector, but also want a greater say in running the energy sector. Indeed, Sindh went so far as to demand that tariff-setting power be devolved to it for some projects.

Power is almost exclusively a federal responsibility, with a limited role for the provinces, whereas oil and natural gas are, in theory, provincial subjects, but effectively still in the federal government’s control. This does need to change and the centre should devolve more autonomy to the provinces. However, the provinces also need to build up their capacity to utilise that autonomy. Sindh, for instance, complains about the federal government’s lack of support for its energy projects, but it was not Islamabad’s fault that the roads leading up to the site of Engro Corporation’s coal mining and power project in Thar were not built for three years, causing the project to be delayed. Also, all provinces need to get far more serious about cracking down on power theft, which comes under their jurisdiction, before they begin accusing Islamabad of not being able to fix the energy crisis. One last word: Punjab needs to start participating in the IPCC more actively instead of assuming that the federal government is effectively its proxy. If it wants to dispel the notion that Islamabad consistently favours it above other provincial governments, then it should start showing that it does not feel it is above the fray.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 13^th,  2015.

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