18th Amendment: Scholar says ruling elite afraid of provincial autonomy
Says constitutional rights guaranteed ‘only on paper’
Says constitutional rights guaranteed ‘only on paper’.
The ruling elite are afraid that increased provincial autonomy would create problems for the centre in governing the country.
This was stated by Dr Syed Jaffar Ahmed at a seminar on “Federalism in Pakistan after the 18th Constitutional Amendment: Prospects and Challenges” at the National Institute of Historical and Cultural Research (NICHR), Quaid-i-Azam University on Wednesday, said a press release.
Ahmed, who is the Pakistan Study Centre director at University of Karachi, said the 18th Amendment was aimed at bringing clarity in roles and responsibilities of various orders of the government and to ensure greater provincial autonomy.
He warned that any attempt to roll back the amendment would harm the federation of Pakistan.
Pakistan is one of 58 countries enjoying a federal form of government, he explained, saying that “The 18th Amendment has given rise to federalism in Pakistan as seventeen ministries have been devolved.”
The speaker said though there was a full chapter focusing on fundamental human rights in the Constitution, the rights were guaranteed “only on paper”.
He shared that fundamental reforms were needed to ensure the public sector served public interest and secured a political and economic union.
Responding to a question, he said that the 18th Amendment should have adequately addressed the language issue.
“By accommodating regional languages, federalism can be made more meaningful,” he observed.
NIHCR Director Dr Sayed Wiqar Ali Shah also spoke on the occasion.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 30th, 2015.
This was stated by Dr Syed Jaffar Ahmed at a seminar on “Federalism in Pakistan after the 18th Constitutional Amendment: Prospects and Challenges” at the National Institute of Historical and Cultural Research (NICHR), Quaid-i-Azam University on Wednesday, said a press release.
Ahmed, who is the Pakistan Study Centre director at University of Karachi, said the 18th Amendment was aimed at bringing clarity in roles and responsibilities of various orders of the government and to ensure greater provincial autonomy.
He warned that any attempt to roll back the amendment would harm the federation of Pakistan.
Pakistan is one of 58 countries enjoying a federal form of government, he explained, saying that “The 18th Amendment has given rise to federalism in Pakistan as seventeen ministries have been devolved.”
The speaker said though there was a full chapter focusing on fundamental human rights in the Constitution, the rights were guaranteed “only on paper”.
He shared that fundamental reforms were needed to ensure the public sector served public interest and secured a political and economic union.
Responding to a question, he said that the 18th Amendment should have adequately addressed the language issue.
“By accommodating regional languages, federalism can be made more meaningful,” he observed.
NIHCR Director Dr Sayed Wiqar Ali Shah also spoke on the occasion.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 30th, 2015.