Islamabad: The Senate Sub-Committee on Devolution has called for the full implementation of the 18th Amendment and the devolution of powers to provinces to address the federal government’s burgeoning debt crisis. The committee, convened at Parliament House and chaired by Senator Barrister Zamir Hussain Ghumro, emphasized the need for downsizing the federal government and reallocating responsibilities to the Council of Common Interests (CCI).

According to Senate of Pakistan, the convener highlighted that notifications issued under Article 270AA of the Constitution between December 2010 and June 2011 mandated the transfer of legislative subjects and the dissolution of 17 federal ministries. Retaining these ministries, the committee observed, has resulted in the federal government incurring Rs.8 trillion in interest on loans, exacerbating the national debt.

The committee underscored the importance of the CCI as a constitutional safeguard for smaller provinces, protecting them from majoritarian decisions by the Federal Cabinet. It stressed that entities such as Railways, Port Authorities, and regulatory agencies should fall under the CCI’s jurisdiction rather than the Federal Cabinet, as per Article 154 of the Constitution. The committee also criticized the federal government’s reliance on an outdated Supreme Court ruling and directed that CCI meetings be called more frequently to address urgent matters.

Further, the committee advocated for the reconstitution of the CCI to ensure provincial equality. It emphasized that prices of essential commodities like electricity, petroleum, and gas should be regulated by the CCI. The power sector’s privatization was also scrutinized, with the committee ruling that any such actions without CCI consent would violate constitutional provisions.

The committee addressed issues in the media sector, directing that matters related to print media regulation be devolved to provinces. It also critiqued the withholding of government advertisements to influence media outlets. Additionally, the committee noted that the retention of certain nationwide ministries under the ICT Division was invalid and urged for their immediate devolution.

To curb federal expenditure, the committee recommended reducing it from Rs.19 trillion to Rs.13 trillion, aligning with the country’s revenue capabilities. It directed the federal government to amend its Rules of Business within 15 days to comply with constitutional mandates, aiming to empower provinces and reduce dependency on international financial aid.