Balochistan package vague on
concurrent list: Pildat
Sunday, 13 Dec, 2009
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (Pildat) has said that Aghaz-e-Huqooq-e-Balochistan package
remains vague on whether the deletion of the entire concurrent list is envisaged or only some parts of it are included in the package.
An analytical background paper released by the Pildat said that without appropriate constitutional amendments, the package will mainly remain only a
set of proposals.
The paper said that there was a need to accelerate the work of Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Reforms which has been considering
constitutional amendments since June this year.
It added that in March 2007, the Wasim Sajjad Committee on Provincial Autonomy had recommended deletion of only 14 of the 47 items in the
concurrent list.
There may not be unanimity or even consensus on this matter as some parties may have reservations on deletion of some of the subjects in this list on
the ground that this will lead to an undesirable weakening of the federal structure, the Pildat said.
It said the Balochistan package might have been much better by following the recommendations of the Parliamentary Committee on Provincial
Autonomy which proposed that the Council of Common Interests (CCI) and the National Economic Council (NEC) should meet at least twice each year
and that Articles 153 and 156 of the Constitution should be amended accordingly.
The analysis carried out by former governor Punjab, Shahid Hamid, said that to satisfy Baloch leaders and people, concrete efforts are needed to ensure
the implementation of the package.
The paper criticised the policy of establishing new cantonments in Balochistan and recommended a careful consideration and review of this by the
government.
There are a number of cantonments in Punjab, Sindh and NWFP and more are being built on as-needed basis.
The security requirements of Pakistan must not be subordinated to any consideration of ‘winning’ the temporary good-will of some political forces in
Balochistan, the paper argues.
The paper analyses that references to the deletion of the Police Order 2002 and the Balochistan Local Government Ordinance 2001 from the Sixth
Schedule as being under consideration of the Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Reforms go indirectly to the core of the real problem in federal-
provincial relations.
‘Law and order and local government are both provincial subjects but the federation imposes its views in these matters on the provinces and then
prevents them from making any changes in these laws,’ the paper said.
It proves that the federation does not respect provincial autonomy even in matters that squarely fall within the powers of the provinces, the Pildat said.
‘This mindset of high political and bureaucratic levels of the federation requires a fundamental change,’ it added.
The paper said meaningful autonomy will not come to Balochistan or other provinces till they have direct control of more sources of revenue.
Quoting a World Bank study, it said that 93 per cent of the combined revenues of the federal, provincial and district governments were collected by the
federal government whose own expenditure accounts for 72 per cent of the whole.
The provincial and district governments spend 28 per cent of the combined expenditures but they raise only seven per cent of the combined revenues.
Three-fourths of all provincial and district governments’ expenditures are met through resource transfers from the federal government as per the NFC
awards.
http://www.dawn.com/
Interior-Ministrys-output
The Prime Minister said he will urge the provincial and federal intelligence agencies to strengthen their intelligence network and closely monitor the
activities of these organisations as today, he emphasised, “We can’t afford to be complacent.”
He reiterated the Government’s commitment, saying that cowardly acts of terrorism would not deter the Government’s resolve to continue the fight
against this menace till its logical conclusion.
National Coordinator NACTA briefed the Premier of the steps taken so far in evolving a strategy to counter terrorism.
He said that NACTA had a strategic role in addressing the root causes of terrorism. It would have three wings - one looking after counter extremism,
headed by some educationist or media person. Second wing will be related to counter terrorism, headed by a police officer. Third wing related to
research and analysis, which would be headed by some eminent academician, he said.
In his presentation, Secretary Interior informed the meeting that the Ministry of Interior has 13 attached departments and seven civil armed forces which
work to ensure the country’s internal security, rule of law, peaceful and secure environment for all citizens. He said the Ministry maintains close liaison
with all stakeholders for enhancing security.
Our monitoring desk adds: Criticising the Interior Ministry’s performance, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has asked it to adopt an affective counter-
terrorism strategy, reported a private TV channel. Gilani said intelligence information about terrorists has to be more credible, timely and coordinated.
He expressed dissatisfaction over the Interior Ministry’s performance with regard to relief camps for the IDPs of Waziristan. Gilani said an early socio-
economic and political solution to Swat and Malakand was imperative for durable peace and security in the region.
Gilani directed Interior Ministry that in view of tackling the menace of terrorism, there is need to make intelligence sources more proficient. No one will be
allowed to challenge the writ of the Government, Gilani maintained.
He urged the ministry to take gigantic steps/measures to tackle terrorism and extremism, adding there is an utter need for information sharing among
provinces.
concurrent list: Pildat
Sunday, 13 Dec, 2009
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (Pildat) has said that Aghaz-e-Huqooq-e-Balochistan package
remains vague on whether the deletion of the entire concurrent list is envisaged or only some parts of it are included in the package.
An analytical background paper released by the Pildat said that without appropriate constitutional amendments, the package will mainly remain only a
set of proposals.
The paper said that there was a need to accelerate the work of Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Reforms which has been considering
constitutional amendments since June this year.
It added that in March 2007, the Wasim Sajjad Committee on Provincial Autonomy had recommended deletion of only 14 of the 47 items in the
concurrent list.
There may not be unanimity or even consensus on this matter as some parties may have reservations on deletion of some of the subjects in this list on
the ground that this will lead to an undesirable weakening of the federal structure, the Pildat said.
It said the Balochistan package might have been much better by following the recommendations of the Parliamentary Committee on Provincial
Autonomy which proposed that the Council of Common Interests (CCI) and the National Economic Council (NEC) should meet at least twice each year
and that Articles 153 and 156 of the Constitution should be amended accordingly.
The analysis carried out by former governor Punjab, Shahid Hamid, said that to satisfy Baloch leaders and people, concrete efforts are needed to ensure
the implementation of the package.
The paper criticised the policy of establishing new cantonments in Balochistan and recommended a careful consideration and review of this by the
government.
There are a number of cantonments in Punjab, Sindh and NWFP and more are being built on as-needed basis.
The security requirements of Pakistan must not be subordinated to any consideration of ‘winning’ the temporary good-will of some political forces in
Balochistan, the paper argues.
The paper analyses that references to the deletion of the Police Order 2002 and the Balochistan Local Government Ordinance 2001 from the Sixth
Schedule as being under consideration of the Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Reforms go indirectly to the core of the real problem in federal-
provincial relations.
‘Law and order and local government are both provincial subjects but the federation imposes its views in these matters on the provinces and then
prevents them from making any changes in these laws,’ the paper said.
It proves that the federation does not respect provincial autonomy even in matters that squarely fall within the powers of the provinces, the Pildat said.
‘This mindset of high political and bureaucratic levels of the federation requires a fundamental change,’ it added.
The paper said meaningful autonomy will not come to Balochistan or other provinces till they have direct control of more sources of revenue.
Quoting a World Bank study, it said that 93 per cent of the combined revenues of the federal, provincial and district governments were collected by the
federal government whose own expenditure accounts for 72 per cent of the whole.
The provincial and district governments spend 28 per cent of the combined expenditures but they raise only seven per cent of the combined revenues.
Three-fourths of all provincial and district governments’ expenditures are met through resource transfers from the federal government as per the NFC
awards.
http://www.dawn.com/
Interior-Ministrys-output
The Prime Minister said he will urge the provincial and federal intelligence agencies to strengthen their intelligence network and closely monitor the
activities of these organisations as today, he emphasised, “We can’t afford to be complacent.”
He reiterated the Government’s commitment, saying that cowardly acts of terrorism would not deter the Government’s resolve to continue the fight
against this menace till its logical conclusion.
National Coordinator NACTA briefed the Premier of the steps taken so far in evolving a strategy to counter terrorism.
He said that NACTA had a strategic role in addressing the root causes of terrorism. It would have three wings - one looking after counter extremism,
headed by some educationist or media person. Second wing will be related to counter terrorism, headed by a police officer. Third wing related to
research and analysis, which would be headed by some eminent academician, he said.
In his presentation, Secretary Interior informed the meeting that the Ministry of Interior has 13 attached departments and seven civil armed forces which
work to ensure the country’s internal security, rule of law, peaceful and secure environment for all citizens. He said the Ministry maintains close liaison
with all stakeholders for enhancing security.
Our monitoring desk adds: Criticising the Interior Ministry’s performance, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has asked it to adopt an affective counter-
terrorism strategy, reported a private TV channel. Gilani said intelligence information about terrorists has to be more credible, timely and coordinated.
He expressed dissatisfaction over the Interior Ministry’s performance with regard to relief camps for the IDPs of Waziristan. Gilani said an early socio-
economic and political solution to Swat and Malakand was imperative for durable peace and security in the region.
Gilani directed Interior Ministry that in view of tackling the menace of terrorism, there is need to make intelligence sources more proficient. No one will be
allowed to challenge the writ of the Government, Gilani maintained.
He urged the ministry to take gigantic steps/measures to tackle terrorism and extremism, adding there is an utter need for information sharing among
provinces.
