The committee sought full details of payments made to the provinces over the past 16 years
A general view shows a unit of the South Pars Gas field in Asalouyeh Seaport, north of the Persian Gulf, Iran November 19, 2015. Photo: Reuters/ File
ISLAMABAD:
The Senate Functional Committee on Devolution on Friday directed the federal government to ensure that the provinces receive 50% of the revenue from oil and gas produced within their territories in accordance with the 18th constitutional amendment.
The committee, headed by Senator Zamir Hussain Ghumro, was attended by Senators Poonjo Bheel and Jan Muhammad Baloch.
Senator Ghumro has reviewed the implementation of the 18th Amendment in respect of oil and gas revenue, saying the federation received its constitutional share while producing provinces were denied their due rights, creating a sense of deprivation.
The committee sought full details of payments made to the provinces over the past 16 years.
Ghumro expressed serious concern over what he called the incomplete implementation of the 18th Amendment and the revival of federal ministries that had previously been handed over to the provinces.
He recalled that pursuant to notifications issued on 2 December 2010, 15 April 2011 and 29 June 2011, a total of 17 ministries dealing with provincial and concurrent subjects had been transferred to the provinces. “Re-establishment of ministries dealing with provincial subjects after June 30, 2011 was illegal,” he said.
According to him, Education, Health, National Food Security, Culture and Heritage, Climate Change, Social Initiatives, Housing, EOBI, Evacuee Trust Property Board, Zakat and Ushr and several other institutions were functioning in areas constitutionally under provincial jurisdiction.
Senator Ghumro said that although the federal government maintained that these ministries were only responsible for matters relating to the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) and federal obligations, the number of federal ministries had increased from the constitutionally envisaged nine to 31.
“The constitution envisages federal ministries dealing with defence, foreign affairs, finance, commerce, communications, maritime affairs, science and technology, law and judicial affairs and parliamentary affairs.”
The committee chairman said federal expenditure had risen to about Rs 19 trillion, while the country’s total tax and non-tax revenue was approximately Rs 20 trillion.
He maintained that apart from defense expenditure, which he described as justified in the prevailing security environment, expenditure on other federal ministries should not exceed Rs1 trillion.
According to him, limiting federal expenditure to Rs13 trillion can save Rs5 trillion to Rs6 trillion annually, reduce dependence on foreign borrowing and strengthen the country’s financial sovereignty.
He also expressed concern over the inefficient functioning of the Permanent Secretariat of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) and called for the restructuring of the federal administrative system in accordance with the Constitution.
