Islamabad: The Senate has expressed anger at the size of the
federal government. The Senate Functional Committee on Devolution has given the
federal government a final 15-day ultimatum and ordered it to immediately
abolish 25 federal ministries and institutions.
In an important meeting chaired by Chairman Senator Zameer
Hussain Ghumro at the Parliament House, the committee declared that the
re-establishment of federal ministries after the 18th Constitutional Amendment
is an open rebellion against the constitution.
The committee presented the record that 17 ministries had
been transferred to the provinces under the notifications of December 2, 2010,
April 15, 2011, and June 29, 2011, and their very existence in the federation
after June 30, 2011 is unconstitutional.
According to the details, the top hit list includes all the
departments that fall under the provincial purview under the constitution,
including health, education, water resources, environment, and culture.
The action will save 4 to 5 thousand billion rupees
annually.
The chairman said that the constitution envisages only 9
federal ministries - Defense, Foreign Affairs, Finance, Commerce,
Communications, Maritime Affairs, Science and Technology, Law and Justice and
Parliamentary Affairs, while the federation has increased the number to 31.
The Establishment Division was immediately stopped from
making appointments on devolved subjects and an implementation report was sought
within 15 days. The Cabinet Division was ordered to immediately cancel the
creation of new ministries in the name of IT.
The committee also took strict notice of the oil and gas
dues of the provinces and said that Sindh is producing oil worth Rs 3.7 billion
daily, but the provinces are not being given their rights for 16 years; details
of the 16-year payments were also sought.
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