PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Monday adopted a government resolution for the merger of the provincial and federal disaster management authorities amid the opposition’s strong disapproval.

The opposition lawmakers declared the move an attempt to roll back the 18th Constitutional Amendment, which led to the devolution of the centre’s administrative and financial powers to the provinces.

A heated debate was witnessed on the resolution during the session chaired by Speaker Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani.

The resolution tabled by law minister Fazal Shakoor Khan read, “in pursuance of Article 144 of the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Provincial Assembly of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa hereby resolves that the Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament), may by law or an amendment in the law regulate the reforms and setting up of a coordinated and comprehensive National Disaster Management System and provides for matters connected therewith or identical thereto.”

Opposition rejects govt resolution calling it bid to roll back 18th Amendment

The chair asked the minister to highlight the objective of the resolution.

The minister said the provincial government wanted to give its powers to parliament to amend the relevant law for merging the federally-controlled Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) and the Provincial Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (PERRA) into the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

Participating in the discussion on resolution, leader of the opposition Mohammad Akram Khan Durrani said ‘hidden efforts’ had been made for the last few years to roll back the 18th Constitutional Amendment as certain quarters were not happy with the autonomy granted to provinces under it.

He said some senators, who were known for their affiliation with a state institution, spoke about the 18th Amendment’s rollback in the Upper House of Parliament recently.

“I request the government not to follow directives blindly and avoid giving away its powers to the NDMA,” he said.

The opposition leader warned the government that it would regret the decision afterwards.

Participating in the debate, MPA of the opposition Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal Inayatullah Khan said the grant of the province’s powers to the centre was a very sensitive issue as the provincial government took such a step in the recent past as well.

He said apparently, the provincial government had handed over the PERRA and ERRA to the NDMA but actually, it was the start of the reversal of the powers devolved to the provinces under the 18th Constitutional Amendment.

“The beginning of such steps is not good for smaller provinces. All political parties have rendered tremendous sacrifices for bringing administrative and financial powers to provinces from the centre,” he said.

Mr Inayatullah wondered why the government was not merging the ERRA and PERRA with the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and what interest it was trying to serve by suggesting their merger with the NDMA.

“Why doesn’t the provincial government strengthen its own department instead of surrendering its powers to the federal institutions? Such acts are not good for small provinces as in this way, each power of the province will be surrendered to the centre and thus, killing the spirit of the 18th Constitutional Amendment,” he said.

Parliamentary leader of the opposition PML-N Sardar Yousaf said a very strange logic had been given by the government for surrendering its power to the centre.

He said globally, powers were devolved from the centre to provinces to local bodies to serve the people in the best possible way.

MPA Shagufta Malik of the opposition ANP said his party condemned the government’s move and warned that the ruling PTI would regret it later.

She said the rolling back of the 18th Constitutional Amendment was in sight after the PTI came to power.

After criticism of the opposition parties, the chair put the resolution to vote.

The resolution was passed by 22 votes of the treasury. A total of 15 opposition members rejected it.

The law minister also tabled the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Urban Areas Development Authorities (Amendment) Bill, 2022, and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2022.

The speaker later adjourned the session until today (Tuesday).

Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2022