Abolition of concurrent list ensures provincial autonomy: Sharmila

KARACHI: The abolition of concurrent list of the Constitution has ensured provincial autonomy to provinces.

This was stated by the Information Secretary of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Women Wing Sindh, Ms. Sharmila Faruqui on Thursday.

She said that `Devolution of ministries including environment, health, education, agriculture, sports, food, women development, labor and manpower, minorities affairs and others is a great step to make federating units more autonomous'.

Ms. Sharmila said that popular leadership of President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani had taken historical steps to implement 18th Amendment into the Constitution in order to shun difference between provinces and for the best interest of the country and nation.

She lauded the Implementation Commission headed by Senator Raza Rabbani for their work on process of devolution of 17 federal ministries as saying the PPP led government had fulfilled its another promise made with masses.

Ms. Sharmila pointed out that the PPP government wants resolution of problems of downtrodden segments of the society on their doorstep by devolving 17 important ministries to provinces.

She added that the implementation of devolution plan had not only strengthened the democracy but also opened doors to resolve longstanding issues.

Quoting Prime Minister Gilani, Ms. Sharmila said the government had achieved a gigantic task by implementing 18th Amendment in letter and spirit.

`Transfers of ministries and more powers to provinces will bear fruits and the country will get goals of progress and prosperity', Ms. Sharmila remarked.

She said that completion of devolution process had proved sincerity of President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani for the bright future of our generations. It was due to martyred PPP leaders Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and her daughter Benazir Bhutto who had given vision of devolution and empowering provinces in respect of provincial autonomy, she added.

Ms. Sharmila further said that PPP led coalition government believed in policy of reconciliation for the rule of law and supremacy of the Parliament.

`We believe in respecting all pillars of the state and bringing all political forces together in order to make people of the country prosperous', she added.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011