Devolution of ministries under 18th Amendments: Cabinet to accord approval to final phase today

The federal cabinet, which is going to meet today (Tuesday), will give formal approval to the final phase of devolution of federal ministries to the provinces under the 18th Amendment to the Constitution, it was learnt. As per the agenda of the Special Cabinet's meeting available with Business Recorder, Inter Provincial Co-ordination Division would present its report in the meeting on devolution of matters under the 18th Amendment.
Cabinet Division would also present its report on abolition of Ministries/Divisions and devolution/transfer of their functions under the devolution plan. Sources told Business Recorder that recommendations of Implementation Commission would also be presented in the meeting. In this regard, Chairman, Implementation Commission, Mian Raza Rabbani, would attend the cabinet meeting and present committee's recommendations for approval.
The sources said that Punjab Government had expressed reservations over the slow pace of devolution process. In this regard, Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif had written a letter to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani asking him to immediately call a meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI), they added.
They said that Shahbaz Sharif had urged the prime minister to expedite the process of devolution of ministries and divisions to provinces under the 18th amendment. In response to the letter, a statement issued from Prime Minister's House said that the process of devolution as envisaged in the 18th Constitutional Amendment was in the last phase of completion. "The two phases are already implemented while the third and final phase will be completed byore June 30, 2011 as required under the Amendment. For this purpose a Special Cabinet meeting has been called on June 28, 2011," it added. The press release further states that the few issues raised by the chief minister Punjab, would be resolved them with consensus of the provinces at an appropriate forum.