Islamabad: Muslim League-N leader, Ishaq Dar, has stated that the issue is not the 18th Amendment but the distribution of resources between provinces and the federal government.
Speaking in the Senate, Leader of the House Ishaq Dar expressed that after signing the Charter of Democracy, much work has been done, and the Charter of Democracy also includes provisions for constitutional amendments.
He mentioned that in 2008, the Pakistan Peoples Party formed committees in both houses for the 18th Amendment. In 2009, the NFC was revised late; according to the constitution, the NFC should be revised every 5 years. The delay in the NFC revision needs to be addressed, and the financial issues arise from the NFC award. Provinces are not doing the work for which they were given funds under the NFC award.
Ishaq Dar clarified that people understand the real challenge for the federal government is the 18th Amendment, but the real issue is not the 18th Amendment; the actual issue is the distribution of resources between provinces and the federal government under the NFC.
He stated that for the purpose for which an increase in the share of provinces was made, provinces should also do that work. The real challenges for Pakistan are human resource development; are all provinces doing the work like education and health? In Balochistan, more than 350 schools are closed because teachers are not available, which is a matter of shame.
Ishaq Dar said that the 18th Amendment contains a chapter on constitutional reforms. Making amendments in the constitution is not a big deal; we have been making constitutional amendments continuously. There has been no decision by the Muslim League-N on the 18th Amendment.
He further added that it is my report that the Muslim League-N is not against the 18th Amendment. The party’s manifesto committee has not been assigned any work regarding it. However, it does not mean that if the parliament or any political party does not make constitutional amendments, they should not do so; in fact, they should.
