Aftab Sherpao hails formation of Constitutional Committee for repealing the controversial 17th Amendment.

PESHAWAR, June 28, 2009 (Balochistan Times) -- Chairman, Pakistan Peoples Party (Sherpao), Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao has expressed disagreement over the theory of balancing the powers between President and Prime Minister, saying that the Constitution of 1973 should be implemented in its true letter and spirit. He said that the Constitutional Committee should besides scraping of the 17th Amendment it should also focus giving maximum provincial autonomy. He was addressing partys delegations at Peoples House Peshawar. PPPs Provincial President Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao, Sentaor Haji Ghufran, PPPs leaders Fazal Rehman Nono, Auranzeb Mohmand and Malik Nasir Khan Orakzai were also present onthe occasion. Aftab Sherpao hailed the formation of Constitutional Committee for repealing the controversial 17th Amendment and making further changes in the constitution in accordance with the prevailing circumstances in the country. He said that PPP (S) was strongly in favour of financial and administrative autonomy for the provinces, restoration of the actual powers of prime minister and parliament so as the state institutions could effectively work for the welfare of the masses. He dismissed the notion by certain quarters to grant more powers to the president against the parliamentary traditions, saying that such moves would further distort the constitutional structure and damage the parliamentary system. He said that PPP-S would have no expectations from the Constitutional Committee unless the two major parties pragmatically and sincerely play their vital role. He stressed that by mere bringing the changes in the Constitution would not be enough unless the constitutional provisions were practically implemented in letter and spirit. He referred to Article 161 (2) in the Constitution about Net Hydel profits where upon no practical step was being taken in this regard. Raising objections over the modus operandi of IRSA, he said that it would sow the seeds of disunity between the federation and federating units. He regretted that Council of Common Interests (CCI) and National Finance Commission (NFC) have not yet been formed. He contended that had the NFC Award been announced prior to the budget for the year 2009-10, it would have greatly benefited the provinces. He deplored that instead of the capped amount of Rs 6 billion, the federal government had given only Rs 3.5 billion on account of Net Hydel Profit in the coming financial year. He asked the federal government to release the dues of the NWFP on account of net hydel profits as per the decision of Arbitration Committee. He said that scanty resources in the Federal Budget for the provinces had belied the tall claims of the Advisor on Finance. He demanded that the share of the provinces should be increased in the Divisible Pool of proposed NFC Award. Sherpao hailed Prime Ministers announcement for the keeping the subsidy issue on electricity pending till December this year, saying that the premier had honoured the parliamentarians. He urged the government to adopt corrective internal measures for overcoming the financial losses and shortfall through recovery of dues and reducing the line losses. He said that NWFP was producer of the generation of hydel power but unfortunately it had been subjected to unprecedented loadshedding. He lashed out the NWFP Governments failure to properly plead the case of province with the federal government and to protect the financial and other interests of the province. He demanded that the cash development loan (CDL) of the province should be written off on the line of Baluchistan so as NWFP could overcome the financial problems. He said that the people of certain districts of NWFP had rendered unprecedented sacrifices by giving shelter to the IDPs , therefore, the 18 hours long unjustified loadshedding should be ended in Mardan, Charsadda, Swabi, Nowshera and Peshawar. He regretted that there was no return plan for the IDPs and the ruling parties were doing politics on Bait-ul-Mal, ration and registration. He added that the ruling parties were doing no service by using financial aids for IDPs for political advantages.

(THROUGH ASIA PULSE)