Proposed 27th amendment tantamount to undoing provincial autonomy: Raza Rabbani

• Rabbani cautions Centre from playing with provincial autonomy.
• Suggests provinces should be authorised to collect taxes directly.
• PTI opposes proposed tweaks to key constitutional clauses.

Former Senate chairman Raza Rabbani on Tuesday warned that the 27th Constitutional Amendment, proposed by the federal government, would be tantamount to rolling back the provincial autonomy achieved under the 18th Amendment.

“In the brittle internal political situation, playing with provincial autonomy will cast deep shadows over the Federation,” Rabbani, a senior leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), said in a statement.

The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) formally approached its key ally — PPP — for their support in introducing the amendment, which would establish a Constitutional Court, and make certain changes to the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award.

This tweak also sought to amend Article 243 — which pertains to the supreme command of the armed forces — as well as several other key constitutional adjustments, according to PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

Other proposals included the introduction of executive magistrates, provisions for the transfer of judges, and the removal of protections related to provincial shares in the NFC Award.

Rabbani noted that the 18th Amendment disarmed the extreme nationalists of a political discourse; such an amendment will lend vigour to their extra-constitutional activities.

Rabbani further argued that any review of devolved ministries would place a heavy financial burden on the federal government. “Recalling the financial devolution will be against the scheme of participatory federalism,” he said.

The ex-Senate chairman also proposed that if the federation is unable to manage its finances, then the provinces should be authorised to collect taxes directly and look after federal expenditures through the Council of Common Interests (CCI).

These proposed tweaks were also opposed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), alleging it was a step to abolish the independence of the judiciary.

Salman Akram Raja, a lawyer and the former ruling party’s Secretary General, told reporters in Rawalpindi that the details of the proposed amendments that came out through Bilawal’s tweet were “extremely dangerous”.

He vowed that his party would oppose the amendment and asked other parties to go against tweaks meant to “change basic structure of the Constitution and the image of independent judiciary”.

Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Senator Rana Sanaullah criticised the opposition to the proposed tweaks, saying that they were needlessly being portrayed as a “storm”, whereas they posed no threat to democracy or the political system.

Speaking on Brackly News’ programme “Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath” a day ago, he assured the government would consult coalition partners and bring matters forward after consensus.

Sanaullah noted that talks on the amendment had only just begun, stressing that all stakeholders would be consulted before any draft was finalised. “If an amendment is being introduced, it contains nothing that endangers democracy,” he asserted.

He added that there was no disagreement on forming a constitutional court, a proposal included in the Charter of Democracy.

The minister also mentioned that PM Shehbaz Sharif had spoken twice with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s chief minister, reaffirming that “no constitutional amendment will be made without complete consensus”.