KP Assembly passes resolutions on CPEC security, devolution

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly unanimously passed a resolution on Monday that called for protection of Chinese nationals associated with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects.

Moved by Shakeel Ahmad, an advisor to Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, the resolution ratified the deployment of army troops and civil armed forces for the protection of Chinese nationals working on CPEC projects in the province.

The resolution said that notwithstanding anything contained in the Constitution, the government of a province may, with the consent of the federal government, entrust either conditionally or unconditionally, to the federal government or to its officers, functions in relation to any matter to which the executive authority of the province extends, provided that the provincial government shall get the function so entrusted ratified by the Provincial Assembly within 60 days.

The resolution said the provincial assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the national interest as well as of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ratifies deployment of army troops and civil armed forces for the protection of Chinese citizens working on CPEC projects in the province, as per the agreed TORs.

Through another resolution moved by Fakhre Alam Wazir of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), the federal government was asked to ensure devolution of departments under the 18th Constitutional Amendment. The resolution said that under the 18th Amendment, 17 departments had to be devolved to provinces but many departments were yet to be devolved with full authority to the provinces.