Science minister complains to PM how Buzdar govt violates Constitution

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry has formally approached Prime Minister Imran Khan against continued violation of Article 140A of the Constitution and lamented that despite the lapse of 16 months the PTI government in Punjab has not yet announced the provincial NFC Award.

In a letter addressed to the prime minister, Fawad Chaudhry pointed out that Punjab receives the highest share in the NFC Award since Shahbaz Sharif’s days and even after 16 moths’ tenure of Buzdar, the province has not devolved financial responsibilities to local governments.

He said that non-compliance of Article 140A and inadequate disbursement of funding to districts have caused disappointment and disillusionment among the population. He not only reminded Prime Minister Imran Khan of his commitment to strengthen the local government system but also underlined that strong federation demand an equitable division of resources among the provinces and then down to district levels.

Following is the operative part of an official letter that the minister has sent to the prime minister:

“Article 140A inserted in the Constitution through the 17th Constitutional Amendment, provides as under:-

“Each province shall by law, establish a local government system and devolve political administrative and financial responsibility, and authority to the elected representatives of the local government.

“2. It is noted with great concern that provinces have been continuously violating Article 140A of the Constitution, and the grossest violation is the inequitable distribution of funds among the districts. As a matter of fact, Punjab receives the highest share in the National Finance Commission Award, but since Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif took over Punjab as the chief minister, he had immediately halted provincial National Finance Commission Award, which is a serious violation of the Article 140A of the Constitution. Unfortunately, the incumbent government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, despite the passage of sixteen months, has yet not announced the provincial NFC Award.

“3. Consequently, the non-compliance of Article 140 and inequitable disbursement of funding to districts have caused disappointment and disillusionment among the population. However, strong federation demands an equitable division of resources among the provinces and thus to district level. Moreover, Your Excellency has always laid great emphasis on the establishment of a strong local government system which entails equitable distribution of resources among all the provinces, but this is not possible without timely announcement of the provincial National Finance Commission Award.

“4. Therefore, I may request you to kindly take notice of the vivid and flagrant violation of the Constitution, and direct the provinces, especially the government of Punjab to immediately ensure compliance of the Article 140A, and the provincial National Finance Commission Award may be announced in accordance with the prescribed formula.”