News Detail
Event Title: Senator Zamir Hussain Ghumro, presiding over a meeting of the Senate Functional Committee on Devolution at Parliament House, Islamabad.
Event Date: 2026-07-24
Senate Committee Reviews Implementation of the 18th Constitutional Amendment; Constitutes Sub-Committee on Devolution Issues
The requisitioned Senate Standing Committee on Devolution met today at Parliament House.
Senator Zamir Hussain Ghumro was nominated to preside over the meeting. The meeting was attended by Senators Poonjo Bheel and Jan Mohammad Buledi.
During the meeting, Senator Zamir Hussain Ghumro expressed serious concerns over the implementation of the 18th Constitutional Amendment and the subsequent re-establishment of ministries that had been devolved to the provinces. He stated that the first notification, issued on 2nd December, 2010, devolved five ministries, followed by a second notification on 15th April, 2011, and a final notification on 29th June, 2011, under which total 17 ministries created on concurrent and provincial subjects were devolved. He observed that the re-creation of ministries after 30th June, 2011, dealing with subjects already devolved to the provinces, amounted to a violation of the Constitution. Such ministries and Institutions include Education, Health, National Food and Security. Culture and Heritage, Climate Change, Social initiatives, Housing, EOBI, Evacuee Trust, the function of Collection of Zakat & Ushur & others.
Senator Ghumro pointed out that ministries such as Education, Health, Food and Agriculture, and Environment and many other had been devolved under the constitutional framework. However, he noted that new ministries or divisions had subsequently been established under different names, including the Ministry of Food security effectively performing functions already assigned to the provinces. He remarked that the continuation of federal ministries on devolved subjects not only contradicted the constitutional scheme but also imposed an unnecessary financial burden on the Federal Government at a time when austerity measures were being implemented.
The Committee was informed that the re-established ministries were functioning only to the extent of the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) and other federal responsibilities. Nevertheless, Senator Ghumro observed that the Federal Government had expanded its administrative structure to 31 Ministries instead of limiting itself to constitutionally mandated 09 federal Ministries which include Defense, Foreign Affairs, Finance, Commerce, Communication, Maritime Affairs, Science and Technology, Law and Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.
Senator Zamir Hussain said that Federal government’s expenditure has skyrocket to Rs 19000 billion when the total tax and nontax revenue of the Country was Rs 20,000 billion. He said only Defence expenditure could be justified given the War-like conditions being faced by the Country. The rest of Ministries of federal govt shouldn’t have budget of more than Rs 1000 billion. Presently, 9 constitutionally mandated ministries apart from Defense have a budget of Rs 420 billion. By creating other ministries on the subjects of erstwhile Concurrent list and CCI matter the Federal govt has increased its expenditure to Rs 19000 billion which must be capped at Rs 13000 billion which includes Rs 8000 of debt servicing as well. This can save the nation Rs 5000 to 6000 billion. We need not take loans which have usurped our financial sovereignty, he added.
Expressing concern over the ineffective functioning of the permanent Secretariat of the Council of Common Interests (CCI), Senator Ghumro stressed the need to restructure the federal administrative framework strictly in accordance with the Constitution. Upon the Committee's recommendation, a Sub-Committee was constituted to examine the Devolution maters including violation of notifications issued on 2nd December, 2010, 15th April, 2011, and 29th June, 2011, on the recommendation of Implementation Commission constituted under clause 9 of article 270AA of the Constitution and associated matters. Senator Zamir Hussain Ghumro said no Ministry could be created to the extent of ICT as its matters come within ICT Division. He asked the Cabinet division to cancel their creation afresh and submit its report to the Committee. Senator Poonjo Bheel said they Cabinet division needs to abolish these ministries as it’s a settled matter as the same were devolved on the orders of Implementation Commission created under the Constitution. Senator Jan Muhammad Buledi said that not only recreation of such ministries be rescinded but Sub-Committee should see the functions of CCI which has been made dysfunctional.
The Committee also reviewed submissions made by the Establishment Division regarding appointments in devolved subjects. It recommended that the Establishment Division refrain from making appointments in departments dealing with devolved subjects and ensure that the constitutional share of the provinces is fully protected in all appointments and promotions. It asked the establishment division to provide time line of appointments in all grades. If two weeks. The establishment Division said the ministries have provided information. However, they have to seek from some other ministries. The Committee further directed the Establishment Division to strictly comply with constitutional provisions and submit a compliance report within fifteen days.
The Committee also deliberated on the constitutional provision introduced through the 18th Amendment regarding the distribution of revenues from oil and gas resources to the provinces. Senator Ghumro observed that while the Federal Government continued to receive its constitutional share, the provinces were not receiving their due rights, creating a sense of deprivation among the people. He further noted that provinces lacked adequate representation in institutions overseeing the extraction and management of oil and gas resources. The Committee directed the relevant authorities to furnish complete details of payments made to the provinces during the last sixteen years, emphasizing that the Federal Government's role is to support the provinces rather than diminish their constitutional entitlements.
The Committee was informed that an allocation of Rs. 46 billion for Quaid-e-Azam's Mausoleum had not been released last year and had instead been diverted to the Ministry of Education. Expressing concern over the matter, the Committee recommended that monthly progress reports on the development and maintenance of Mazar-e-Quaid be submitted for its review.
The Committee also received a briefing on the policy governing the tenure of Federal Secretaries. It directed the Establishment Division to provide a complete list of Secretaries with details of their tenure.
The Committee said executive authority over subjects in Federal legislative List part II belongs to Council of Common Interests and executive authority of Federal govt. was made subject to the Constitution under article 97 and subjects reserved for CCI are to be supervised and controlled by CCI as such the Ministries of Industries, Statistics, Petroleum, Railways, Inter-provincial Co-ordination, Planning and development and WAPDA by Federal govt. is not constitutional.