Senate Committee Calls for Review of Reinstated Devolved Ministries Under 18th Amendment

Isl­am­abad: The Senate Functional Committee on Devolution voiced serious concerns today about the re‑establishment of federal ministries that administer subjects devolved to the provinces under the حامل18th Constitutional Amendment. The committee has set up a sub‑committee to investigate alleged violations.

The meeting, convened at Parliament House, was chaired by Senator Zamir Hussain Ghumro. Senators Poonjo Bheel and Jan Muhammad Buledi also займались the discussion.

During the session, Senator Ghumro recalled that the first notification delegating ministries came on COVID‑2, 2010, followed by notices on 15 April and 29 June 2011. Those directives transferred 17 ministries overseeing concurrent and provincial matters to the provinces.

He warned that the creation of ministries after 30 June 2011 handling devolved subjects breached the Constitution.

Among the affected sectors were education, health, national food security, culture, climate change, social initiatives, housing, EOBI, the Evacuee Trust, and the collection of Zakat and Ushr, all of which had been devolved but remained under federal ministries or divisions.

“Maintaining federal ministries on devolved subjects not only violates the constitutional framework but also burdens the federal treasury at a time when austerity measures are in place,” he added.

Senator Ghumro pointed out that while the Constitution contemplated only nine federal ministries—Defence, Foreign Affairs, Finance, Commerce, Communications, Maritime Affairs, Science and Technology, Law and Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs—Pakistan’s federal structure has expanded to 31 ministries.

The committee has also tasked a sub‑committee with reviewing devolution issues, including potential breaches of the 2010 and 2011 notifications issued on recommendations of the Implementation Commission under Article 270AA.

Under his directive, the Cabinet Division is to cancel any newly created ICT ministries and produce a report.

Senator Bheel urged that these ministries be abolished, citing that the matter had already been resolved by the Implementation Commission. Senator Buledi called for a review of the CCI’s functioning, which he described as “dysfunctional”.

The committee has instructed the Establishment Division to halt appointments in devolved subjects and submit a compliance report within 15 days, detailing all appointments across grades.

Furthermore, it requested information on payments made to provinces from oil and gas revenues over the past 16 years, noting that provinces have not received their due share.

The committee also asked the Establishment Division to produce a complete list of federal secretaries and their tenure details.

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