KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) has demanded the rollback of the 18th Constitutional Amendment, thus igniting discussions once again about the relationship of power balance between the federation and the provinces.
Speaking during a Sindh Assembly session, Khawaja Izhar-ul-Hassan, a senior member of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan, has pointed out that due to the amendment, the provinces have become “autonomous states.”
He has also mentioned that although the purpose behind such an amendment was to empower provinces, it has rather brought many governance problems along with it.
MQM-P has also expressed their opinion on such an amendment, and the party thinks that some form of revision must take place. Otherwise, there will be a power imbalance between federal and provincial administrations.
It is important to note that the said amendment has been considered one of Pakistan’s most historic constitutional amendments that transferred powers of certain subjects to provinces.
As such, the demand of MQM-P is expected to bring up more debate in the country’s politics, especially those parties that consider provincial autonomy under the new constitution very important.
