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Thursday, March 18, 2010
Reforms body agrees on majority of proposals* PPP, PML-N agree to present draft package in two days
* PML-N decides not to oppose Zardari’s address to parliamentISLAMABAD/LAHORE: The Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Reforms – headed by Senator Raza Rabbani – on Wednesday agreed on most of the proposals under discussion, while the Pakistan People’s Party and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) reached an understanding to present the package within the next two days. According to Aaj Kal sources, the government has decided to let Rabbani present the proposed draft in parliament.
They said after a meeting between Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, the PML-N decided not to oppose President Asif Ali Zardari’s address to the joint session of parliament.
Shahbaz also promised the prime minister he would arrange a meeting between PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and ANP leader Asfandyar Wali to resolve the issue of renaming the NWFP, the sources added.
Finishing work on most of the proposals, the committee decided to incorporate more subjects into part two of the Federal Legislative List, control of which has been given to the Council of Common Interest (CCI).
Provincial autonomy: A committee member told Daily Times that the committee was still deliberating on some issues, however, it decided to accommodate the demands of the smaller provinces to increase provincial autonomy. By adding more subjects in the second part of the list and giving it to the CCI, the provinces would have more say in the subjects in the list.
According to a private TV channel, the committee decided to handover the collection of taxes on products to the federation and of sales tax on services to the provinces. It also decided to make the new National Finance Commission Award as a benchmark for future planning, also deciding to increase allocations to the provinces from the divisible pool. Moreover, the committee also recommended that a meeting of NFC members should be convened after three months to review implementation on the decisions taken in the NFC Award. The sources said demands by some political parties to handover the control of seaports to the provinces are still being discussed.
Meanwhile, a private TV channel reported that the committee has finalised its recommendations on constitutional amendments and would start reviewing the final draft of the proposed package from today (Thursday). irfan ghauri/
aaj kal/daily times monitor
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk