The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) acknowledged its intention to review the 18th Amendment to the Constitution. Speaking at a press conference, party leaders conveyed their plan to implement the amendment’s spirit by further devolving powers.
According to Ahsan Iqbal, the Secretary-General of PML-N, the 18th Amendment is considered incomplete, as it aimed to devolve powers from the center to the masses. While powers have been transferred from the center to the provinces, the amendment falls short in devolving powers from provinces to the grassroots, he explained in Lahore.
This initiative is a part of the party’s manifesto, Iqbal noted, emphasizing the PML-N’s desire to delegate powers to local governments.
The admission follows the Pakistan Peoples Party’s claim that PML-N was aligning with external powers to roll back the 18th Amendment, a joint effort by PPP and PML-N in 2010. The amendment granted increased powers to the provinces in Pakistan’s federation.
PML-N leaders, including Rana Sanaullah, refuted the claim, asserting that they had no plans to undo the amendment. Sanaullah accused the PPP of creating unnecessary concerns about the amendment.
Last month, PML-N rejected reports suggesting alterations to the 18th Constitutional Amendment, emphasizing that no such proposal was under consideration, as stated by the party spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb on November 20.
Additionally, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) reportedly drafted changes to the 18th Amendment, advocating for the delegation of powers to the grassroots level, expressing concerns that only the chief minister has gained empowerment since the amendment’s introduction.
