The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has reiterated its firm stance on protecting provincial autonomy, declaring that it will not allow any rollback of the 18th Constitutional Amendment or changes to the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award. The decision came during a key Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting held on Thursday, where senior party leaders gathered to deliberate on potential constitutional and political developments.
Party Reaffirms Commitment to Provincial Powers
According to party insiders, the meeting — which continued late into the evening — focused on the government’s ongoing discussions surrounding possible amendments to the Constitution. Members unanimously agreed that the 18th Amendment, a cornerstone of Pakistan’s democratic and federal structure, must remain untouched.
“The devolution of power to provinces is one of the PPP’s greatest democratic achievements, and there can be no compromise on that,” one senior leader was quoted as saying.
Sources further clarified that no formal draft proposing constitutional changes had been shared with the party. However, the leadership discussed key talking points that emerged after PPP’s recent engagement with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, ensuring the party’s position remains clear in upcoming consultations.
Consensus on Constitutional and Institutional Reforms
Party members maintained that transferring devolved subjects such as health and education back to the federal level would be impractical and regressive, warning that it could disrupt governance and service delivery at the provincial tier. They also emphasized that the current NFC Award formula for revenue distribution must continue without alteration.
According to sources, the party’s top leadership achieved near 70% consensus on sensitive constitutional issues, including Article 243, the creation of a constitutional court, and procedures for appointing the Chief Election Commissioner.
The CEC meeting was part of PPP’s broader consultations regarding the government’s proposed constitutional reforms and their potential impact on the balance of power between Islamabad and the provinces. The leadership reaffirmed that the PPP will remain the strongest defender of provincial rights and democratic federalism in Pakistan.
