ISLAMABAD: The Senate’s Functional Committee on Devolution has expressed concern over delay in devolution of powers to the provinces by the ministries of Petroleum, Finance and Privatization under 18th Constitutional Amendment.
Chairing a meeting of the committee here at Parliament House, Senator Mir Kabeer Ahmed observed that some elements were deliberately delaying the devolution process. The work in that regard had been done only on paper as practically nothing had been done by the ministries to devolve powers to the provinces, he added.
Secretary Petroleum Arshad Mirza informed the body that the federal government was fully committed to the devolution of powers to the provinces.
He said a meeting had been held with the Ministry of Finance and Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) regarding the federal excise duty on petroleum products. Meetings were also underway with the provincial governments, he added.