Policy Dialogue

The 18th Constitutional Amendment, Provincial Autonomy and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Lessons Learnt
and Way Foreword

25th November, 2014

Venue: PC, Peshawar

The 18th Constitutional Amendment in 2010 was nothing short of a legislative revolution, and the most
significant move towards the consolidation of democratic federalism in Pakistan's history. The 18th
Constitutional Amendment, passed unanimously by all political parties, has introduced radical reforms
by giving unprecedented autonomy to provinces in legislative, fiscal and administrative domains.
However, the implementation and institutionalization of decentralization faces significant challenges in
a state which has a strong legacy of a dominant centre. International experiences of federalism suggest
that massive constitutional reforms - such as the 18th Constitutional Amendment - require substantial
time, resources, commitment and capacity to translate a federal framework into an effective and
sustainable functional reality for the provinces. Therefore, a schematic, sequential and continuous
process of transition management, negotiation and resolution is a pre-requisite of effective
implementation of the 18th Constitutional Amendment. Currently, follow-up policies, legislative and
institutional frameworks on some devolved subjects are missing at federal, provincial and district levels.
There is a great need for requisite technical knowledge, data, expertise and skills as well as political
understanding and political will to capitalize on these constitutional reforms which could serve as
building blocks for effective transition and devolution management in Pakistan leading to significant
democratic gains.

In this context, a policy dialogue on ‘18 th Constitutional Amendment, Provincial Autonomy and Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa: Lessons Learnt and Way Forward” has been organized to review the challenges of
implementation of 18th amendment in the context of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The policy dialogue
will provide a forum to discuss and track legislations, policy decisions and steps undertaken by the
respective institutions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and federal government vis-à-vis 18 th
constitutional amendment. Similarly, the debates will also focus on gaps, missed opportunities, and
failures in claiming Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial rights in the backdrops of 18 th constitutional
amendment.

Objectives:
 To engage with political parties, intelligentsia, media , academia and civil society of KPK to
assess the impact of the 18th Constitutional Amendment on KPK;
 To track the policy decisions and steps undertaken by respective institutions of KPK Government
and Federal Government to implement 18 th Amendment;
 To identify gaps, missed opportunities and failures in compliance of the 18 th Constitutional
Amendment with reference to provincial and federal governments; and
 To enlist provincial demands, claims and responsibilities for the effective implementation of 18 th
Amendment.
Panelists:
- Mr. Farhatulluh Baber, Senator PPP
- Mr. Saleem Safi, Senior Journalist
- Ms. Bushra Gohar, ANP
- Mr. Mustaq Ahmed Ghani, Higher Education Minister KP
- Mr. Muhammad Atif, Education Minister KP
- Mr. Shahram Khan, Health Minister KP
- Mr. Inayatullah Khan, Leader JI, and Senior Minister KP
- Dr. Ijaz Khan, Professor IR Department
- Mr. Nasir Hussain, President Peshawar Press Club
- Mr. Khalid Aziz, Former Chief Secretary KP
- Dr. Khadim Hussain, Bacha Khan Education Foundation
- Mr. Murad Saeed, PTI MNA from Swat
- Ms. Mossarat Qadeem, Ex KP Minister

Moderator: Muhammad Anwar, Executive Director, Centre for Governance and Public Accountability
Opening Remarks: Mr. Zafrullah Khan, Centre for Civic Education
Vote of Thanks: Amjad Bhatti, National Technical Advisor, Strengthening Participatory Federalism and
Decentralization, UNDP-Pakistan
Chief Guest: Sardar Mehtab Ahmad Khan Abbasi, Governor KP

Participants:
 Representatives of political parties including provincial and federal governments
 Media representatives
 Civil society members, representatives of bar association
 Representatives of departments of KP government