Pakistan Peoples' Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) on Thursday rejected President Musharraf's offer of constitutional guarantees to ensure smaller provinces' that their interests would not be undermined after construction of Kalabagh Dam.
PPPP Deputy Secretary General Mian Raza Rabbani told a news conference at his chamber as Leader of the Opposition in the Senate that the track record of the rulers was not good vis-a-vis abiding by the Constitution.
"General Musharraf has continuously flouted the Constitution when it comes to relationship between the Centre and the provinces," he said.
He also said that the issue of Kalabagh Dam was deliberately being raised to divert the public attention from key matters such as petroleum prices, inflation, quake-related relief operations and law and order. Even if other matters are set aside, the rulers have constantly been flouting the Constitution with regard to the Federation and its units from day one, he maintained.
Rabbani said that Article-60 provides for the constitution of National Finance Commission (NFC) after five years for distribution of resources between the Centre and the provinces. For the last three years, NFC has not been constituted and the old one is extended through a presidential order.
Under Article-153 of the Constitution, he added, a Council of Common Interests would be formed and it would be answerable to the Parliament and would regulate the policies in line with the Federal Legislative List, but this is yet to be formed... again a constitutional violation.
The PPPP leader referred to Article-155, which provides for the council to take up a matter where the interest of a province are likely to be affected in distribution of water, and it is for the council to constitute committees for this purpose and not the government.
Contrary to that, he said, two committees have been formed. "The Article-154 under Clause (3) provides that the Centre or a province, if dissatisfied with a decision of the council can refer the same to a joint sitting of the Parliament. This right is being denied to the provinces," Rabbani said. Likewise, he added, the Constitution under Article-157 provides for a policy for construction, generation, supply and fixation of tariffs on hydroelectric or thermal power installations or grid stations, but the same continues to be violated. The opposition leader also said that Article-158 provides for the priority of requirements of natural gas, which is being flouted.
The Constitution provides that the local government is a provincial subject, but the powers of the provincial assemblies to legislate, have been circumvented by placing it under the Sixth Schedule, wherein the consent of the president is needed for legislation, he said.
Later, replying to questions, he denied there was any difference of opinion in the ranks of the party with reference to opposing the dam. "There is consensus in the party ranks and Punjab is no exception to that," he added. About possibility of launching a collective anti-dam movement, Rabbani said that the opposition parties were in contact with each other and could reach an agreement shortly. Asked what options are available if Kalabagh Dam is not built, he said that there were a number of other projects that could be built for which study reports were already with the government.