The participants at an All Parties Conference (APC) organised by the JUI-F in Karachi warned against the attempts to reverse the 18th Amendment and slashing the shares of provinces defined under the National Financial Award.

In his address, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman said the state of affairs had reached a stage where no political worker was ready to assume power. The country was being pushed towards destruction, he added.

Fazl noted that the provinces, which got a share of 57.50 through the NFC Award, were being accused of taking away all the financial resources and questioned why Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif did not complaint about that.

He said many positive changes were brought into the Constitution through the unanimous 18th Amendment but attempts were being made to make that controversial. The system during the Zia era was parliamentary only in name, Fazl noted and added that it was actually a presidential system.

Fifteen ministries were transferred to the provinces under the 18th Amendment but the Centre kept the same which was the reason behind the higher expenditure, said the JUI-F chief.

Senator Sherry Rehman – who is leading the PPP delegation – said the 18th Amendment was under attack and warned that the country was again being moved towards division.

The 18th Amendment isn’t an issue a party or person, it is about the Federation, it is the only way to strengthen the Federation, she stressed.

JUP (Jamiat-e-Ulama-e-Pakistan) General Secretary Awais Noorani said the situation was would have been different if the opposition parties had listened to the advice of Fazl and avoided taking oath in the new assemblies. The incumbent government was a certified gang of thieves, he remarked.