Devolution of minorities' ministry opposed

Source: Dawn

Date: November 16, 2010

ISLAMABAD, Nov 15: At a time when the Parliamentary Commission on Implementation of the 18th Amendment is reviewing the process of devolution of ministries and departments under clauses on provincial autonomy, a National Assembly standing committee opposed on Monday the plan to transfer the Ministry of Minorities Affairs from the centre to the provinces.Members of the Standing Committee on Minorities Affairs, which met under its chairman Dr Mahesh Kumar Malani, were of the unanimous view that the ministry should not be transferred to the provinces because it would create complications in legislation of personal laws.

Ramesh Lal of the Pakistan People’s Party told Dawn there was complete unanimity among the 10 minority members belonging to different parties that the ministry should remain at the centre.

He said they had already written letters to the government in this regard and they would soon write to Senator Raza Rabbani, the chairman of the implementation commission, asking him to review the decision.

Minister for Minorities Affairs Shahbaz Bhatti justified the committee’s recommendation and said the minorities had always been treated at the national level which was evident even from the country’s flag in which white colour represented the minorities.

He said the move to transfer the ministry to the provinces could affect international treaties and conventions that the country had signed and which made it binding upon the government to protect the rights of the minorities.

For more details: http://www.dawn.com/2010/11/16/devolution-of-minorities%E2%80%99-ministry-opposed.html