Implementation of the 18th Amendment

          Often People unaware of the principles and working of a rigid Constitution in a parliamentary form of Democracy asks "what is the purpose of a commission or committee..?".
They feel that a Parliamentary or judicial commission is formed to delay a matter or to avoid till it is forgotten .
That is not the case . We all know that a Constitution is a very rigid document especially when it supports a weak democracy.A constitution cannot be changed or altered without a thorough process which includes both legal and political will and understanding of the majority .In practice a football player or a green grocer may not be fully aware of the constitution or the changes in the constitution but their consent is essential.That consent is usually communicated through the general elections and the elected representatives.The elected member of parliament votes on the bills in the special proceedings of the parliament after the debates and points of orders.These debates in the parliament usually build up the consensus among the electorates and the general public. The opposition often see it as an opportunity to affect the government or the ruling party's approval rating and popularity among the electorates by highlighting the negative aspects of the bills proposing any change or amendments in the law or constitution.
   
             Last year in April 2010 The parliament of the Islamic Republic of Paksitan passed a historic  18th amendment in the constitution of Pakistan of 1973.

18th Amendment in the Constitution of Pakistan (Complete Text)




Now due to the aspiring opposition then a part & parcel of the ruling coalition of PPP-PML(N) -MQM -etc etc .The Honerable members of the parliament were facing a very embarrassing crisis of having their degrees and documents of the educational education scrutinized. Many degrees were found to be fake.Some members had to resign other fought back and had the educational qualification condition removed  and got re-elected.The important lesson we learned here is that the removal of this condition was done purely on the political pressure from within the ruling coalition which does not exists anymore and that the condition was introduced on the recommendation of a commission or committee by the former government of PML(q) which now  openly supports the ruling PPP government.

          Soon after the 18th Amendment was passed and signed by the president of Pakistan a commission was formed for the implementation of the 18th Amendment under the chairmanship   of a senior parliamentarian Mr Raza Rabbani of PPP.

The Commission comprised Senator Raza Rabbani (chairman), Senator Ishaq Dar (Deputy Chairman), Naveed Qamar, Waseem Sajjad, Rehmat Ullah Kakar, Afrasyab Khattak, Farooq Sattar, Dr Abdul Malik, Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao and Khuda Bakhsh Rajar.

Two members of commission including Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao and Senator Ishaq Dar had already quit commission due to differences.
         Recently the commission presented its report to the government and seized to exist. and since it was already late so now the government has started acting on its recommendations.The most important and historic thing is that The government has abolished seven federal ministries, transferring their powers to the Provinces, for the following sectors: religious minorities, food and agriculture, health, environment, labor, women's development and sports.