Revise CCI composition
THE composition of Council of Common Interest (CCI) needs to be revised for making the forum true representative of provinces.
The Council, at present, comprises of Prime Minister, three Federal Ministers and Chief Ministers of four provinces which is unjust.
The Chief Minister of the province needs treasury benches in Provincial Assembly and therefore actually represent only the ‘Electors’ who have voted for the party and/or parties in power in case of coalition.
On the other hand, the Leader of the Opposition represents the section of the opposition party or parties in the Provincial Assembly.
Thus, the opposition benches represent the entire voters who have exercised their right of franchise for the opposition party or parties.
It is ironic that the opposition benches who enjoy the mandate of the people who voted for them could not raise their legitimate voice and interest in the Council of Common Interest though both Treasury and Opposition benches in the Provincial Assembly should be equally entitled to be member of Council of Common Interest for complete representation of the population of the province.
The Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly should also be made the member of CCI along with Leader of the House.
It would be interesting to note that for the formation of caretaker government on the eve of General Elections, both Leader of the House and Opposition constitutionally contribute in the selection of the caretaker Chief Executive so that the entire population of the province would be the partners in the process.
The pioneers of the clauses relevant for the purpose of taking care of the province during the period of elections inserted the clause to ensure the public confidence in the process.
Similarly, Leaders of ‘House’ and ‘Opposition’ in the National Assembly jointly undertake the responsibility of the selection of Chief Executive of the Country on the eve of the General Election.
Moreover, the Leaders of House and Opposition in the National Assembly are entitled to select the Chairman to run the office of National Accountability Bureau.
This very principle should be adopted in the composition of Council of Common Interest in order to achieve either consensus or the point of view of all the concerned sectors of the population.
The people have witnessed substantial differences of opinion in the share of NFC Awards to the provinces as well as various sections of population settled in the province.
It would therefore be in the fitness of things that the ‘Opposition benches’ of Provincial Assemblies be also included in the process of determination and sharing of NFC Awards.
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in Karachi.
