Provincial Autonomy After the 18th Amendment: Promise vs Practice

Abstract

The 18th Constitutional Amendment 2010 was termed a watershed moment in the development of the federal structure of Pakistan and aimed at correcting the long-standing federal-provincial imbalance by devising a considerable amount of the legislative, administrative and financial powers into the provinces. The article critically examines the possibilities and achievements of provincial autonomy in the post amendment period, based on an analysis of constitutional provisions, the results of implementation and the problems encountered. It focuses on achievements such as the abolition of the Concurrent List, the greater resource transfers under the 7th National Finance Commission Award, and more powers for provinces in key areas like education, local government and health. The study reveals, however, that there are still a lot of loopholes because of the continued dominance, party polarization, institutional deficiencies, economic constraints, security challenges in conflict zones, and judicial penetration. Using the experiences of selected case studies in the four provinces of Punjab, Sindh, KP and Balochistan, the analysis highlights the disparities in performance across the provinces and the intricate relationship between formal reforms and realities. The results indicate that the amendment helped further the process of cooperative federalism, however, structural and political constraints remain a problem. Finally, policy recommendations are provided to make decentralized governance more effective and efficient in Pakistan to maximize its benefits.

Keywords: 18th Amendment, Provincial Autonomy, Federalism, Devolution, Fiscal Federalism, Centre-Province Relations