Debate over possible 28th amendment gains momentum in Pakistan

A debate over a possible 28th constitutional amendment is gaining momentum in Pakistan, with political leaders, government officials and business groups discussing whether key powers transferred to provinces under the 18th amendment should partially return to the federal government.

Speaking on his show “On My Radar,” Kamran Khan said discussions around constitutional restructuring are intensifying in political circles and television talk shows as the government faces mounting fiscal pressure and governance challenges.

According to Khan, political observers are taking reports of a possible amendment seriously because of the precedent set by the 26th constitutional amendment in 2024.

At the time, the government publicly dismissed reports and leaks surrounding the amendment as speculation. However, the measure was approved within 24 hours in October 2024 after securing federal cabinet approval, a two-thirds parliamentary majority and the president’s signature.

Khan said the amendment was introduced in Pakistan’s National Assembly around 5 a.m. and passed shortly afterward.

He said recent discussions have centered on revisiting parts of the 18th amendment, which was passed in 2010 during the government of the Pakistan Peoples Party. The amendment significantly expanded provincial autonomy and altered the formula for distributing national revenues between the federal and provincial governments.

Under the current National Finance Commission, or NFC, award formula, provinces receive 57.5% of national revenues while the federal government receives 42.5%.

Khan said critics argue the federal government must still cover debt servicing, interest payments, defense spending, disaster management, the Public Sector Development Program and social welfare initiatives such as the Benazir Income Support Program from its reduced share.

According to Khan, officials are now considering several proposals as part of a possible 28th amendment. These include revisiting the NFC award formula, granting constitutional protection and greater authority to local governments, increasing the federal government’s role in education and curriculum policy, and returning some health-related sectors to federal control.

Another proposal under discussion would distribute the financial burden of the Benazir Income Support Program between the federal and provincial governments, Khan said.

Khan said reports suggest the issue was discussed during a recent meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari, attended by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq and other senior officials.

He added that contacts with parliamentary parties have reportedly begun as the government seeks consensus among coalition allies.

Prime Minister adviser Rana Sanaullah also indicated that a new NFC award could potentially be finalized before the federal budget if political consensus is achieved.

The proposals have already triggered political resistance.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said his party had not yet been formally consulted on any proposed amendment and warned that powers transferred to provinces could not easily be reversed.

At the same time, some leaders from the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf have expressed support for returning sectors such as health and education to federal oversight.

Senator Ali Zafar, the PTI parliamentary leader in the Senate, also voiced support for the creation of new provinces, according to Khan.

Khan said many of the proposals being discussed were initially included in earlier constitutional reform efforts but were later removed because of opposition from the PPP. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar have publicly acknowledged those disagreements, he added.

Business groups have also entered the debate.

The Pakistan Business Forum has called for sectors such as agriculture and industry to return to federal control, arguing that the devolution of powers under the 18th amendment did not produce the desired economic results.

Khan cited Pakistan’s cotton production as an example, saying output had fallen from around 12 million bales before the amendment to roughly 5 million bales in recent years.

He said the coming weeks could determine whether Pakistan moves toward another major constitutional restructuring that reshapes governance, economic management and the balance of power between the federation and provinces.