Acting President and Chairman of the Senate Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani on Wednesday underscored that devolution was not a threat to national cohesion but one of its strongest safeguards, stressing that a confident federation empowered its constituent units while remaining united by shared constitutional values.

Addressing the concluding session of Islamabad Devolution Summit, Acting President Gilani said authority exercised closer to the people deepened democratic participation, addressed grievances at an early stage and strengthened trust in democratic institutions.

He said the two-day forum brought together parliamentarians, constitutional experts, public administrators, economists, and representatives of civil society to engage in serious and structured reflection on one of the most consequential questions confronting Pakistan today: how to make devolution durable, functional, and truly responsive to the needs of our citizens.

He reaffirmed the Senate’s commitment to advancing cooperative federalism, provincial equity and effective devolution, describing the upper house as a guardian of constitutional balance and a forum for dialogue among federating units.

Reflecting on Pakistan’s constitutional evolution, the acting president recalled that devolution had been central to his political journey, particularly during his tenure as prime minister when the 18th Constitutional Amendment was enacted through rare political consensus.

The amendment, he said, fundamentally rebalanced the federation by restoring parliamentary supremacy, strengthening provincial autonomy and constitutionally entrenching decentralisation.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)