Chief ministers accuse federal government of obstructing federalism implementation

Chief ministers have accused the federal government of obstructing the implementation of federalism. At a conference, chief ministers remarked that the federal government has weakened provincial structures, likening it to "telling someone to run with their hands and feet tied."

They said that even a decade after the constitution was promulgated, provincial governments have not been able to mobilize police, manage civil servants, or fully exercise the rights granted to them by the constitution.

The chief ministers spoke in one voice on the point that it would not be fair to say provinces failed to perform when their hands and feet were tied.

The conference also raised the issue of moving beyond complaints alone and advancing toward inter-provincial cooperation and joint investment.