Provinces Demand Greater Say in Oil, Gas

Provinces have protested against plans to restrict their authority in governing the oil and gas industry, with Punjab advocating for all provinces to have a say on the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA). The federal government has shared a draft outlining the Council of Common Interests not participating in routine administrative duties related to oil and gas.

The draft has been sent to various ministries and the four provincial governments for feedback. Provinces contend their constitutional rights to oil and gas resources must be acknowledged in the sector's administrative structure. Punjab, agreeing with the independent operation of regulatory bodies, requests representation from both the federal government and provinces, suggesting a dispute resolution mechanism within the Council of Common Interests.

Sindh challenged part of the federal proposal, citing Article 172(3) of the Constitution, which allocates joint ownership of oil and gas resources within provincial territories to both the federal government and the relevant province. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa emphasized that federal legislation should not conflict with constitutional provisions concerning shared ownership of oil and gas resources, asserting that the federal government should act as a fiduciary to safeguard provincial rights.

Balochistan proposed that policy decisions and legislative changes should be approved by the Council of Common Interests, while regulatory issues should be managed by the respective regulators under guidelines set by the Council. Balochistan also argued that the Council has the power to establish policies and guidelines for distributing executive responsibilities between the federal government and provinces in managing these resources, emphasizing its supervisory role through constitutional provisions.