Pakistan has braved many challenges since its inception and more so after 9/11. The Government of Pakistan, under the leadership of President Pervez Musharraf, is trying its best to democratise the country, has expanded women's representation in the legislative bodies of Pakistan and also has reigned in the religious fanaticism and terrorism - these are commendable. Challenges have not been overcome as yet and people still have expectations to see a further strengthening of democracy and the democratic institutions of the country. One major aspect that would strengthen democracy and satisfy the people's expectation would be the grant of total autonomy to the provinces of Pakistan and granting the people of the provinces rights over their provincial wealth and resources.

Pakistan is a conglomeration of various distinct ethno-linguistic, cultural and national identities which have chosen to live in, and share, a certain geographical entity on the basis of a common historical experience. The problem of Pakistan in the realm of exercise of power is that one group holds it power by its numerical majority in the military and in the civil bureaucracy thus making democracy and governance only a numbers game. It does not accommodate the aspirations and interests of the people of the minority provinces.

In its ideal scheme, the Federation was born out of a voluntary cession of powers by the federating units to the centre of the federation. These voluntarily surrendered powers may include -- and commonly do -- defence and security of the physical boundaries of the federation, foreign affairs and a common currency.

The spirit behind the voluntary surrender of powers to the centre was to create a union in the interest of evolving a viable entity in which the common national interests and aspirations of the federating peoples might take root and prosper. But what was essential in the scheme was a loose and flexible union of interests and not a total and inflexible fusion of interests.

The basic concept of creating a federation is to promote unity in diversity, to promote a common milieu of existence without sacrificing the typical ethno-linguistic, cultural, national and regional identities of the federating units.

The federal system of Pakistan, Mr Chairman, has suffered from both structural weaknesses as well as from aggrandizement of power by the centre at the expense of the federating provinces.

We as a friend of Pakistan have been advocating that provincial autonomy be granted to all provinces of Pakistan. The centre should keep only three subjects, namely: defence, foreign affairs and currency. The remainder of rights and powers should be genuinely transferred to elected representatives of the provincial governments. This would enable provincial governments to evolve mechanisms to devolve rights and powers to the grass roots level rather than the present mechanism which is suited only to increase power at the centre. We urge the Government of Pakistan to take this suggestion in a positive way rather than perceiving it as some negative criticism. We also request the Members of the Human Rights Council and Member states to impress upon the Government of Pakistan to grant total provincial autonomy to all federating units.

Thank you.