McGill Journal of Political Studies 2014 April, 2014 | Page 120

may put a dent in the arms proliferation in
the Province, which would be a big gain for
the Province and its people.
Perhaps the most significant change has
been the restructuring of the Pakistani state,
which has unleashed a gradual trend towards
devolution of power to the constituent
provinces. In June 2010, the PPP-led
democratically elected Government of
Pakistan passed the 18th Amendment to the
Constitution. The Amendment significantly
bolsters a federalist system, for it devolved
fifteen major ministries, including those on
health, education, population, and labour,
to the provinces92. The Amendment also
curtails the power of a provincial governor
to dissolve the Provincial Assembly, except
when endorsed by the chief minister and
the provincial cabinet93. While there has
been little evidence of on-the-ground
implementation of these legal changes, the
fact that these Amendments have been
enshrined in the Constitution is a victory,
for the Government can no longer dissolve
the Provincial Assembly on a whim, as it has
done so frequently in