• Rs. 515 m approved to provide financial relief to fishing community Karachi, Thatta, Sujawal, and Badin.
• Rs147.2m approved for consultancy of bridge over River Indus between Hyderabad and Kotri
KARACHI (May 5): Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah presided over a Cabinet meeting, where the l government approved a massive development, welfare and reform agenda involving more than Rs30 billion in allocations, grants and institutional initiatives aimed at improving infrastructure, healthcare, governance, education and public relief across Sindh.
The meeting, held at CM House, was attended by provincial ministers, advisers, special assistants, the Chief Secretary and administrative secretaries concerned.
Addressing the meeting, the chief minister said the Sindh government was committed to accelerating development activities while ensuring direct relief to vulnerable communities affected by inflation and economic pressures.
He said the provincial government was simultaneously focusing on infrastructure development, social protection, healthcare reforms, digital governance and institutional strengthening to improve public service delivery across Sindh.
Fuel subsidy to fishing community
Sindh Chief Minister, with the approval of the cabinet, approved a fuel subsidy package of Rs. 515 million to provide immediate financial relief to the province’s fishing community across Karachi, Thatta, Sujawal, and Badin.
This initiative is designed as a one-time payment covering two months of fuel costs to mitigate the impact of rising diesel prices, which have led to a 20 per cent decline in fish landings and threatened thousands of livelihoods, said the CM.
Under this scheme, the government will provide targeted support to 9,634 registered vessels, with a specific focus on small-scale and coastal operations:
A total of 2,331 small boats measuring 18–24 feet with 20 HP outboard engines will each receive a subsidy of Rs. 200,000, amounting to a total allocation of Rs. 466.2 million.
A total of 488 boats measuring 10–15 feet with 5–10 HP engines will each receive a subsidy of Rs. 100,000, totalling Rs. 28.8 million.
To ensure complete transparency and audit compliance, the subsidy will be disbursed through a digital process, Minister Fisheries Mohammad Ali Malkani said. Fishermen must complete an online registration with the Director General (DG) Marine or the Karachi Fisheries Harbour Authority (KFHA). Once verified, the funds will be paid directly into the bank accounts provided by the boat owners during registration, with the process overseen by a joint management committee from the Livestock and Fisheries Department.
Local Government Minister Nasir Shah presented the recommendations of the Cabinet Committee on Finance, which the cabinet approved. They include:
River Indus Bridge: The chief minister, on the recommendation of the finance committee, approved a grant for consultancy services for the engineering design of a new 1.12 km highway bridge over the River Indus between Hyderabad and Kotri, with an estimated cost of Rs. 147.2 million.
The Chief Minister said that the bridge would be a great facility for light and heavy traffic travelling to and from the upcountry.
The cabinet approved Rs 252.206 million for the construction of a graveyard in Hyderabad. Rs 800 million for laying multiple new water supply pipelines in Qasimabad. A new line will also be laid to draw water from the canal for the 6 MGD Khanpota Water Treatment Plant.
The cabinet approved Rs 800 million for the construction of an underpass and a link road at the Qasimabad–Hyderabad Chowk. Rs 500 million approved for the construction of a Sports Complex in Latifabad.
The cabinet approved Rs 1.2 billion to widen Shaikh Ayaz Road from Sindh Museum to Ali Palace Pumping Station in Hyderabad and to build a drainage system along the route. It also approved Rs 900 million for the construction of a drainage channel from Giddu Chowk to Ya Ali Colony via Mir Fateh Colony.
Karachi Road & S-III projects: A significant Rs. 6.5 billion was approved as Grant-in-Aid for the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) to rehabilitate road infrastructure across 24 Town Municipal Corporations (TMCs).
The chief minister said that his government is committed to improve raod intrastructure of the city. He directed the finance department to immediately release the funds so that the rehabilitation of roads could be started.
The cabinet also approved Rs. 2 billion for the S-III project’s STP-I at Haroonabad to complete Stage-1 works.
Drainage & Water: The cabinet approved Rs. 4 billion to upgrade the drainage system in Larkana City.
Legal and Judicial Reforms
Efforts to modernise the judicial system and expand court facilities received substantial backing:
The CM approved Rs. 48.9 million for the digitalisation of cases and the issuance of electronically certified true copies at District Courts.The meeting sanctioned Rs. 432.597 million for the construction of four court buildings in Moro.
The CM also approved a one-time Grant-in-Aid of Rs. 25 million for Pir Illahi Bux Law College in Dadu.
Trauma Centre Sukkur: The cabinet approved Rs. 635.48 million for machinery and equipment at the 50-bedded Trauma & Emergency Response Centre at Ghulam Mohammad Medical College Hospital, Sukkur, with instructions to make it functional by June 2026.
Orphan House: The CM also approved an allocation of Rs. 80 million for the establishment of an orphan house in Umerkot.
Education: On the recommednation of the cabinet committee, the chief minister approved Rs90 million for St. Patrick’s High School, Karachi, for the construction of an Early Childhood Care Education (ECCE) building.
Sindh Job Portal: Murad Ali Shah approved the release of Rs. 86.535 million for the second-year tranche of the Sindh Job Portal (SJP) for technical support and operations. Funds were approved for the “Indus AI Week 2026” to promote artificial intelligence initiatives within the province.
Administrative Decisions
The cabinet also approved Rs. 615.7 million for the Sehwan Development Authority (SDA) to clear outstanding liabilities, contingent upon a strict restructuring plan. This plan includes a ban on fresh recruitment and the placement of 421 surplus employees into a surplus pool. Furthermore, Rs. 42.86 million was allocated to operationalise the Centre for Excellence on Countering Violent Extremism (CVE).
Anti-Encroachment Tribunal
To strengthen the enforcement of the Sindh Public Property (Removal of Encroachment) Act, 2010, the Cabinet sanctioned the establishment of an Anti-Encroachment Tribunal for the Shaheed Benazirabad Division.
Land for Mega Graveyard in Karachi
Addressing the urgent need for burial space in the provincial capital, the Cabinet approved the reservation of 500 acres of land in Deh Mitha Ghar, District Malir, for a Mega Graveyard. The area is being earmarked in favour of the Local Government Department.
Infrastructure Cess Settlement & Litigation
The Cabinet approved an amendment in the Sindh Development and Maintenance of Infrastructure Cess (SDMIC) Act, 2026, aimed at resolving long-standing legal disputes.
As of late April 2026, 132 petitioners have signed settlement agreements, resulting in the encashment of over Rs. 18 billion in bank guarantees. The Cabinet authorised the Excise & Taxation Department to extend the deadline for withdrawing litigation and executing settlement agreements to August 23, 2026.
The settled liabilities are payable in instalments. 15 per cent by July 15, 2026; 15 per cent by October 15, 2026; and 15 per cent by July 15, 2027, with the remainder paid in 48 equal quarterly instalments starting in 2028.
A reduced rate of 0.80 per cent (increasing to 0.85 per cent after three years) is offered to those who pay their entire liability by July 15, 2026, or those not involved in litigation.
Motorcycle fuel subsidy
The cabinet moved to extend the People’s Fuel Subsidy Program to provide continued relief to motorcycle owners. The program is extended through May 31, 2026, to process pending applications. Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah directed the Finance Department to release Rs. 2 billion for the month of May to ensure uninterrupted payments.
To date, the program has confirmed payments for 548,085 applicants, disbursing approximately Rs. 1.096 billion at a rate of Rs. 2,000 per CNIC.
Tax Relief for motorcycle cab aggregators
To protect the livelihoods of low-income drivers and reduce ride cancellations, the cabinet approved a proposal to lower the Sindh Sales Tax (SST) on motorcycle passenger services.
The SST on net fares earned by motorcycle owners/drivers using cab aggregators (such as Bykea) is reduced from 5 per cent to 2 per cent. This prospective reduction is expected to have a financial impact of approximately Rs. 120 million per year.
Legislative Amendments
A new legal framework allows for the extension of PPP agreements in the health and education sectors, provided the aggregate extension does not exceed 50 per cent of the original term and is based on exceptional performance. The Act now empowers the PPP Policy Board to approve standardised procedures and guidelines for Government-to-Government (G2G) projects.
The scope of the Project Development Facility (PDF) and Viability Gap Fund (VGF) has been expanded to cover additional studies and expenditures related to project sustainability. Amendments allow parties to directly invoke arbitration if mediation is not concluded within an agreed timeframe. Private parties are now expressly permitted to provide performance bonds for the operations period on an annual basis rather than a single long-term bond.
DHQ Hospital Badin: Following the cabinet’s approval, an interim extension was granted for the DHQ Hospital Badin project to ensure service delivery remains uninterrupted while the new amendments are enacted.
DHQ Hospital Badin Contract Extension
The cabinet approved an extension for the DHQ Hospital Badin project, which has been managed by The Indus Hospital since March 2016. A 12-month extension (from March 16, 2026, to March 15, 2027) was granted to ensure service continuity.
Sindh Medical & Dental Council
The Health Department presented the Sindh Medical and Dental Council Act, 2025 to establish provincial oversight of medical practitioners and institutions with the functions of registration of practitioners; recognition of qualifications; accreditation of Institutions; regulation of education and training; licensing and certification; professional standards and ethics; disciplinary action; and continuous professional development (CPD).
The council will manage practitioner registration, institutional accreditation, and professional standards within the province.
Following the 18th Amendment, the Health Department maintains that provinces require independent regulation to complement federal oversight. The cabinet approved the Act and referred it to the assembly.
Management transition
A proposal presented by Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal was approved to hand over the operational management of the 40-bedded THQ Hospital Ghorabari in District Thatta to the Pakistan National Forum on Women’s Health (PNFWH) for five years. Minister Works haji Ali Hassan Zardari, told the cabinet that he has completed the hospital building. The five-year management budget is estimated at Rs. 951.744 million.
Carbon price mandate (PAK-FLOW Project)
The Cabinet ratified the financial framework for the Sindh component of the World Bank’s PAK-FLOW project. This initiative focuses on reducing methane emissions at the Jam Chakro landfill site to generate carbon credits.
The project aims to mobilise up to $40 million in results-based payments from the Transformative Carbon Asset Facility (TCAF). Verified Emission Reductions (VERs) are $20–27 per tCO₂e, and Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs) are at $23–31 per tCO₂e
The cabinet authorised the relevant departments to negotiate for the upper-end prices (US$27 for VERs and US$31 for ITMOs), with a further directive to request up to $40 or more for ITMOs, subject to market conditions.
The Local Government Department and the Environment, Climate Change & Coastal Development Department will oversee implementation of the framework, ensuring rigorous measurement and reporting.
Human rights reforms
The cabinet approved the Sindh Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2026 and referred it to the assembly.
The amendment integrates “Business and Human Rights” into the legal framework, aligning with the UN Guiding Principles to address corporate-related abuses. It extends the term for the Chairperson and Members from four to five years and allows former judges of the Federal Constitutional Court, Supreme Court, or High Court to serve as Chairperson.
The cabinet also approved the bill for the establishment of “The Benazir Institute of Urology and Transplant, Nawabshah Act, 2025” to expand specialised transplant services in the region. :
President Zardari’s China visit
In a separate briefing, the Investment Department updated the cabinet on President Asif Ali Zardari’s recent visit to China, which resulted in the signing of several pivotal agreements for Sindh, including the establishment of a desalination plant in Karachi and a vaccine production facility for Foot-and-Mouth Disease.
To capitalise on these diplomatic gains, the cabinet approved the creation of a dedicated China Desk within the Investment Department to facilitate investors and oversee the transition of these MoUs into high-impact provincial projects.
Revised VC appointment framework
The Cabinet has moved to modernise the appointment process for Vice Chancellors to broaden the candidate pool and attract experienced leadership. The amendments include that the maximum age for candidates has been raised from 62 to 65 years for all categories. The required experience has been increased from 15 to 20 years, with a mandatory minimum of 10 HEC-recognised publications.
Recruitment Rules for Educational Boards
The cabinet approved the Draft Recruitment Rules and Service Regulations 2026 for all seven Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education in Sindh.
Positions such as Chairman, Secretary, Controller of Examinations, and Audit Officer will now be filled through a standardised search and selection committee process to ensure meritocracy.
The new rules set the age limit for the Chairman (BPS-19/20) at 40–55 years, requiring a Master’s degree (1st Division) and 15 years of senior management experience. This move rectifies historical non-compliance by bringing the recruitment framework under statutory government approval rather than leaving it solely to individual Boards of Governors.
Member (Finance & Policy) for SEPRA
The Cabinet also moved to ensure the full operationalisation of the Sindh Electric Power Regulatory Authority (SEPRA). The cabinet approved the appointment of Mr Faisal Malik as Member (Finance & Policy).
