The Sindh cabinet, presided over by Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, today greenlit an extensive development, welfare, and reform agenda exceeding Rs30 billion, aiming to bolster infrastructure, enhance public services, and provide crucial financial relief to vulnerable communities amidst economic pressures.
The comprehensive package, approved during a meeting at CM House, underscores the government”s commitment to accelerating progress and ensuring direct support across the province.
A significant portion of the funding, Rs. 515 million, was approved as a fuel subsidy package to offer immediate financial relief to the fishing communities in Karachi, Thatta, Sujawal, and Badin. This one-time payment is designed to cover two months of fuel costs, mitigating the severe impact of rising diesel prices which have caused a 20 per cent decline in fish landings and threatened thousands of livelihoods.
Under this scheme, 9,634 registered fishing vessels will receive targeted support. Small boats measuring 18-24 feet with 20 HP engines will each receive Rs. 200,000, totalling Rs. 466.2 million for 2,331 vessels. Additionally, 488 boats measuring 10-15 feet with 5-10 HP engines will each get Rs. 100,000, amounting to Rs. 28.8 million. Fisheries Minister Mohammad Ali Malkani confirmed that the subsidy would be disbursed digitally, requiring online registration and direct bank account payments to ensure transparency and audit compliance.
Major infrastructure projects also received substantial allocations. The cabinet approved Rs. 147.2 million for consultancy services to design a new 1.12 km highway bridge over the River Indus between Hyderabad and Kotri, intended to facilitate both light and heavy traffic.
For Hyderabad specifically, the cabinet sanctioned several projects: Rs. 252.206 million for a new graveyard; Rs. 800 million for laying multiple new water supply pipelines in Qasimabad, including a line for the 6 MGD Khanpota Water Treatment Plant; Rs. 800 million for an underpass and link road at Qasimabad-Hyderabad Chowk; and Rs. 500 million for a Sports Complex in Latifabad. Furthermore, Rs. 1.2 billion was approved to widen Shaikh Ayaz Road and build a drainage system, alongside Rs. 900 million for a drainage channel from Giddu Chowk to Ya Ali Colony.
In Karachi, Rs. 6.5 billion was endorsed as Grant-in-Aid for the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) to rehabilitate road infrastructure across 24 Town Municipal Corporations. The Chief Minister directed the immediate release of these funds to commence road rehabilitation. Another Rs. 2 billion was allocated for the S-III project”s STP-I at Haroonabad to complete Stage-1 works.
Larkana City”s drainage system is set for a significant upgrade with an approval of Rs. 4 billion.
Efforts to modernise the judicial system received backing, with Rs. 48.9 million approved for the digitalisation of cases and electronic issuance of certified copies at District Courts. The construction of four court buildings in Moro was sanctioned with Rs. 432.597 million, and Pir Illahi Bux Law College in Dadu received a one-time Grant-in-Aid of Rs. 25 million.
Healthcare infrastructure will also see improvements, including Rs. 635.48 million for machinery and equipment at the 50-bedded Trauma and Emergency Response Centre at Ghulam Mohammad Medical College Hospital, Sukkur, slated to be functional by June 2026. An interim extension was granted for the DHQ Hospital Badin project, managed by The Indus Hospital, for 12 months until March 2027 to ensure service continuity. Additionally, the operational management of the 40-bedded THQ Hospital Ghorabari in District Thatta was handed over to the Pakistan National Forum on Women’s Health (PNFWH) for five years, with an estimated management budget of Rs. 951.744 million.
For social welfare and education, Rs. 80 million was approved for establishing an orphan house in Umerkot, and Rs. 90 million for St. Patrick’s High School, Karachi, to construct an Early Childhood Care Education (ECCE) building.
Digital governance and future initiatives received funds, including Rs. 86.535 million for the second-year tranche of the Sindh Job Portal (SJP) and an allocation for “Indus AI Week 2026” to promote artificial intelligence.
In administrative decisions, Rs. 615.7 million was approved for the Sehwan Development Authority (SDA) to clear outstanding liabilities, contingent on a strict restructuring plan, including a recruitment ban and a surplus pool for 421 employees. A further Rs. 42.86 million was allocated to operationalise the Centre for Excellence on Countering Violent Extremism (CVE). To bolster property enforcement, an Anti-Encroachment Tribunal was sanctioned for the Shaheed Benazirabad Division.
Addressing the growing need for burial space, 500 acres of land in Deh Mitha Ghar, District Malir, was reserved for a Mega Graveyard in Karachi, earmarked for the Local Government Department.
The cabinet also approved an amendment to the Sindh Development and Maintenance of Infrastructure Cess (SDMIC) Act, 2026, aimed at resolving 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 deadline for withdrawing litigation and executing settlement agreements was extended to August 23, 2026, with structured instalment payments outlined.
Continuing public relief, the People’s Fuel Subsidy Programme for motorcycle owners was extended through May 31, 2026, to process pending applications. Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah directed the release of Rs. 2 billion for May, with confirmed payments for 548,085 applicants totalling approximately Rs. 1.096 billion at Rs. 2,000 per CNIC.
To support low-income drivers and reduce ride cancellations, the Sindh Sales Tax (SST) on net fares earned by motorcycle owners/drivers using cab aggregators (such as Bykea) was reduced from 5 per cent to 2 per cent. This prospective reduction is estimated to have an annual financial impact of approximately Rs. 120 million.
Legislative amendments were approved, allowing for the extension of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) agreements in the health and education sectors for up to 50 per cent of the original term, based on exceptional performance. The PPP Policy Board is now empowered to approve standardised procedures for Government-to-Government (G2G) projects, and the scope of the Project Development Facility (PDF) and Viability Gap Fund (VGF) was expanded.
In human rights, the Sindh Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2026, was approved and referred to the assembly. This amendment integrates “Business and Human Rights,” aligning with UN Guiding Principles, extends terms for the Chairperson and Members from four to five years, and allows former judges of specific courts to serve as Chairperson. The bill for establishing ‘The Benazir Institute of Urology and Transplant, Nawabshah Act, 2025’ was also approved.
The cabinet ratified the financial framework for the Sindh component of the World Bank’s PAK-FLOW project, focusing on reducing methane emissions at the Jam Chakro landfill site to generate carbon credits. This initiative aims to mobilise up to $40 million in results-based payments from the Transformative Carbon Asset Facility (TCAF), with the cabinet authorising negotiation for upper-end prices for Verified Emission Reductions (VERs) and Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs).
Regarding international collaborations, a dedicated China Desk will be established within the Investment Department to facilitate investors and oversee the transition of recent Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) from President Asif Ali Zardari’s visit to China into provincial projects, including a desalination plant and a Foot-and-Mouth Disease vaccine facility.
Reforms in education governance include raising the maximum age for Vice Chancellor candidates from 62 to 65 years and increasing required experience from 15 to 20 years, alongside a mandatory minimum of 10 HEC-recognised publications. The Draft Recruitment Rules and Service Regulations 2026 for all seven Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education in Sindh were also approved, standardising the selection process for key positions.
Finally, 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 and Policy).