Sindh cabinet revises varsity vice chancellors appointment criteria

KARACHI: The Sindh cabinet has approved changes to the criteria for appointing vice chancellors at universities across the province, raising the upper age limit from 62 to 65 years, while also clearing a series of relief and development measures during a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah.

According to a press statement, the cabinet approved a Rs30 billion development, welfare and reform agenda focused on infrastructure, healthcare, governance, education and public relief in Sindh.

Vice chancellor appointment criteria revised

The press statement said the changes were made to modernise the process for appointing vice chancellors and to broaden the pool of candidates by attracting experienced leadership.

Under the amendments, the maximum age for candidates for the post of vice chancellor has been increased to 65 years for all categories. The required professional experience has also been raised from 15 years to 20 years, while candidates must now have at least 10 publications in Higher Education Commission-recognised journals.

The report noted that the Sindh Assembly had already amended the Sindh Universities and Institutes Laws Act, allowing a serving or retired bureaucrat to become a candidate for the post of vice chancellor of general universities.

The cabinet also approved the draft Recruitment Rules and Service Regulations 2026 for all seven Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education in Sindh. Under the new framework, posts including chairman, secretary, controller of examinations and audit officer will be filled through a standardised search and selection committee process aimed at ensuring merit-based appointments.

For the post of chairman in BPS-19/20, the age bracket has been fixed at 40 to 55 years. Candidates must hold a Master’s degree in first division and have 15 years of senior management experience.

Fuel subsidy for fishermen and bikers

The cabinet approved a Rs515 million fuel subsidy package for the fishing community in the province. According to the press statement, the one-time payment will cover two months of fuel costs in response to rising diesel prices, which have caused a 20 per cent drop in fish landings and put thousands of livelihoods at risk.

The scheme will provide targeted support to 9,634 registered boats, particularly small-scale and coastal operations. Under the plan, 2,331 small boats measuring 18 to 24 feet with 20 horsepower outboard engines will each receive Rs200,000, with the total allocation for this category set at Rs466.2 million. Another 488 boats measuring 10 to 15 feet with five to 10 horsepower engines will each receive Rs100,000, taking the total for that category to Rs28.8 million.

Fisheries Minister Mohammad Ali Malkani said the subsidy would be distributed through a digital process to ensure transparency and audit compliance. He said fishermen would have to complete online registration with the Karachi Fisheries Harbour Authority, after which verified payments would be transferred directly to the bank accounts provided by boat owners during registration.

The cabinet also extended the Peoples Fuel Subsidy Program for motorcycle owners until May 31. The chief minister directed the finance department to release Rs2 billion for May to ensure uninterrupted payments to eligible motorcyclists.

The cabinet was informed that 548,085 applicants had so far received around Rs1.09 billion under the programme at the rate of Rs2,000 per motorcyclist.

To support low-income riders and reduce ride cancellations, the cabinet approved a proposal to cut Sindh Sales Tax on motorcycle passenger services. The tax on net fares earned by motorcycle owners and drivers using cab aggregators such as Bykea has been reduced from 5 per cent to 2 per cent. The cabinet was told that the prospective reduction would have an estimated financial impact of about Rs120 million annually.

Karachi, Hyderabad and Larkana projects approved

The cabinet approved a grant-in-aid of Rs6.5 billion for the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation to rehabilitate road infrastructure in 24 Town Municipal Corporations. It also approved Rs2 billion for the S-III project’s sewerage treatment plant in Haroonabad.

To address the need for burial space in Karachi, the cabinet approved the reservation of 500 acres in Deh Mitha Ghar, District Malir, for a mega graveyard. The land is being earmarked in favour of the local government department.

On the recommendation of the finance committee, the cabinet also approved a grant for consultancy services for the engineering design of a new 1.12-kilometre highway bridge over the Indus between Hyderabad and Kotri at an estimated cost of Rs147.2 million. The chief minister said the bridge would facilitate both light and heavy traffic travelling to and from upcountry.

In Hyderabad, the cabinet approved Rs252.2 million for construction of a graveyard, Rs800 million for laying multiple new water supply pipelines in Qasimabad, Rs800 million for construction of an underpass and a link road at Qasimabad-Hyderabad Chowk, and Rs500 million for a sports complex in Latifabad.

It also approved Rs1.2 billion for widening Shaikh Ayaz Road from Sindh Museum to Ali Palace Pumping Station in Hyderabad and for building a drainage system along the route.

For Larkana, the cabinet approved Rs4 billion for upgrading the city’s drainage system.