Sindh cabinet clears over Rs11bn for Karachi infrastructure

KARACHI: The Sindh cabinet on Tuesday approved a set of measures covering infrastructure, water and drainage, energy, health, heritage rehabilitation and appointments, according to a statement issued by the Chief Minister House.

The statement said the cabinet sanctioned Rs8.824 billion in additional funding for 16 Annual Development Programme schemes in the water supply and drainage sector for the 2025-26 financial year. Of that amount, Rs6.206bn will be re-appropriated from the ADP block allocation, while Rs2.618bn will come from another development allocation. Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah directed the relevant administrative departments to ensure that all payments are made within the current financial year.

Karachi infrastructure schemes

The cabinet also approved 11 non-ADP infrastructure schemes under the Karachi Mega Project, to be funded through the allocation for New Development Initiatives under ADP 2025-26. Their combined estimated cost is Rs11.198bn.

According to the statement, the schemes include improvement and rehabilitation of key roads and transport corridors in Karachi, including Haji Ibrahim Essa Road, Haji Camp Road, Korangi Link Road, roads in Clifton connecting to Marine Drive, Mehran and Pajero roads in Scheme-33, Korangi Creek Airbase Road, extension of Jinnah Avenue in Gulzar-i-Hijri, and the Baldia Stadium Road project linking Shahrah-i-Orangi to Hub River Road.

The cabinet further approved construction of two major bridges at Power House Chowrangi in North Karachi and 4-K Chowrangi in Surjani Town to improve traffic flow and urban connectivity. For the start of these schemes, it sanctioned Rs560 million from the ADP during the current financial year, which the statement said is around five per cent of the total estimated cost.

Energy and health decisions

The cabinet approved a new mechanism for receiving Sindh’s constitutionally mandated 12.5 per cent natural gas royalty in kind instead of entirely in cash, on a field-to-field basis. The meeting was told that this shift in gas royalty could add Rs26bn annually.

It also approved the Sindh Nursing Workforce Strategic Policy 2026-2040 aimed at addressing serious staffing shortages in the sector. Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Pechuho informed the cabinet that the province currently has 34,817 registered nurses, midwives and lady health visitors, including around 23,000 nurses. She said this works out to 0.63 nurses per 1,000 people, well below the World Health Organisation benchmark of 3.33.

Sehwan rehabilitation and appointments

The statement said the cabinet sanctioned Rs485m for the rehabilitation of the Dargah of Qalandar Lal Shahbaz, Lal Bagh and Civic Centre in Sehwan. It also approved the release of Rs24.25m for the commencement of the work.

In addition, the cabinet ratified the appointment of Rashida Siddiqui, a retired district and sessions judge, as a consultant to the law department for three years. It also approved the appointment of Barrister Syed Ghulam Shabbir Shah as Prosecutor General Sindh.