Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah while concluding the pre-budget discussion in the Sindh Assembly emphasized his government’s commitment to maintaining law and order, and highlighted the importance of transparent financial planning as well noted that there was currently no construction taking place on Chulistan Canal. He highlighted that there has been no construction activity from Head Suleimanki to Marot, which is located 200 km from the barrage. At the Marot site, a 5,000 ft length of canal was found to be abandoned, and no further activity was observed. Through digitised maps he showed its maps and budget estimates, according to which no expenditures have been incurred on the construction of Chulistan. In his speech, the chief minister expressed his concerns over the rising wave of terrorism in the country, particularly in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. He assured the assembly that the Sindh government and law enforcement agencies were closely monitoring the situation to prevent any security threats in the province. “For decades, lawlessness was a major issue in our country and province, but after 2013-14, conditions started improving,” he said and added that while challenges remain, the Sindh government is committed to ensuring peace and security. He also highlighted that the Sindh Assembly had previously passed a resolution against terrorism, underscoring the collective responsibility of all political parties to prioritise national security above political differences. CM Murad highlighted that Sindh is unique in having Rule 143, which allows structured pre-budget discussions, unlike any national or provincial assemblies. He emphasized that this rule enables all members to discuss budget matters, share recommendations, and propose solutions. Despite last year’s delay due to a government formation in March, Shah noted that this year’s discussions are on track, even during Ramadan. He praised the assembly’s productive debates and the increased participation from legislators compared to the previous year, where only 31 members engaged due to political tensions. In a rare moment of political unity, the chief minister acknowledged the Leader of the Opposition for recognising the government’s good intentions despite execution differences. “I’m pleased to hear that there are no doubts about our intentions,” Shah said, emphasising the party’s commitment to the welfare of Sindh’s people since 1970. He assured the house that the government is dedicated to addressing concerns, ensuring financial transparency, and maintaining law and order. Shah highlighted increased engagement in the assembly, with 100 members speaking this year and a record 132 last year during budget discussions. He appreciated all recommendations and stressed the importance of constructive criticism. The CM underscored the significance of discussing infrastructure and water supply issues in Karachi, calling the city “the heartbeat of the country.” He pledged to document all suggestions for consideration in the 2025- 26 budget while outlining both accomplishments and future programs. Mr Shah informed the assembly that this year, the total budget was Rs. 3,056 billion. As of February 28, 2025, nearly Rs. 2,000 billion has been released, and Rs. 1,454 billion has already been utilised with a significant portion of the employee-related expenses, including salaries and pensions. He explained that government salaries are disbursed directly from the Accountant General’s Office, but this does not include salaries for municipal employees, as their payments do not come from the treasury. “So far, Rs. 600 billion has been allocated for government salaries,” he revealed. The CM said that the local government salaries, a total of Rs. 160 billion was allocated as grants for municipal departments this year, adding that by February, around Rs. 107 billion had already been disbursed, with nearly 70 per cent of this amount going towards salaries. In addition to salaries, the largest portion of our grants goes to health institutions such as the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT) and the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD). “This has proven to be a highly effective way to directly benefit the people,” the CM said. “Currently, we are spending Rs. 100 billion per month on salaries, which highlights the significant financial responsibility of the government in ensuring the smooth functioning of public services,” he said. Murad Shah responded to the Opposition, stating that of the 1,153 development schemes, 1,035 with allocations under Rs 50 million have received funding. For larger projects, funds are released in instalments; 610 of the 624 schemes over Rs 50 million have been funded. For those over Rs 100 million, which total 2,472, funds are released in four instalments, with 2,050 funded so far. The CM said that an automated system has been introduced for fund disbursement, allowing Rs 100 million to be released initially for projects of Rs 400 million, provided there are no issues. “The threshold for releasing funds has decreased from 80 per cent to 60 per cent of the initial allocation, enabling quicker follow-up funding. Special considerations allow for Rs 200 million releases for equipment purchases. Talking about the IT program, Murad Shah said that his government’s IT training initiative has trained 1,500 IT graduates across several cities, with 870 now employed and 3,000 university students and 200 teachers receiving IT training as well. “We have also improved the Benazir Hari Card program by ensuring transparent transactions with Sindh Bank for farmer aid distribution. Mr Shah said that across Sindh, 2.1 million houses are under construction, with over one million already in progress. “I personally monitor their development at every stage,” he said. According to the CM, the Excise and Taxation Department has advanced its IT integration this year, introducing cashless payment systems for various taxes. The Sindh Food Authority has also adopted IT solutions, streamlining food outlet registrations through a mobile app. To support business startups, the Sindh government has launched an app that simplifies the registration process. “Our E-Procurement, Taxation, and Disposal System (EPAD) has registered 5,658 suppliers and published 1,408 tenders,” the CM said and added that in law enforcement, the Sindh Smart Surveillance System (S4) enhances security operations, and driving licenses are now fully online. Addressing concerns raised by MPA Sabir about Sindh government performance, Murad Shah presented facts in the house rather than through advertisements. “We have over 4,500 development schemes in our budget, with 50 projects already completed and many more near completion,” he said. He mentioned some of the projects, such as the upgrading of the Hub Pumping Station, have a budget of Rs60 million, all utilised. The Karachi Water & Sewerage Improvement Project had a budget of Rs1,000 million, with 925 million spent. “Despite achievements, some focus on just 25 of 4,500 projects, creating a skewed impression of inactivity,” he said and added, “We’ve spent Rs303 billion on development. Murad Shah said, “I encourage those criticising to provide a clearer vision of what an ideal system should look like. The Finance Department follows a release policy approved by the Cabinet,” he said. He added that the government has streamlined funding: projects below 50 million receive full upfront funding if there are no issues, and we’ve fully funded 1,035 of 1,153 such schemes,” he said. For projects above 50 million, funds are released in two installments, benefitting the majority of the 624 projects. Larger projects above 100 million receive funds in four installments, with a significant number already allocated. Our automated release system ensures timely funding. There is a misconception that Finance is either releasing funds without spending or withholding them, both cannot be true, he said. Mr Shah said that some MPAs raised concerns about encroachments, prompting us to form a committee led by the Home Minister in collaboration with the Business Committee. “We recognise the contradictions in asking for the removal of soft encroachments while distributing pushcarts,” he said. This year, we have completed 196 new roads, investing about Rs. 53 billion in the road sector, and improved 120 additional roads, Murad Shah said. “Our manifesto commits to providing clean drinking water within five years, with significant progress on the K-IV water project in Karachi,” he said and added we have allocated funds for KWSSIP, and we aim for the timely finalisation of these projects. Regarding Hub, Mr Shah said that his government initiated a Rs 12 billion scheme to replace the failing water channel. “The mayor has been tasked with preparing a new system, expected to be ready by August, with repairs on the old system planned by year’s end, and we hope to increase our water allocation, given sufficient availability from the Hub Dam,” he said. The CM said that in agriculture, the Sindh government established three research institutes and developed 13 new crop varieties. “We’re also advancing solarization projects for public institutions, covering around 14 megawatts.” Post-2022 floods, we’ve improved irrigation and drainage to better manage future disasters. The major projects include repairs to the Johi Branch and the Sukkur Barrage and solar-powered tube wells in agriculture. In healthcare, Murad Shah said that NICVD served 14 million people last year, while the Gambat Pir Abdul Qadir Shah Institute performed over 200 liver transplants. JPMC and Dow University introduced advanced technologies for cancer treatment. “We’re set to open new hospitals, including a 60-bed facility in Karachi next month, contributing to our commitment to enhance healthcare services,” he said. Other members of the provincial assembly also spoke on the occasion.