KARACHI: The Sindh cabinet on Tuesday approved a wide-ranging financial and development package covering public transport, policing, wheat price relief, Thar coal connectivity, internal audit reforms, social protection and the establishment of an IT Tower in the city.
The meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, was attended by provincial ministers, advisers, special assistants, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, Principal Secretary to CM Agha Wasif and other officers.
Among the major approvals, the cabinet sanctioned Rs964.4 million for the procurement and operation of public transport buses under a non-annual development programme (ADP) scheme.
It also approved a hefty sum of Rs1 billion for the production of films, dramas and documentaries for public awareness.
Govt reduces wheat release price from Rs9,500 to Rs8,000 per 100 kg
A spokesperson for the CM House replied in the negative when asked whether the allocation was aimed at countering Bollywood propaganda movies like Dhurandhar.
He told Dawn the funds would be spent on making documentaries to highlight the importance of polio eradication, awareness messages for growers, etc.
The meeting also approved Rs5.84bn for the procurement of arms and ammunition to strengthen the capacity of Sindh Police.
The chief minister directed all departments to ensure the timely utilisation of funds and strict adherence to transparency and financial discipline.
The meeting also approved the procurement of a protected heritage building — Habib Insurance Co / HBL Foreign Exchange, M.A. Jinnah Bunder Road, Karachi — for establishing the Sindh IT Tower.
Wheat issue price revised
The cabinet approved a revision of the Wheat Release Policy for 2025-26, allowing the immediate release of government wheat stocks at an issue price of Rs8,000 per 100 kg to flour mills, chakkies and traders, thereby reducing the price from Rs9,500 per 100 kg.
The cabinet was informed that the decision aimed to ensure market stability.
The CM noted that early release would help maintain wheat quality, free up storage space and support affordable flour prices for the public.
A sub-committee was constituted to closely monitor wheat prices and, if required, recommend adjustments to the government wheat issue price for cabinet consideration. The meeting approved the release of over Rs6.6bn as the provincial share for the Islamkot-Chorr railway line, Bin Qasim-Port Qasim double track and coal unloading facility project, being executed as a joint venture between the Sindh government and the federal government through the Ministry of Railways.
The cabinet noted the project is aimed at facilitating the transportation of Thar coal to power plants and industrial consumers across Pakistan. It was further decided that a cabinet committee will visit the project site to review progress and submit a report.
Pension reforms
The cabinet approved the draft Pension Fund Managers Agreement for the Sindh Defined Contribution Pension Scheme (DCPS) 2024, applicable to all employees recruited on or after 1 July 2024.
The agreement will be executed by the finance department on behalf of the Sindh government with SECP-registered pension fund managers, in accordance with the Voluntary Pension System Rules, 2005 and Sindh DCPS Rules, 2025.
Under the scheme, pension fund managers will administer four sub-funds — money market, debt, equity index and equity — while providing insurance coverage of Rs1 million for natural death or disability and Rs2 million for accidental death, with annual indexation of 10 per cent.
Meanwhile, the cabinet approved a two-year extension for Sindh Revenue Board Chairman Dr Wasif Memon in recognition to his “outstanding performance and significant improvement in tax recoveries”, said a press statement.
The cabinet also approved the post-facto appointment of Irshad Ali Sodhar as the chief executive officer of the Sindh Social Protection Authority.
Published in Dawn, December 17th, 2025
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