FY25: Sindh PA approves Rs156bn supplementary budget
Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, who also holds the portfolio of Sindh's Finance Minister, presented 84 supplementary demands for grants, including charged expenditures for the Governor's Secretariat and the Provincial Assembly. These demands were passed by the assembly during a session chaired by Speaker Syed Awais Qadir Shah.
The opposition had tabled over 735 cut motions against the supplementary grants, urging individual consideration of each. Leader of the Opposition Ali Khurshidi insisted that every motion was prepared with diligence and should be debated separately. However, the Speaker grouped the motions together and subjected them to a joint vote, in which they were rejected by a majority.
Presenting the supplementary demands, Murad Ali Shah detailed the expenditure breakdown, stating that over Rs5 billion was allocated to the judiciary's charged expenditures, Rs3 billion for the Sindh Assembly, and more than Rs1 billion for the Governor House. He further explained that over Rs59 billion was earmarked for debt servicing.
He clarified that expenses related to the courts are non-negotiable, but administrative departments including the Assembly could be asked to exercise restraint. Interestingly, the Chief Minister noted that while there were cut motions filed against CM Secretariat expenditures, none targeted those of the Governor or Speaker.
MQM's Muhammad Mazahir Amir raised concerns over rising petroleum costs due to global tensions in the Gulf region and urged the government to curb fuel expenditures. Murad Ali Shah responded by clarifying that although fuel prices had indeed risen, consumption levels had remained unchanged, which is why related costs had gone up.
In another cut motion, Muhammad Mazahir questioned an allocation for the CM House garden, to which the Chief Minister clarified that the funds were for stationery and supplies, not landscaping. Murad Ali Shah also disclosed that during the visit of the late Iranian President, who had come to the CM House, hospitality and protocol expenses had totalled Rs200 million, including traditional Sindhi gifts such as Ajraks and caps, and occasionally handcrafted items.
'These are not lavish expenses but unavoidable state protocols,' Murad Ali Shah said, while asserting that all valuable gifts he received were kept at the CM House or submitted to the Toshakhana, in accordance with national laws.
In his address, the Chief Minister made it clear to the opposition: 'Forget that any of the cut motions will be passed.' He acknowledged the opposition's right to contest, adding, 'It is their democratic role to oppose, so the public can see what they are standing against.'
MQM's Muhammad Rashid Khan suggested that state gifts should come from personal pockets. In response, Murad Ali Shah stated he receives many quality gifts, all of which are documented and stored appropriately.
The Sindh Assembly session was adjourned to resume on Wednesday at 11 a.m., when the Finance Bill 2025 is scheduled to be tabled.
Meanwhile, the opposition has also submitted over 2,000 cut motions on the upcoming fiscal year's budget, which the house will decide in the next sitting.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Recorder
12 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Current account back in the red
With remittances starting to dip, the current account has slipped back into deficit. The CAD stood at $254 million in July 2025 compared to a surplus of $355 million in the previous month. This $589 million swing is almost evenly split between a widening trade deficit and a decline in home remittances. Imports are rising, up 8 percent month-on-month and 11 percent year-on-year to $5.4 billion in July 2025. It marks the fifth time in the past seven months that imports have exceeded $5 billion. The 12-month average now stands close to $5 billion—a new norm that is likely to grow as non-oil imports pick up with modest economic recovery. Detailed numbers are awaited, but current trends clearly suggest a broad increase in import demand. With oil prices easing, the import bill may stay manageable, but any commodity price rebound triggered by external shocks could pressure the external account. Exports remain steady but insufficient to cover rising imports. Goods exports reached $2.7 billion in July, up 5 percent month-on-month and 16 percent year-on-year. However, exports are close to capacity. The rice windfall has passed, and textile exports show no immediate upside as the sector operates near full capacity. A potential positive aspect lies in Trump's tariffs: if Indian tariffs remain elevated at 50 percent, Pakistan could capture additional orders in home textiles. In garments and knitwear, however, Pakistan's main competitors—Vietnam and Bangladesh—face no significant tariff disadvantages. The US is also negotiating on value-addition criteria, which could benefit Pakistan, since its import reliance for re-exports is lower than that of its competitors. In the near term, though, exports are likely to hover around current levels. Services exports continue to perform well but remain too small to make a meaningful difference. Overall, the goods and services trade deficit widened to $2.7 billion, deteriorating 12 percent month-on-month and 8 percent year-on-year. The standout performer last year was home remittances, which hit a record $38.3 billion and helped the current account swing to surplus. In July, however, inflows fell to $3.2 billion, down 6 percent from the prior month. Informal discussions with banks suggest inflows will remain subdued in August as well. Last year's higher inflows partly reflected extraordinary efforts by banks to attract remittances to finance their import commitments, as the SBP often restricts dollar purchases from other banks. Some larger banks incurred losses of Rs5–10 billion in the first half of CY25 and are unwilling to bear such costs again. As a result, remittance growth is likely to remain muted, while rising imports will keep the current account in deficit, complicating the SBP's efforts to raise forex reserves above $17 billion in FY26. The June-end target of $14 billion last year was achieved, with reserves reaching $14.5 billion, but they have since slipped slightly to $14.2 billion as the capital and financial accounts continue to show modest improvement.
Express Tribune
18 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Karachi is sinking and we let it happen!
Massive downpours along with flooding have so far killed over 500 people in the country since June 14. PHOTO: EXPRESS We lulled ourselves into believing that the floods and landslides devastating Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan would never reach us. We comforted ourselves with the lie that Karachi was somehow immune, that climate change would punish the north but spare our city. We were wrong—dangerously wrong. Today, Karachi, a megacity of more than 20 million people and the economic engine of Pakistan, is sinking. Not just because of climate change, but because of decades of looting, mismanagement, and our own complicity. The local betrayal Our political parties—Jamaat-e-Islami, MQM, PPP, and PTI—perform the same theatre every election cycle. They sell us hate, pit us against each other, and promise miracles. But once the votes are counted, they shake hands, split the contracts, and carve Karachi into fiefdoms. The Boss distributes the share. Local bodies have never been about service delivery. They became nothing more than a profit-sharing pact. Garbage, water, housing, public transport—every crisis was turned into a contract. Every institution was hollowed out. But the betrayal is not only local. The donor illusion For two decades, international donors and lenders have poured billions into Karachi through the Sindh government. They promised clean water, modern transport, stronger governance, and climate resilience. What we got were ribbon-cutting ceremonies, glossy reports, and projects that stalled, were restructured, or quietly disappeared. The World Bank committed 382 million dollars for the Yellow Line BRT and 230 million dollars under the Competitive and Livable City of Karachi project. Years later, commuters still cling to rickety buses, and garbage piles remain untouched. The Asian Development Bank, AIIB, AFD, and the Green Climate Fund pooled over 500 million dollars for the Red Line BRT. Construction delays have left citizens stranded again. Other loans targeted water, sanitation, and flood resilience: 40 million dollars for KWSB reforms, 105 million dollars for solid waste, 500 million dollars plus another 450 million after the 2022 floods, and nearly 300 million dollars for water and agriculture transformation across Sindh. The record is clear: money was never the problem. Accountability was. And donors who keep writing cheques without demanding proof are not saviours. They are enablers. Citizens as silent partners Here is the truth we do not like to admit: we are not innocent bystanders. We kept voting for the same faces, the same parties, the same hate instead of capability, capacity, and integrity. We endorsed the cartel. We tolerated opacity. Every ballot we cast based on political biases became permission for plunder. Our silence bought their share. Our votes became their loot. The proof of what works And yet, Karachi has shown us another path. The Orangi Pilot Project proved that citizen-led solutions can succeed where expensive, donor-driven paralysis failed. With little funding and complete transparency, communities built sanitation systems, housing, and microfinance. That spirit can rescue Karachi—but only if scaled up with enforceable rules, open audits, and citizen oversight. What must change 1. Political accountability: No more blank cheques at the ballot. Any party that wants Karachi must agree to public audits, spending dashboards, and performance contracts. Karachiites must say no to the Boss who selects the shareholders without the consent of stakeholders. 2. Donor accountability: No more cheque first, governance later. Every rupee must be trackable in real time, tied to independent audits and citizen oversight. If donors will not enforce accountability, their money is nothing but fuel for corruption. 3. Civic accountability: Karachiites must organise beyond party lines. Demand service-level guarantees for water, waste, transit, and drainage—and refuse to endorse anyone who will not provide them. The hard truth Karachi has not suffered from a shortage of capital. It has suffered from a shortage of accountability: political, donor, and civic. Shame on the donors and lenders who refuse to witness the outcome of their unacceptable funding. Shame on us Karachiites for staying silent while corrupt people are imposed on us again and again. And as for the political parties—there is no need to shame them. They are only doing what they were hired to do: to loot, to divide, and to cash in. Karachi is not sinking only because of climate change. It is sinking because we let it. And if Karachi drowns, it will drown in our silence first.
Business Recorder
a day ago
- Business Recorder
Karachi & Hyderabad: CM reviews uplift projects worth Rs78bn
KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah presided over a meeting to review the Development Portfolio of the Local Government Department for the financial year 2025-26, which stands at Rs 78.087 billion. The CM said that Rs 78.087 billion is allocated for 765 development schemes - 696 ongoing schemes and 60 new schemes, including 16 carry-forward schemes and 44 new schemes in the portfolio. Additionally, Rs 8288.680 million has been allocated for nine schemes included in the Mega Projects Karachi. He also reviewed mega development schemes of Karachi and Hyderabad, being undertaken by the LG Department. The meeting, held at CM House, was attended by LG Minister Saeed Ghani, Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Asif Haider Shah, Principal Secretary Agha Wasif, Chairman P&D Najam Shah, Finance Secretary Fayaz Jatoi, LG Secretary Waseem Shamshad and other senior officers. The CM was told that this year's allocation is Rs 86,375.6 million, against which Rs 23,390.821 million have been released, while the utilisation is recorded at Rs1412.293 million. The overall progress on the ongoing schemes was reported at 7 per cent while the news schemes have been approved by the P&D recently. Karachi Development Schemes: The CM was briefed that Karachi has six major development schemes worth Rs 8.2 billion. These include the establishment of Allama Iqbal Park in the FB Area, the rehabilitation of Nehr-e-Khayam in District South, the construction of a sports complex in District Central, the reconstruction of the Korangi Causeway, and road construction in Sachal Goth. Additionally, there are efforts to rehabilitate the drainage system in Manzoor Colony, stormwater drain projects including works on Thado Nallah, Mehran Drain, Malir River at N-5 Murghi Khana, and junction works on the Korangi Causeway at Shahrah-e-Bhutto. The CM directed the LG Department to accelerate progress on these mega schemes, announcing that he would personally visit project sites soon. 'We must speed up the implementation of Karachi's development projects,' he said. Karachi also has 13 new schemes planned for FY 2025–26, including development of old city areas and major business districts, rehabilitation of old KMC markets, road restoration from Check Post-4 (Malir Cantt) to M-9 Motorway, road construction from Check Post-3 to Shahrah-e-Bhutto, development of IB Soomro Avenue and Memon Mamar roads, construction of roads in Shah Faisal Colony, storm-water drain rehabilitation, link roads to Shahrah-e-Bhutto, new roads from Gulshan-e-Hadeed Mor to Allah Wali Chowrangi, from Hub River Road (Turi Bangash) to Ittehad Town, the Karachi Traffic Corridor Project, a flyover crossing at Gujjar Nallah, construction on Sir Shah Suleman Road, Kidney Hill Park at the Bird Aviary site, development of Gutter Baghicha as a public park, upgrades at various graveyards, construction of a hockey ground near Ziauddin Hospital in Nazimabad. Hyderabad Development Schemes: The CM was also briefed on three new schemes for Hyderabad under the 2025–26 worth Rs4.4 billion, including a 23-inch diameter water supply scheme connecting the Combined Channel to a 6 MGD filtration plant at Latifabad Unit-4, costing Rs 1.2 billion, Construction of a 6 MGD Rapid Gravity Water Treatment Plant at Masri Goth, Qasimabad, with a cost of Rs 2 billion and Establishment of a six-MGD Water Filtration Plant at Khanpota. The CM instructed officials to start work immediately on these projects, emphasising that Hyderabad's road infrastructure had already been improved, and the completion of water and filtration schemes would resolve long-standing issues of the city. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
