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Business Recorder
08-08-2025
- Automotive
- Business Recorder
Sindh cabinet approves series of wide-ranging reforms
KARACHI: Sindh cabinet has approved a series of wide-ranging reforms, including the launch of CNIC-based vehicle registration, the transfer of MDCAT examination responsibility to IBA Sukkur, and a province-wide reassessment of 3,371 protected heritage buildings. The Cabinet meeting held at the CM House Thursday with Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah in the chair, was attended by provincial ministers, advisors, special assistants, the chief secretary and the concerned secretaries. The Cabinet also gave the green light to register seized government vehicles with altered chassis, establish Vehicle Fitness Inspection Centres, and grant a final extension in service and salary payments for COVID-19-era technical and supporting staff. The meeting, held at CM House Thursday, was attended by provincial ministers, advisors, special assistants, the chief secretary and the concerned secretaries. The Sindh Cabinet reviewed a proposal by the Excise department to introduce a CNIC-based vehicle registration system, along with Personalized Registration Marks (PRMs). The new system will link registration marks directly to a vehicle owner's CNIC rather than the vehicle's chassis, allowing owners to retain and reuse their personalized number plates even after selling their vehicle. The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) will now be based on the chassis number, which remains the permanent identifier of the vehicle. Under the proposed model, number plates will be retained by owners, and upon sale of a vehicle, the plate is detached from the chassis and can be reassigned. If not retained, the number will be surrendered for auction or re-issuance. The Cabinet, in principle, approved the CNIC based registration model and its legal amendments to bring Sindh's system in line with global best practices and recent reforms in the Islamabad Capital Territory. The Sindh Government also proposed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the registration of confiscated or seized government vehicles with tampered chassis or cut-and-weld alterations. In a significant step toward preserving Sindh's architectural legacy, provincial Cabinet approved the formation of a committee or multiple committees of experts to reassess the 3,371 buildings currently declared as Protected Heritage across the province. These heritage sites were originally identified and notified under the Sindh Cultural Heritage (Preservation) Act, 1994. An Advisory Committee was constituted to guide preservation efforts. Subsequent surveys, including one by NED University in 2008–9 and a departmental re-survey in 2017–18, led to the declaration of 3,371 sites as Protected Heritage based on their architectural and historical significance. The Sindh cabinet approved an important amendment to the Sindh Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education (Amendment) Act, 2025, enabling the appointment of BS-19 and BS-20 officers as Chairmen of the education boards across the province. The new amendment to Section 15(1) now permits the appointment of BS-19/20 officers by transfer as Chairmen. The Chairmen will continue to serve a three-year term, with eligibility for reappointment. The Controlling Authority retains the power to make appointments either by direct recruitment or transfer. The Sindh Cabinet considered proposals regarding the Government of Sindh's 16 per cent shareholding in Pakistan Textile City Ltd (PTCL), a failed industrial project on 1,250 acres within Port Qasim. The Port Qasim Authority (PQA) has offered to buy out all shareholders at Rs 10 per share and take over PTCL's liabilities.
Express Tribune
07-08-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
IBA Sukkur to conduct MDCAT in Sindh
Listen to article The Institute of Business Administration (IBA) Sukkur will now conduct the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT), replacing individual universities in a major shift in the medical and dental college admission process. The decision was taken during a Sindh Cabinet meeting on Thursday, which also discussed implementing a unified admission policy across all medical and dental colleges in the province. Last year, MDCAT retake exam was successfully conducted across Sindh as per the directives of the Sindh High Court by IBA Sukkur. A total of 38,684 candidates participated in the retake exam held simultaneously in six cities: Karachi, Hyderabad, Jamshoro, Shaheed Benazirabad, Larkana, and Sukkur. Security and logistical support were provided by provincial and district authorities, along with agencies such as FIA and Intelligence Bureau (IB). IBA Sukkur ensured that foolproof arrangements were in place for the smooth conduct of the exam. Read: 'DUHS controller exams involved in MDCAT paper leak' According to a spokesperson for the Sindh chief minister, the new policy will apply equally to both public and private sector institutions, with the provincial Health Department continuing to regulate admissions. At present, the public sector offers 2,550 MBBS and 500 BDS seats, while the private sector has 1,441 MBBS and 2,025 dental seats. Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said the change follows irregularities in the previous MDCAT. He emphasized that transparency and merit in the admission policy are the government's top priorities.
