Sindh is Not a Colony of the Federation; Barren Lands Given for Corporate Farming: Sindh CM

Karachi — Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that the province must not be treated like a colony of the federal government. He clarified that the Sindh government is only offering barren, uncultivated lands for corporate farming where water resources are unavailable.

Addressing a post-budget press conference, Murad Ali Shah warned that if the federal government does not withdraw the 18% tax on solar energy, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) will not support the passage of the federal budget. He stated that the opening of CJ and TP canals is governed by the 1991 Water Accord.

The Chief Minister strongly condemned the recent Israeli attack on Iran and said he had already protested against it during the Sindh Assembly budget session by calling an immediate meeting and passing a resolution. He expressed regret over the opposition’s disruptive behavior during the resolution and questioned their objections.

Criticizing the federal government, Murad Ali Shah revealed that it withheld Rs 105 billion from Sindh’s share in the NFC, severely impacting development projects. He said the Sindh government was only informed a day before the budget that these funds would be stopped. So far, the province has received Rs 1,478.5 billion from the divisible pool, while Rs 422.3 billion are still pending, expected to be released by the end of this month.

He emphasized that Sindh has been treated unfairly in the NFC and other federal initiatives. "Sindh is not a federal colony," he asserted.

Key highlights from the Sindh budget include:

• Education: An 18% increase in allocation.

• Health: An 11% increase in allocation.

• Infrastructure in Karachi: Rs 236 billion allocated, including public-private partnership projects.

• No new taxes: Some existing taxes have been reduced or removed, including the complete removal of the entertainment tax and a reduction in restaurant tax.

Murad Ali Shah announced the use of blockchain technology to digitize land records for easy public access. Small farmers will be provided free laser levelers, while subsidies will be offered to large-scale farmers. The government is also introducing cluster farming technology.

He shared that 34,000 new cost centers are being set up in education and health, and headmasters will be given administrative budgets. Under the Sindh Hari Card Program, Rs 8 billion are allocated for farmers.

On the K-IV water project, Shah clarified that the federal government is responsible for supplying water from Keenjhar Lake, while the Sindh government will handle distribution, for which funds have been allocated.

He also mentioned that 20,000–25,000 posts (Grade 1–4) are vacant and will soon be filled. Recruitment for Grade 5–7 will be done via IBA tests, and hiring for Grade 16 and above has also started.

The Chief Minister criticized the federal government for transferring only 18 PWD schemes to Sindh, calling it unfair. University funding was also reduced from Rs 4 billion to Rs 2 billion, sparking ongoing protests.

Regarding the Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway, Shah expressed concern that federal funding had been halved from Rs 30 billion to Rs 15 billion.

Responding to criticism over the procurement of helicopters and vehicles for the Chief Minister’s office, he said the existing helicopter is 36 years old, and the vehicles have not been upgraded in years.

On corporate farming, he clarified that the government is working to ensure transparency by involving local farmer networks. He criticized the federal government for failing to allocate any funds for major dams.

Shah admitted that poverty is rising in Sindh, attributing it to IMF-imposed restrictions on public spending. He concluded by asserting that the PPP will not be pressured or blackmailed by PTI or MQM.

When asked about the alleged auctioning of Sindh’s lands for corporate farming, he reiterated: “We are only offering uncultivated lands where no water is available.”