• Approves procurement of 87 vehicles for judicial officers and SHC judges
• Orders releases of wheat to flour mills and chakkies on Oct 20
• Forms body to review concerns over game bird hunting

KARACHI: The Sindh cabinet on Thursday extended up to Oct 15 the tenure of the inquiry commission probing the murder of Mir Raza Ali and negligence in its investigation.

Among the other decisions, the cabinet also approved procurement of 87 vehicles for district judiciary officers and newly appointed judges of the Sindh High Court.

The cabinet meeting, presided over by Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, was informed that the Commission of Inquiry headed by Justice Omar Sial, set up to investigate the circumstances and murder of Mir Raza Ali, had conducted extensive proceedings and recorded statements of numerous witnesses but required more time to complete its findings.

According to a statement issued by Chief Minister House, the cabinet approved extension of Mir Raza Ali commission’s tenure up to Oct 15, 2026 and authorised Justice Sial to continue beyond that date if required.

The meeting was attended by provincial ministers, advisers, special assistants and chief secretary Asif Hyder Shah and others.

At the outset, the cabinet confirmed the minutes of its previous meeting held on Sept 17 and ratified decisions taken by the Cabinet Committee on Finance regarding the construction of Police Station Khambra in Ghotki and the establishment of the office of the registrar under the Sindh Private Security Act, 2026.

Wheat release policy

On rising flour prices, Food Minister Makhdoom Mehboob Zaman informed the cabinet that wheat was trading at around Rs12,500 per 100kg bag in Karachi and that the province held more than 9.19 million 100kg bags, including carry-over stocks, fresh procurement, seized stocks and wheat to be received from the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation and imports.

The chief minister directed the food department to prepare a detailed Wheat Release Policy 2026-27 and ordered that wheat release to licensed flour mills and chakkies begin on Oct 20 through a structured mechanism to provide relief to consumers.

Game bird hunting

The cabinet held an extensive discussion on wildlife conservation after the forest and wildlife department presented a briefing on the proposed Game Bird Hunting Season 2026-27 under the Sindh Wildlife Protection, Preservation, Conservation and Management Act, 2020.

Officials informed the meeting that surveys in Sukkur, Larkana, Shaheed Benazirabad, Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas and Karachi divisions had estimated the game bird population at 143,460 birds for the 2026-27 season compared to 140,866 birds last year.

The department placed two options before the cabinet — opening the season under existing regulatory safeguards or imposing a complete ban.

Members expressed serious concerns over the impact of hunting on migratory and local species. Chief Minister Shah constituted a sub-committee comprising Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, Education Minister Syed Sardar Shah, Minister Zulfikar Ali Shah and Minister Rajvir Singh Sodha to review conservation concerns, ecological implications and international best practices and submit recommendations before the next meeting.

Other approvals included appointments of presiding officers for four vacant Anti-Terrorism Courts and seven Special Courts under the Sindh Control of Narcotic Substances Act, 2024, declaration of technology enterprises in Special Technology Zones as industry, reconstitution of Boards of Governors for law colleges affiliated with the University of Sindh and the University of Karachi.

The cabinet also approved procurement of 87 vehicles for district judiciary officers and newly appointed judges of the Sindh High Court.

Health, education

The cabinet also approved handing over the Sindh Government Children Hospital, North Karachi, to the Sindh Institute of Child Health and Neonatology (SICHN) for development as a 200-bed mother and child hospital.

It also approved round-the-clock operation of the Chanesar Dispensary and Maternity Home by the Indus Hospital and Health Network to serve over 122,000 residents and ratified the release of Rs1 billion to the Sindh Peoples Housing for Flood Affectees (SPHF) for Phase-I of the STAR-WASH programme for rural water and sanitation.

The cabinet approved the territorial jurisdiction of the University of Larkano comprising Larkana and Qambar-Shahdadkot districts, and discussed the fate of Sindh Secretariat Complexes No. 7 and 8, on which Rs966.6m and Rs236.1m, respectively, had been spent since 2012, in view of consultations held under the Chief Justice of Pakistan.Health Network to serve over 122,000 residents and ratified the release of Rs1 billion to the Sindh Peoples Housing for Flood Affectees (SPHF) for Phase-I of the STAR-WASH programme for rural water and sanitation.

The cabinet approved the territorial jurisdiction of the University of Larkano comprising Larkana and Qambar-Shahdadkot districts, and discussed the fate of Sindh Secretariat Complexes No. 7 and 8, on which Rs966.6m and Rs236.1m, respectively, had been spent since 2012, in view of consultations held under the Chief Justice of Pakistan.

Land management law, Thar coal

The Board of Revenue presented the draft Sindh Government Lands Management Act, 2026, along with rules, to replace the century-old Colonisation and Disposal of Government Lands Act, 1912.

The proposed law introduces market-based valuation, transparent auction, stronger enforcement and defined land-use categories. The chief minister directed that the draft be circulated among cabinet members for comments within 10 days.

The energy department briefed the cabinet on amendments to agreements relating to the Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC) for Phase-III expansion of Thar Block-II from 7.6 million tonnes to 11.2m tonnes annually.

The cabinet approved three amendments to the Joint Venture Agreement and authorised the secretary of energy to execute them.

Published in Dawn, October 2nd, 2026