Senate panel takes exception to ‘discrimination against Sindh’ in budgetary allocations
ISLAMABAD: The discord between Sindh and the federal government over development projects flared up during a meeting of the Senate’s Planning and Development Committee on Monday.
The meeting was called to review the Public Sector Development Programme for 2025-26.
Senator Quratulain Marri, who chairs the committee, objected to the “discriminatory treatment meted out to Sindh” in budgetary allocations.
Senator Marri said she wanted to know “why is Sindh being treated like a colony by the federation”.
Quratulain Marri insists Centre cannot retain control of province’s development projects
She recalled that the National Economic Council (NEC) had already decided that all projects handled by the now-defunct Public Works Department would be handed over to the provinces. But unlike the three other provinces, the decision was not being applied in Sindh, she regretted.
“Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has expressed serious concerns over the issue,” the senator added.
“It was decided that PWD projects will be handed over to Sindh, but that commitment has not been honoured,” she said.
Senator Marri criticised the Ministry of Housing and Works for not handing over Pak PWD projects to Sindh.
Officials of the ministry informed the committee that a panel formed to determine the fate of 27 projects pertaining to the province had decided to transfer schemes in urban Sindh to the federal government and those related to rural Sindh to the provincial government.
But Sindh took exception to the proposal and called for transfer of all the projects to the province.
Senator Marri wondered whether the “urban-rural distinction” was being followed in other provinces.
Housing ministry officials replied that no such distinction was being followed elsewhere.
The Senate committee while recommending the transfer of all projects to Sindh called for the adoption of a unified policy across the country.
The panel instructed the Secretary to the ministry concerned to convey its reservations to Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal.
Senator Shahadat Awan lamented that the federal government was behaving in a “discriminatory manner”. “A promise was made that we will be given our rights,” he said.
Expo centre
The Senate panel later took up a complaint about the change of site of an expo centre for Quetta after an initial expenditure of Rs300m.
Officials of the Commerce Division said private stakeholders, including the Quetta Chamber of Commerce and Industry, had raised concerns over the existing site. However, they added, the Commerce Division is ready to resume construction on the existing site if the Central Development Working Party so decides.
Defence division and NHA
Officials of the Defence Division briefed the Senate committee about ongoing and new schemes.
Fourteen of the 22 schemes under execution will be completed during the next financial year.
The officials, however, briefed the senators’ attention to financial constraints because of a low allocation and the Aviation Division’s merger with the Defence Division.
They sought more time for the utilisation of funds as the Pak PWD’s closure had delayed the execution of several projects.
Reviewing the National Highway Authority’s projects for the PSDP, the NHA chief informed the committee that Rs226.9 billion had been allocated to his organisation for the next financial year. The amount includes Rs100bn for the Karachi-Quetta motorway.
Published in Dawn, June 17th, 2025