Sindh Touts Rs1.018tr Development Plan, 5,636km of Roads Built in Five Years
KARACHI, PAKISTAN — WEB DESK: The Sindh government has highlighted large-scale spending on roads, housing, energy and irrigation as evidence of its development record, with Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon saying the province’s fiscal year 2025-26 development programme was set at Rs1.018 trillion for 3,642 schemes.
Memon, who holds the information, transport and mass transit portfolios, said in a statement that the Pakistan Peoples Party-led provincial government preferred to demonstrate its performance through projects and measurable results rather than political rhetoric.
He said roads were being constructed, permanent homes were being provided to flood-affected families and electricity was being generated as part of the province’s broader development programme.
Sindh Claims 5,636km of Roads Built
According to figures presented by Memon, 5,636 kilometres of roads were constructed across Sindh over the past five years, while 1,460 development schemes were completed during the same period.
He argued that public access to infrastructure and basic services was a more meaningful measure of development than political statements.
The figures form part of a broader defence of the Sindh government’s development performance at a time when infrastructure, public transport and municipal services — particularly in Karachi — remain prominent political issues.
The statistics cited in Memon’s statement are government figures and claims. They should not automatically be interpreted as an independent assessment of the quality, completion status, cost-effectiveness or impact of every project.
2.1 Million Houses for Flood-Affected Families
Memon also highlighted Sindh’s post-flood housing programme, saying 2.1 million permanent houses were being constructed for families affected by flooding.
He described the programme as an unprecedented relief and rehabilitation initiative.
Sindh was among the provinces most severely affected by Pakistan’s catastrophic 2022 floods, which destroyed or damaged homes and infrastructure across large parts of the province.
The scale of the housing programme makes it a central component of Sindh’s longer-term reconstruction efforts.
For editorial accuracy, however, the 2.1 million figure refers to the scale of the housing programme rather than establishing that all 2.1 million homes have already been completed and occupied.
Thar Coal Supplying 3,240MW, Memon Says
Energy was another major area highlighted by the senior minister.
Memon said projects based on Thar coal were generating 3,240 megawatts of electricity for supply through Pakistan’s national grid.
He added that wind and solar power projects developed in Sindh were also contributing electricity to the national system.
Sindh’s Thar region has emerged as an important component of Pakistan’s domestic energy strategy, alongside the province’s renewable-energy potential, particularly in wind and solar generation.
Memon said the benefits of the province’s energy resources were therefore not restricted to Sindh but extended to electricity consumers elsewhere in Pakistan.
Canal Lining Saves 5,880 Cusecs, Government Says
In the irrigation sector, Memon said canal-lining projects covering 3,675 miles had been completed.
According to the government’s figures, the work had generated water savings of approximately 5,880 cusecs.
Water management remains a critical issue for Sindh because of the province’s dependence on the Indus River system for agriculture and drinking-water supplies.
Canal lining is intended to reduce seepage losses, although the effectiveness and environmental implications of individual schemes can depend on local conditions.
Public-Private Partnership Portfolio Expands
Memon also pointed to a significant expansion in Sindh’s public-private partnership programme.
He said the province’s PPP portfolio had grown from approximately Rs5 billion in 2010 to more than Rs700 billion in 2024, with projects valued at another Rs142 billion currently under implementation.
The provincial government has increasingly used public-private partnerships for infrastructure and public-service projects as an alternative to relying entirely on conventional government financing.
Memon presented the growth in the PPP portfolio as evidence of Sindh’s ability to attract investment and deliver large projects.
‘Facts and Figures, Not Political Rhetoric’
Responding to criticism of the provincial government’s record, Memon said the administration would answer questions about development with projects, investment figures and services delivered to residents rather than political rhetoric.
He argued that Sindh’s resources and infrastructure also contributed to national development and benefited people outside the province.
The statement is ultimately a government presentation of its own performance, and several of its headline figures — including roads constructed, schemes completed and estimated irrigation savings — are attributed to the Sindh government rather than an independent performance audit.
That distinction is important for neutral reporting: the scale of spending and projects can be reported as stated, while broader claims about their effectiveness, quality and public impact require separate evaluation.
