- Murad accuses the center of neglecting Sindh’s development.
- He says that the political and financial support of Sindh is not guaranteed.
- Warns the federal budget could face resistance if the province ignores.
The Sindh Prime Minister Murad Ali Shah has strongly criticized the Federal Government for what he described as repeated negligence of the development needs of the province, warning that “financing and political support cannot be taken for granted.”
The Minister of Finance and Income, Muhammad Aurengzeb, presented on Tuesday the federal budget for fiscal year 2025–26 with a total disbursement of RS17.57 billion, announcing help measures for the wage class, while the general federal expenditure is reduced by 7%.
Speaking in Karachi on Saturday, Shah said the center had gone too far to dismantle the Pakistan Public Works Department (PWD), a measure that called “unfair” and harmful for local infrastructure planning.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in 2024 ordered the immediate abolition of PWD after his deteriorated performance to achieve his objectives.
“We are not a colony,” he said, urging Islamabad to treat Sindh with the respect he deserves within the Federation.
Referring to the recent budget process, Shah made it clear that Sindh’s cooperation is conditional. “Bilawal Bhutto has already said it: or give Sindh your legitimate projects or forget our vote on the budget,” he warned.
“If the projects do not reach Sindh, continue and pass their budget without us,” Shah added, reiterating that the province would not tolerate being treated as a last moment idea. “If we are treated as steps, we know how to fight for our rights.”
In the budget presented earlier this week, the Government has assigned RS1 Billones for the Federal Public Sector Development Program (PSDP), similar to the disbursement last year.
According to the budget document, approximately 30% of this allocation for transport infrastructure projects will be used.
The prime minister also responded to what he called a misinformation campaign about the Shahrah-E-Bhutto project.
“Strange stories are being extended. Someone even appeared with a gun claiming that the dacoits were here and had fled,” he said, dismissing the claims as exaggerated and harmful.
In the plans, Shah said that the government of Sindh was advancing with its infrastructure objectives, including an important link road that connects the port of Karachi to Qayyumabad.
“The Karachi business community is completely on board and supports this effort,” he said.
He closed defending the development history of the Popular Party of Pakistan, saying: “If others recognize it or not, people can see what we have done.”
