In a high-level cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, significant decisions were made to advance education, transport, and infrastructure reforms across Sindh. The meeting, which lasted over four hours, included a number of crucial approvals aimed at strengthening key public sectors in the province. Among the major decisions was the recruitment of 195 teachers and the creation of 700 additional teaching positions to improve the educational landscape. Sindh is also pioneering the Teaching License Policy, with a successful test conducted by Sukkur IBA in March 2024.
Despite 4,000 candidates sitting for the test, only 646 passed. The cabinet approved the recruitment of 195 successful candidates, while also directing the finance department to ensure that the remaining 348 teacher positions are included in the budget. Further, the Sindh Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education Bill-2024 was amended to introduce new governance protocols, including the appointment of chairmen from outside the cadre officers and the empowerment of the government to remove board members as needed.
The Sindh Cabinet gave the green light to a contract with the National Energy & Transport Corporation (NE&TC) to introduce 100 electric buses on a rent-to-own basis in Karachi. The initial phase will see 50 buses operational, with plans for an additional 1,500 buses in subsequent phases. A major component of this initiative includes the development of a solar plant and charging infrastructure to support the transition to electric transport.
The Cabinet also called on the federal government to share the costs of the National Flood Protection Plan IV. Additionally, a key directive was issued for the formulation of the Transgender Education Policy, emphasizing inclusive and non-discriminatory access to education for transgender individuals, particularly in rural Sindh.
The cabinet also approved various infrastructure-related initiatives, including the procurement of electric buses, tax exemptions for the K-IV water project, and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Power China International for the Dhabeji Special Economic Zone (SEZ), which is set to enhance industrial development under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Furthermore, the Sindh government approved a Rs 500 million grant to settle outstanding pension and salary dues for Hyderabad Development Authority (HDA) employees, along with the appointment of Zaheer Abid Memon as CEO of Sindh Renewable Energy Company. These decisions signal a strong commitment from the Sindh government to not only improve public services and infrastructure but also to ensure inclusive progress through education reforms and socio-economic development projects.
