The provincial cabinet meeting was held under the chairmanship of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday to discuss and decide 23 agenda items, including Rs2. billion grant in aid for SIUT, Rs5 billion for the retirement of outstanding Bridge Finance facility to Ghotki-Kandhkot bridge, and approve comprehensive human rights policy and others.The cabinet was held at CM House and attended by Provincial Ministers, Advisors, Special Assistants, Chief Secretary, and other concerned officers.
The cabinet in July 202 had decided to hand over the Benazir Institute of Urology & Transplantation (BIUT) building to SIUT along with a transfer of ADP allocation of Rs.101.400 million (Revenue Component) & provision of additional funds amounting to Rs.767.877 million as grant-in-aid for the purchase of machinery, equipment, and furniture.The cabinet also approved the provision of Rs.1.5 billion as the operational cost to SIUT as Grant-in-Aid, but no amount has been released.
After discussing the matter, the cabinet approved releasing Rs2369.277 million to SIUT.MERF allowed to retain health facilities: The cabinet allowed the MERF to retain eight Health Facilities by the end of the current financial year. The health facilities allowed MERF to retain include DHQ Civil Hospital Thatta; Taluka Headquarter Hospital (THQ) Mirpur Sakro; Rural Health Center (RHC) Gharo; Rural Health Center (RHC) Var; Rural Health Center (RHC) Jherruck; Rural Health Center (RHC) Jungshai; Rural Health Center (RHC) Baghan; and Rural Health Center (RHC) Ketibunder.Procurement of medicines.
The cabinet allowed the health dept to continue the procurement of drugs/ medicines and surgical items. Human Rights Policy: The human rights dept presented a draft Human Rights Policy for the Province of Sindh with the technical support of the Huqooq-e-Pakistan Project team and other experts. On the directives of the CM, the draft was shared with 19 Departments/Institutions of the Sindh govt and 24 civil society representative individuals to get their feedback. Sindh Human Rights Policy focuses on the promotion, protection, and fulfillment of human rights in compliance with the Fundamental Rights enshrined in the Constitution of Pakistan, core United Nations (UN) human rights treaties ratified by Pakistan, and other international obligations.
The draft Policy addresses two categories of rights: Civil and Political Rights and Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights. Under the category of Civil and Political Rights, the Right to Life, Liberty and Security, Access to Justice, and Right to Information (RTI) are covered.
Under the category of ESCR, Workers’ Rights, the Right to Affordable Health, Education as a Right for Development, Cultural Rights, and Environmental Rights are covered.
