Sindh cuts wheat release price to Rs4,500 per 40kg

KARACHI: The Sindh Cabinet has decided to reduce the wheat release price by Rs 500 per 40kg, from Rs 5,000 to Rs 4,500 per 40kg, which is anticipated to lower flour prices by Rs 17 per kilogram. During a press conference, Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon, in charge of Information, Transport and Mass Transit, announced a $1 billion urban development investment program for five divisional headquarters, including improvements in water supply, drainage, sanitation, and solid waste management.

The Cabinet also granted post-hoc approval for an Asian Development Bank (ADB)-backed plan to develop the $1 billion investment strategy. Furthermore, Lady Dufferin Hospital Trust was registered under the Sindh Trust Act-2020 and the Draft Rules 2026 for charitable organizations under the Sindh Charities Registration and Regulation Act 2019.

The Cabinet allocated an extra Rs 502.409 million for five development projects in Jamshoro district, such as the Sehwan city water supply scheme and the installation of reverse osmosis (RO) plants. Additionally, a Rs 2.993 billion scheme was approved to enhance the water supply and drainage system in Nawabshah Town, Shaheed Benazirabad district.

A committee was created to tackle katchi abadis (informal settlements) issues, which will draft legislative proposals and recommend a single point of contact for managing these settlements. On infrastructure development, Memon stated that 75 percent of the Ghotki-Kandhkot Bridge over the Indus River's construction was finished, and the project was advancing swiftly under the public-private partnership (PPP) model.

He also mentioned that the Sindh government was enforcing traffic laws and would introduce legislation to establish a Traffic Management Authority for Karachi, along with a Smart Traffic Management System to improve traffic flow and strengthen surveillance against violations. He warned against unlawful actions, including driving with illegal number plates, carrying firearms, or having armed guards.

Memon emphasized that traffic discipline is a shared responsibility, and citizens should not continue to break the law and blame the government for the consequences. Driving by underage children was prohibited, yet one-wheeling persisted even in affluent neighborhoods, urging citizens to acknowledge the risks of breaking traffic rules and abide by one-way restrictions.

The government emphasized protecting human lives and preventing road accidents, promising strict action against violators. Regarding encroachments, Memon assured that the government would not take away anyone's livelihood, but would not compromise on enforcing laws or public convenience. He insisted on removing encroachments from city roads to facilitate commuters and stressed the need for joint efforts between citizens and the government for society's better functioning.

On political gatherings, Memon clarified that all political parties could conduct activities within constitutional and legal boundaries, but prior permission from relevant authorities was mandatory for public meetings. He firmly refused permission for any political gathering on Shahrah-e-Faisal, specifically warning the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) against attempting to hold a rally there.

Lastly, he criticized Mustafa Kamal, Farooq Sattar, and Khalid Maqbool, questioning their electoral standing and suggesting they had entered the assemblies through illegitimate means.