During the Sindh Assembly session on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, the proposed Sindh government budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year continued to be a major point of debate. Members of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) lauded the government’s efforts and the balanced nature of the budget, emphasizing its potential to provide much-needed relief to the public amidst ongoing economic challenges. They credited the Chief Minister and his team for crafting a budget that prioritizes the people despite financial constraints and IMF restrictions. One MPA even cited her party’s consistent electoral victories as evidence of their dedication to public service. Specific projects, such as the Shahrah-e-Bhutto Expressway in Karachi, were also highlighted as positive developments.
However, opposition lawmakers painted a different picture. They criticized the government for neglecting development in constituencies held by the opposition and emphasized the hardships faced by ordinary citizens due to what they perceived as governmental indifference. Members of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) raised concerns about the lack of potable water and unresolved civic issues in their constituencies. One legislator pleaded for increased capacity at the Civil Hospital’s intensive care unit in Hyderabad, while another demanded action against land encroachers in Karachi’s suburbs. The MQM-P also pointed out that despite Karachi’s significant contribution to the national revenue, its residents continue to grapple with numerous problems.
Despite the opposition’s critiques, PPP legislators continued to defend the budget and the government’s performance. One MPA specifically praised the progress in the health sector and called for the establishment of an extension unit of the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases in Naushahro Feroze.