PA concludes first parliamentary year

During its first parliamentary year, the Sindh Assembly passed more than a dozen legislative bills, including several controversial measures. While some aimed to improve governance, others drew criticism, reflecting a moderate record of achievements and challenges.

One of the most debated was the Sindh Universities and Institutes Laws (Amendment) Bill, which abolished the requirement of a PhD for the appointment of vice chancellors in public universities. Following this amendment, the Sindh government can now appoint any government officer from any cadre as a vice chancellor, a move that drew criticism from academic circles and opposition parties alike.

Another controversial law approved during the year concerned an increase in the salaries and privileges of members of the Sindh Assembly. The bill was unanimously passed by both treasury and opposition benches, reflecting rare political consensus. It also approved equating the privileges of the Leader of the Opposition with those enjoyed by provincial ministers, a provision that attracted public criticism amid rising inflation and economic challenges faced by ordinary citizens.

The Provincial Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill also triggered widespread debate, particularly in Karachi. Under this law, traffic police began issuing electronic fines for traffic violations for the first time. While the Sindh government defended the legislation as pertinent, opposition parties criticized the heavy fines, which sparked strong public backlash. Following political and public pressure, the government agreed to reduce the fines and formed a committee of assembly members to submit recommendations, including MQM-Pakistan leader and Opposition Leader Ali Khurshidi.

Sindh government spokesperson and PPP member of the Sindh Assembly, Saadia Javed, defended the traffic legislation, calling it essential for improving Karachi’s traffic system. Speaking to The Express Tribune, she stated that strict legislation was required to bring discipline to the city’s roads. “Similar laws should be enacted to strengthen law and order across the province, arguing that effective enforcement was key to improving governance and public safety,” said Javed.

After the new parliamentary year began in February, 30 standing committees of the Sindh Assembly were formed with representation from both government and opposition members. Despite this, most committees remained inactive throughout the year. Only a few, including those related to the Home Department and Information Technology, showed consistent activity. Committees are meant to oversee departmental performance, but committees for four key departments, Food, Population, Transport, and Local Government could not be formed even after nearly a year.

Senior journalist and General Secretary of the Sindh Parliamentary Reporters Association, Akram Baloch, noted that the inactivity of standing committees undermined the Sindh government’s own performance. “Active committees would help improve departmental efficiency and ensure better implementation of government policies. Stronger oversight would ultimately result in greater public relief and accountability, particularly in service delivery sectors that directly affect citizens’ daily lives,” implored Baloch.

The Sindh Assembly also constituted a Public Accounts Committee to examine the financial affairs of government departments and review audit reports. Contrary to the tradition in the National Assembly, the chairmanship was given to ruling PPP leader and provincial president Nisar Ahmed Khuhro. Despite this, the committee remained highly active and effective. Due to its efforts, the provincial government recovered more than Rs27 billion, with the committee holding over 100 meetings in just nine months.