The Sindh government has announced a temporary closure of schools for two days and introduced an additional weekly holiday for government offices as part of a broader package of austerity measures. These decisions were finalized during a provincial cabinet meeting led by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, reflecting the administration’s efforts to curb escalating expenditures amid economic pressures.
provincial minister Sharjeel Inam Memon, the educational institutions across Sindh will remain closed from March 16 to March 31. However, it is important to note that this closure will not affect the scheduled examinations, which will proceed as planned to avoid disrupting students’ academic progress. This move aims to balance cost-saving efforts with the need to maintain educational continuity.
In addition to the school closures, government offices will now operate on a four-day workweek. Employees will be allowed to work remotely on Fridays, a step intended to reduce operational costs such as electricity and fuel consumption. This shift to partial remote work is part of the provincial government’s strategy to optimize resources while maintaining administrative functions.
The cabinet also approved a significant reduction in fuel expenses for government departments, slashing these costs by 50 percent. Furthermore, official iftar gatherings, which have traditionally been held during Ramadan, have been banned this year to further cut unnecessary expenditures. In a show of solidarity with the austerity measures, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, along with provincial ministers, advisers, and special assistants, have voluntarily decided to forgo their salaries for the next three months.
On the development front, the cabinet sanctioned an additional allocation of $7.6 million (approximately Rs2.14 billion) for the Hassan Suleman Memorial Hospital project in Malir. This increase in funding is attributed to a roughly 30 percent rise in construction costs and an expansion in the land area designated for the hospital. The 312-bed facility, situated along the National Highway, is expected to offer state-of-the-art healthcare services to the local population once completed, addressing a critical need in the region.
In a progressive move, the cabinet also approved the Sindh Women Agricultural Workers Rules 2026. These regulations are designed to provide legal protections to female agricultural laborers, ensuring they receive equal wages, maternity benefits, and safeguards against harassment and discrimination. To support these workers, the government will introduce the Benazir Women Agricultural Workers Card and establish a Rs500 million endowment fund dedicated to their welfare. Any violations of these rules will be adjudicated in labour courts, underscoring the government’s commitment to enforcing these protections.
Moreover, the cabinet endorsed the implementation of the Student Attendance Monitoring and Redress System (SAMRS) policy. This innovative system will utilize a mobile application and digital dashboard to track student attendance and enrollment data across all schools in Sindh. The primary objective is to reduce absenteeism and curb dropout rates, thereby improving overall educational outcomes. Officials anticipate that SAMRS will be fully operational in every school within the province by the end of the next academic year.
During the meeting, the cabinet also reviewed proposed amendments concerning special economic zones. While it opposed the creation of “executive zones” and the issuance of “executive NOCs,” citing concerns that such measures could undermine provincial authority, it did approve the establishment of a Special Economic Zones Appellate Tribunal. This tribunal will be tasked with resolving disputes within a three-month timeframe, a move aimed at enhancing investor confidence and ensuring legal clarity in economic zone matters.
These comprehensive decisions reflect the Sindh government’s multifaceted approach to managing fiscal challenges while continuing to prioritize development and social welfare initiatives. The combination of austerity measures, infrastructure investment, and social protections illustrates a balancing act between economic prudence and governance responsibilities.
