The 18th Constitutional Amendment promised provinces like Sindh the tools for self-reliant growth—more funds, more power. Yet, a new ‘Household Integrated Economic Survey 2024-25’ reveals Sindh as ground zero for policy missteps and neglect, per The Express Tribune.
Basic sanitation? 14% of Sindh homes have none, topping Balochistan’s 12% and dwarfing Punjab-KP’s 5%. Rural water access clings to hand pumps, a testament to chronic inaction.
Schools are emptying out: 40% of eligible children unenrolled, literacy 10 points below Punjab, full immunizations at 67% against 79% elsewhere. Sindh’s steady single-party rule over four polls offers no excuse.
Pakistan can’t thrive if provinces diverge so sharply, the findings stress. Balanced growth is non-negotiable.
A Friday Times piece amplifies the call for reform, urging provinces to generate own revenues and cut federal strain. Article 161 entitlements for Balochistan’s gas duties and KP’s power earnings gather dust. NFC Award sales tax allotments—9% for Balochistan, 15% for KP—mock their endowments.
Sindh mirrors this fiscal frustration. With taxing powers on properties, real estate gains, gifts, and estates in hand post-amendment, reluctance to target influential classes stalls momentum at every tier.