By Rahmatullah Buriro
If Sindh is genuinely developing, if its provincial ministries and departments are active, and if transparency truly exists, then why are key provincial institutions weak, inactive, and failing to deliver tangible results? From the Chief Minister to provincial ministers, repeated assurances and claims of progress are made, yet the actual performance of Sindh’s public institutions tells a starkly different story. Provincial entities—ranging from Karachi-based municipal services to transport and public sector enterprises under provincial control—continue to demonstrate inefficiency, inaction, and widespread mismanagement.
This gap between claims and outcomes raises serious questions about governance in Sindh. Press conferences, official statements, and assurances of reform often serve more as public relations exercises than instruments of accountability. Despite substantial allocations from the provincial treasury and the salaries, allowances, and perks enjoyed by heads of departments, results remain disappointing. Services remain poor, public complaints unresolved, and projects either delayed or abandoned.
Take, for example, Sindh’s transport system and municipal services. Roads remain congested, public transport is inadequate, and infrastructure projects often stagnate despite frequent announcements of modernization. Hospitals and healthcare facilities, critical to public welfare, frequently suffer shortages of staff, equipment, and medicines. Educational institutions, despite promises of improvement, often remain under-resourced, with limited oversight and inconsistent service delivery. Meanwhile, provincial enterprises and development initiatives, designed to generate revenue and serve the public, repeatedly underperform. Assets are mismanaged, and initiatives that could benefit millions often languish due to bureaucratic inefficiency and weak leadership.
The consequences of these shortcomings are tangible. Citizens face delays, higher costs, and limited access to essential services. Public trust in provincial institutions erodes when promises of development and reform do not materialize. The persistence of political interference, favoritism in appointments, and compromise on merit exacerbates the situation, ensuring that even well-intentioned officials struggle to achieve meaningful results.
What Sindh requires is a complete rethinking of institutional leadership. Provincial departments need heads who are independent, fully empowered, and committed to merit, transparency, and accountability. Frequent transfers, political considerations, and temporary appointments undermine continuity and institutional memory, preventing long-term projects and reforms from succeeding. Lessons from global best practices show that strong institutions are built when leadership is stable, accountable, and empowered to make decisions without undue political interference.
Transparency and accessibility are equally critical. In Sindh, files often remain secret, decisions are unclear, and public access to information is limited. Citizens are frequently forced to navigate complex procedures to seek redress, leaving many disappointed and disenfranchised. Efficient public institutions must make it easy for citizens to raise complaints and receive timely, fair resolutions. Accountability mechanisms must ensure that leaders and administrators face consequences for inefficiency or negligence, regardless of their political connections or social status.
While provincial institutions struggle, federal institutions such as the Federal Ombudsman demonstrate that good governance and efficiency are possible. Citizens have access to timely, affordable, and transparent complaint resolution, proving that institutional competence and public service are achievable when leadership is empowered, processes are clear, and accountability is enforced. Sindh could adopt similar models to improve service delivery, restore trust, and ensure that public resources are used effectively.
The path forward for Sindh is clear:
Merit-based appointments must replace favoritism and political influence.
Heads of institutions must be independent, competent, and accountable.
Policies and projects must have continuity beyond political cycles.
Transparency and public access to information must become a standard practice.
Public complaints and grievances must be addressed efficiently, fairly, and affordably.
If Sindh implements these principles, its institutions can transition from inefficiency and public distrust to competence, accountability, and public service. The province’s development goals will then no longer remain mere promises but become visible, tangible achievements for its citizens. Until then, the persistent inefficiency and mismanagement of Sindh’s institutions will continue to undermine public confidence, stall progress, and frustrate the very people the institutions are meant to serve.
Sindh has the potential to become a model of effective provincial governance in Pakistan. The necessary ingredients exist: dedicated officials, abundant talent, and committed citizens demanding reform. What remains lacking is political will, merit-based leadership, and a culture of transparency and accountability. Strengthening institutions, empowering leaders, and prioritizing public service over politics will not only improve efficiency but also restore trust in the provincial government—an outcome long overdue.
