Sindh Cabinet approves reforms: CNIC-Based Vehicle Registration, MDCAT via IBA Sukkur, and Heritage Review

Posted on: 08 Aug 2025 Tags:

KARACHI (Aug 7): In a major policy move, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, while presiding over a cabinet meeting, approved a series of wide-ranging reforms, including the launch of CNIC-based vehicle registration, the transfer of MDCAT examination responsibility to IBA Sukkur, and a province-wide reassessment of 3,371 protected heritage buildings. The Cabinet also gave the green light to register seized government vehicles with altered chassis, establish Vehicle Fitness Inspection Centres, and grant a final extension in service and salary payments for COVID-19-era technical and supporting staff.
The meeting, held at CM House, was attended by provincial ministers, advisors, special assistants, the chief secretary and the concerned secretaries.
CNIC-based vehicle registration & personalised number plates:
The Sindh Cabinet reviewed a proposal by the Excise department to introduce a CNIC-based vehicle registration system, along with Personalised Registration Marks (PRMs).
The new system will link registration marks directly to a vehicle owner’s CNIC rather than the vehicle’s chassis, allowing owners to retain and reuse their personalised number plates even after selling their vehicle. The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) will now be based on the chassis number, which remains the permanent identifier of the vehicle.
PRMs can be retained, reused, or surrendered by owners. The system enables real-time traceability of vehicles and aligns with international standards. CNIC-linked registration promotes easy tracking of taxpayer assets and improves administrative convenience.
It will be a modernised, owner-centric registration system with Integration with NADRA’s national database. It will have enhanced traceability and standardisation across provinces.
Under the proposed model, number plates will be retained by owners, and upon sale of a vehicle, the plate is detached from the chassis and can be reassigned. If not retained, the number will be surrendered for auction or reissuance.
The Cabinet, in principle, approved the CNIC-based registration model and its legal amendments to bring Sindh’s system in line with global best practices and recent reforms in the Islamabad Capital Territory.
The CM directed the Excise & Taxation Department to develop the CNIC-based system and then begin its testing, followed by amending the necessary law. The CNIC-based vehicle registration would not be implemented immediately, but he would hold follow-up meetings to oversee its implementation once it has been properly tested.

Seizure of unregistered Customs Vehicles:
The Sindh Government has proposed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the registration of confiscated or seized government vehicles with tampered chassis or cut-and-weld alterations. The SOPs allow only Federal and Provincial Government entities to register such vehicles under special non-transferable registration series (GPY/GPZ for federal, GSY/GSZ for provincial).
The registration fee will be based on the vehicle’s invoice value, and thorough verification will be required before registration. Seized vehicles currently with the Sindh Excise Department may be released to Pakistan Customs, provided they are registered within 60 days under the new SOPs. The proposal has been submitted to the Provincial Cabinet for approval.
The cabinet formed a committee under the Minister of Excise to firm up the proposals under the law.
Fitness of Commercial vehicles: The Sindh Cabinet reviewed a Government-to-Government (G2G) proposal from Wah Industries Limited (WIL) to establish Vehicle Fitness Inspection Centres across Sindh.
Sindh has 9.2 million vehicles, including one million commercial ones. Due to the lack of a proper inspection system, issues such as accidents, pollution, and breakdowns are on the rise. The Transport Department has begun digitising the inspection process, but expanded infrastructure is still needed.
WIL’s Proposal Includes seven Heavy Vehicle Fitness Centres (five in Karachi, one each in Hyderabad and Sukkur). In the Second phase, more HVFCs (Larkana, Mirpurkhas, Shaheed Benazirabad) and 25 Small Vehicle Fitness Centres would be established.
The features include third-party monitoring, real-time data dashboards, and escrow-based revenue collection. Legal amendments are proposed to revise outdated fitness fees (last updated in 2015), mandate annual inspections for private vehicles (after 3 years) and appoint WIL as the sole authorised agency with enforcement powers
The Cabinet, in principle, approved the proposal and decided that only the fitness of commercial vehicles, heavy and light, would be mandatory. The cabinet directed the Transport department to negotiate with the WIL for assigning them the project; meanwhile, the department is to propose legal amendments to enforce the new inspection regime.

Reassessment of 3,371 heritage buildings:

In a significant step toward preserving Sindh’s architectural legacy, the Sindh Cabinet approved the formation of a committee or multiple committees of experts to reassess the 3,371 buildings currently declared as Protected Heritage across the province.

These heritage sites were originally identified and notified under the Sindh Cultural Heritage (Preservation) Act, 1994. An Advisory Committee was constituted to guide preservation efforts. Subsequent surveys, including one by NED University in 2008–9 and a departmental re-survey in 2017–18, led to the declaration of 3,371 sites as Protected Heritage based on their architectural and historical significance.

However, over the years, many of these buildings have faced structural decay due to environmental exposure, unauthorised alterations, and lack of maintenance-especially in the case of privately owned properties. Some structures have deteriorated to the point of becoming dangerous and may no longer retain their original heritage value.

Given this, the Culture Department proposed three options for reassessment committees, each comprising experts in architecture, conservation, urban planning, history, and structural engineering. The cabinet approved the constitution of committee (s) to assess the buildings and submit their report with recommendations to the government.

Alongside the approval of the reassessment initiative, the Sindh Cabinet has also sanctioned Rs. 20 million for the execution of this important project, which aims to revisit, reevaluate, and recategorise the declared heritage sites across Sindh.

This decision marks a renewed commitment by the Sindh Government to safeguarding and responsibly managing its rich cultural and architectural heritage for future generations, the CM said.

Education boards law amended:

The Sindh cabinet approved an important amendment to the Sindh Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education (Amendment) Act, 2025, enabling the appointment of BS-19 and BS-20 officers as Chairmen of the education boards across the province.

The amendment comes in response to administrative challenges and the limited availability of BS-21 officers, who were previously eligible for these roles.

The new amendment to Section 15(1) now permits the appointment of BS-19/20 officers by transfer as Chairmen. The Chairmen will continue to serve a three-year term, with eligibility for reappointment. The Controlling Authority retains the power to make appointments either by direct recruitment or transfer.

The latest amendment aims to ensure smoother appointments and more effective governance of Sindh’s education boards.

Selling of shares of Pakistan Textile City Ltd:
The Sindh Cabinet considered proposals regarding the Government of Sindh’s 16 per cent shareholding in Pakistan Textile City Ltd (PTCL), a failed industrial project on 1,250 acres within Port Qasim. The Port Qasim Authority (PQA) has offered to buy out all shareholders at Rs 10 per share and take over PTCL’s liabilities.

The Sindh Government invested Rs 200 million in equity and Rs 271 million through KW&SC for infrastructure. It has proposed three options, including land Compensation: Reclaim 200 acres of land (16 per cent share) for future development.
Financial Compensation to seek Rs. 12.48 billion as total compensation for land, equity investment, and infrastructure costs with accrued returns, and the third proposal was to get 16% equity in any future projects on the same land.

The Finance and Law Departments support the proposals as commercially and legally viable. The Cabinet approved the formation of a Committee, including the Minister of Industries, the Minister of Law and the CM's Special Assistant Saleem Baloch, to examine various options and submit a report with recommendations

The CM also directed the committee to talk to the Textile Industrialists to start the Textile City report.

Amendments to Strengthen Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997: To enhance the effectiveness and clarity of anti-terrorism proceedings in the province, the Sindh Home Department proposed amendments to the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

The existing federal law lacks clarity on several operational aspects critical to the functioning of Anti-Terrorism Courts (ATCs), particularly regarding the prescribed age limit for appointment of judges, clear provisions for the tenure extension of judges and a defined mechanism for transferring, shifting, or de-notifying ATCs

To address these gaps, the provincial cabinet approved specific changes to Section 13(1) and Section 28(1) of the Act, which deal with the establishment and transfer of cases between ATCs.

Under the proposed amendments, Age limits and tenure extensions for ATC judges will be formally prescribed. A structured procedure for transferring or de-notifying ATCs will be introduced to improve case management and security coordination.

The reforms aim to ensure greater judicial efficiency, consistency, and legal certainty in handling terrorism-related cases across Sindh. These proposals, after approval, were referred to the assembly.

Upgradation of special education staff posts to BPS-14:

Addressing long-standing concerns of stagnation and lack of career progression, the cabinet approved the upgradation of various teaching and instructor posts in the Special Education and Rehabilitation Centres from BPS-08, 09, 11, and 12 to BPS-14.

The decision will benefit 170 employees serving in isolated positions across 66 operational centres in the province, who had no promotional avenues available, leading to widespread frustration and demotivation.

Posts being upgraded include Vocational Teacher, Quran Teacher, Music Teacher, Braille Teacher, Drawing Teacher, PTI, Teachers for Blind, Deaf & Dumb, and Physically Handicapped, Instructors for Tailoring, Carpet, Wood Work, Needle Craft, Marketing and Lab Assistants These positions had remained in low pay scales despite the specialised nature of the roles and their critical importance in the rehabilitation and education of differently-abled children.

To optimise resource allocation, Chief Minister Sindh directed the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPD) to abolish 73 redundant posts and implement the upgradation through adjustments within existing cost centres, ensuring no additional burden on the provincial exchequer.

MDCAT Admission Policy for Medical and Dental Colleges:
The cabinet finalised a comprehensive MDCAT Admission Policy for the MBBS and BDS programmes across public and private medical and dental colleges in the province, in compliance with the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) Act, 2022 and a Sindh High Court directive.
The provincial Health Department regulates the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) and admissions across Sindh. As per the PMDC Act, a uniform, province-wide MDCAT test must be conducted annually, with the provinces required to frame a formal policy.
MDCAT Policy includes strict adherence to PMDC rules for merit determination, pass percentages, and eligibility. Sindh domicile is mandatory for applicants, with verification through Juvenile Cards and Biometric authentication. The seat allocation and distribution for all medical colleges and universities will be published in the annual Prospectus for Session 2024-25, which cannot be altered by the admitting universities.
Sukkur IBA Testing Agency (SIBA) has been designated as the current testing agency due to its satisfactory performance in MDCAT-2024, but future selections will remain performance-based. The Health Department retains the authority to conduct the admissions process directly or through any nominated medical university. A supervisory committee will be notified by the department to oversee the process when handled by a university.
Final Extension of COVID-19 staff salaries with Phase-Out Plan:

The Sindh Cabinet approved the final extension in the services and salary disbursement of Technical and Supporting Staff engaged during the COVID-19 emergency response, particularly in vaccination centres and tertiary care hospitals across the province.

The Health Department recommended allowing for the continuation of 2,423 skilled and supporting staff deployed at Corona Vaccination Centres (CVCs) under District Health Officers until June 30, 2025. These staff members, including undergraduate medical students, community workers, and data entry operators, will receive their salaries at the rate of Rs. 600 per day, with an allocated budget of Rs. 530.637 million for the financial year 2025–26.

The Cabinet also approved an extension for 335 para-medical staff working at five tertiary care hospitals, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), Civil Hospital Karachi, Lyari General Hospital, SMBBMC Karachi, and GMMMCH Sukkur, until June 2025, with a salary allocation of Rs. 112.560 million.

In addition, 88 para-medical staff of Services Hospital Karachi, whose extension was not included in previous approvals, have now been granted retrospective extension from April 2023 to June 2025, with an associated financial allocation of Rs. 61.600 million.

Environment dept designated for Carbon Market:

In a move towards environmental sustainability, the Sindh Cabinet has officially designated the Department of Environment, Climate Change, and Coastal Development as the lead authority for carbon market and carbon financing initiatives in the province.

The decision was made under Article 6 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), aligning with Pakistan’s national policy guidelines issued in 2024. The initiative aims to position Sindh as a proactive player in global climate financing mechanisms.

With this step, the Sindh government will now be able to generate financial returns from international institutions in exchange for implementing eco-friendly measures, such as tree plantation drives and pollution reduction projects, through carbon credits.

The financing will pave the way for greater green investment and development opportunities for local communities.

Pharmacovigilance Centre: The cabinet, on the recommendation of the federal government, decided to notify the provincial Pharmacovigilance Centre. The centres will actively coordinate to report undesirable reaction of any drug being used at any medical facility. The data will be gathered and analysed to avert undesirable drug reactions.

The cabinet decided to reserve 100 acres of land in Deh Makli, District Thatta for the establishment of Sindh University Campus, Thatta.

NADRA was also given 38 ghuntas of land in Deh Nasirabad, New Sukkur, to establish its Regional head Office in Sukkur.

The cabinet approved the appointment of Brig (retd) Inamul Haq as Internal Security Specialist in the Security Unit. The cabinet allowed the recruitment of 1045 ASIs, head wireless operators, head constables (drivers) and prison constables in Sindh prisons.

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