New Delhi, Feb 9 Despite adequate funding and provincial autonomy following the 18th Amendment in Pakistan, Sindh has emerged as a distressing case of policy failure and neglect, according to a new report.
The ‘Household Integrated Economic Survey 2024-25’ reflects the paradox, painting two Pakistans — one advancing and the other left behind, according to Express Tribune.
For example, Sindh has highest proportion of households (14 per cent) without any toilet facilities -- worse than the so-called backward province of Balochistan (12 per cent) and far behind Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), which are both around 5 per cent each, the report reveals.
Rural Sindh still relies on hand pumps for drinking water than any other province.
There is a 10 per cent literacy gap between Sindh and Punjab. Almost 40 per cent of Sindh's school-aged kids are not enrolled, and only two-thirds are fully vaccinated, compared to 79 per cent in Punjab.
“It is also worth noting that Sindh does not have to deal with political instability in the same way as most other provinces, as the same party has held comfortable majorities for the past four election cycles,” the report noted.
The report laments that unless progress is made across the board in all provinces, real national progress becomes impossible.
According to a recent article in Lahore-based Friday Times, the need of the hour is to allow provinces to raise adequate resources, which would also help address the overall fiscal deficit faced by the federal government.
For example, Balochistan should receive the “net proceeds” of excise duty on natural gas, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on electricity, as envisaged in Article 161(1)(a) and (b) of the Constitution - something that is presently not being implemented.
“Their current shares in sales tax under the 7th NFC Award are as low as 9 per cent and 15 per cent, respectively. Despite their rich natural resources -- oil, gas, and electricity -- their low population results in meagre shares of the revenues generated from the goods they produce. Sindh faces similar issues,” the article states.
After the 18th Amendment, the right to levy wealth tax, capital gains tax on immovable property, gift tax, inheritance tax, etc., rests with the provinces. However, they are unwilling to impose these taxes on the rich and powerful. This lack of political will exists at both the federal and provincial levels.
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