Minimum wage increased in Sindh

Sindh cabinet, in the chair of Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, has approved the import of 500,000 metric tonnes of wheat, raised the provincial minimum wage by 7.5 percent, and endorsed a series of governance and development measures.

The meeting at the Chief Minister’s House was attended by provincial ministers, advisers, senior officials and the Chief Secretary.

The cabinet approved the import of 500,000 metric tonnes of wheat through the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) to address an expected shortfall during the 2026-27.

Officials told the cabinet that Sindh is projected to face a wheat deficit of around 1.69 million metric tonnes.

Total wheat availability is estimated at 4.84 million metric tonnes against an annual consumption requirement of 6.53 million metric tonnes.

The imports will be carried out under a framework being coordinated by the federal government.

The Sindh cabinet also approved recommendations from the Minimum Wages Board to increase the minimum wage by 7.5 percent, effective from 1 July 2026.

Under the revised rates, the monthly minimum wage for unskilled workers will rise from Rs.40,000 to Rs.43,000.

Wages for semi-skilled, skilled and highly skilled workers have also been increased. The revised rates will apply to notified industrial and commercial establishments across Sindh.

The Chief Minister of Sindh, Murad Ali Shah, said the decisions were aimed at strengthening food security, improving public services, modernizing governance and supporting long-term economic development.

He directed government departments to implement the cabinet’s decisions without delay.

The cabinet approved the budget of the People’s Community Health Services Company for the financial year 2026-27, including Rs.200 million as seed money and a grant of Rs. 2.723 billion.

The Sindh cabinet approved a one-year extension in the contractual services of employees working in the Education and Medical Departments of Town Municipal Corporation (TMC) Lyari, effective from March 11, 2026, to March 10, 2027.

The decision covers 254 contractual employees, including 176 employees of the Education Department and 78 employees of the Medical Department. The employees were initially appointed in Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) during 2012-13 and were subsequently transferred to district and town municipal administrations following local government restructuring.

The Cabinet approved the extension of the Sindh People’s Housing for Flood Affectees (SPHF) program to Gilgit-Baltistan for the reconstruction of 196 flood-damaged houses at an estimated cost of Rs376.3 million.

The Sindh cabinet also approved proposed amendments to the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 and the Sindh Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Act, 2025 for introduction in the Provincial Assembly.