Sindh provincial government plans to buy hundreds of hybrid buses from China in the next fiscal year, starting on July 1, 2023, according to a senior Sindh minister. Sindh Information and Transport Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon told Gwadar Pro that the province needed buses to facilitate the people. "We have purchased buses from China in the recent past, and they are very fuel-efficient. We plan to buy more in the coming months," he informed. Memon underlined that the government was committed to resolving the transport issue in Sindh. "Chinese buses have been beneficial, and we hope to further capitalize on Chinese technology," he remarked.

Earlier, the Sindh government allocated PKR 10 billion for the procurement of 500 hybrid buses in the provincial budget for the financial year 2023-24. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, while presenting the provincial budget on Saturday, announced a total allocation of PKR 13.4 billion for the provincial Transport Department. He stated that PKR 6.1 billion has been earmarked for the 'Intra-District Peoples' Bus Service,' and PKR 2 billion for the maintenance of transport infrastructure.

Additionally, the government has set aside PKR 600 million for new routes. Three new routes will be introduced from next year to facilitate employees of the Sindh secretariat. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, who also serves as the Finance Minister, presented the budget for the fiscal year 2023-24 in the Sindh Assembly. Addressing the budget session of the Sindh Assembly, CM Murad Ali Shah announced that the total outlay of the budget for the province is estimated at PKR 2.2 trillion.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP