Karachi: From the bridge collapse in Ghotki to the suspension of a contractor in the Karachi Red Line BRT project, systemic corruption in Sindh’s development projects is taking a heavy toll, said Pasban Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman Altaf Shakoor. Highlighting the pervasive issue, Shakoor pointed to the involvement of ruling politicians and top bureaucrats in these irregularities.

According to Pasban Democratic Party, a systematic corruption system is consuming public funds in Sindh, directing them into the hands of political decision-makers and bureaucratic approval chains due to inadequate oversight and weak enforcement. Shakoor emphasized that these are not mere engineering failures but indicative of a deeper structural breakdown in public contract management.

Official audit observations further underscore the scale of the problem, with the Auditor General of Pakistan identifying financial irregularities in Sindh government departments exceeding Rs836 billion. These include procurement violations, irregular payments, missing documentation, and unsupported expenditures. The repeated nature of these findings suggests that governance weaknesses have become entrenched.

Shakoor also noted that accountability concerns extend beyond infrastructure performance, with elected representatives and political figures in Sindh facing ongoing corruption investigations. The recent collapse of an under-construction bridge near Ghotki-Kandhkot and the suspension of a contractor in the Karachi Red Line BRT project underscore the recurring weaknesses in contractor selection and enforcement.

These incidents reflect persistent patterns across Sindh: cost overruns, delayed delivery, and incomplete works, which highlight a procurement environment susceptible to distortions at multiple stages. Shakoor warned that even moderate inefficiencies in procurement and execution translate into significant financial losses that diminish public services.

Despite high expenditure, Sindh’s development challenges persist, including inadequate access to safe drinking water and gaps in public healthcare. The lack of accountability contributes to these ongoing challenges, as development failures often result in no visible consequences for those responsible.

Shakoor argued that Sindh’s development issues stem not from a lack of resources but from structural governance problems where political influence and weak enforcement intersect. He called for a national-level probe into the systematic corruption to address the misuse of public funds effectively.