Zain Shah slams Sindh budget as 'betrayal'

Sindh United Party President and Vice Chairman of Tehreek Tahaffuz-e-Ain Pakistan, Syed Zain Shah, has accused the Sindh government of "betraying" the province, saying the recently announced budget for 2026–27 presents a misleading picture of development while depriving the province of its due resources.

In a video statement issued on Saturday, he said Sindh continues to suffer from poverty, underdevelopment and a lack of basic facilities, adding that nearly 33 per cent of the province's population lives below the poverty line, with millions unable to afford even two meals a day.

He criticised the budget for projecting that Sindh is now developed enough to transfer trillions of rupees to the federal government in the form of grants. He also objected to the reported transfer of budget surplus to the Centre, as well as the allocation of approximately Rs120 in petroleum taxes collected on fuel to the federal government.

Zain Shah demanded that the Pakistan Peoples Party leadership and the Sindh government publicly acknowledge what he termed as a "deception" with the people of Sindh.

He further claimed that the upcoming development budget has been eliminated, along with allocations for research institutions, while suggesting that it was being implied that major cities of Sindh, including Karachi, no longer require investment in drainage, water supply, health and education, as the province has already been declared developed.