Karachi (HRNW) — Yet another troubling example has emerged of the Sindh government’s apparent lack of interest in public welfare and women’s development, as the state land allocated for a Women Development Complex in Scheme 33 remains vacant even after 10 years, with not a single brick laid. The women’s complex project was announced in 2016 with an estimated total cost of 662 million rupees, and Planning & Development Department documents list its ADP number as 3104, but in practical terms the project has not moved beyond paperwork.
According to reports, the land reserved for the women’s complex remained under the alleged control of land grabbers for the first seven years, until the Sindh High Court issued clear orders in 2024 for the encroachment to be removed and the government plot to be vacated. In its decision, the court strongly emphasized the protection of amenity plots and directed the Planning & Development Department to immediately release funds for the project. However, despite these orders, the Women Development Department has reportedly not even sent a formal request letter to the Finance Department for the release of funds, raising serious concerns that due to bureaucratic lethargy and neglect, this 662 million-rupee project may be lost in files. Provincial Minister for Women Development Shahina Sher Ali has so far avoided speaking on the project or giving an official position.
Short human-rights angle
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A Women Development Complex can provide vital services such as skills training, legal support, employment assistance, counselling, and safe spaces for women; prolonged delays directly undermine women’s rights to development, equal opportunities, and access to a secure and supportive environment.
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The protection of state land and amenity plots is, in effect, the protection of public rights. When a project in the name of women remains unimplemented for a decade, it raises serious questions about state responsibility, gender equality, and social justice.
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Short disclaimer
This report is based on available court orders and information from relevant departmental records and sources, which may change over time with administrative or judicial developments. For the latest status of the project and the release of funds, please refer to official statements and documents issued by the concerned government departments.
