Sindh is plagued by rampant corruption, maladministration, and an ineffective law enforcement system

• Over the past two decades, the governance crisis in Sindh has led many to question the credibility of the Pakistan People’s Party
• Sindh province is in dire need of better governance, institutional reforms, and accountability

Shahban Sahito

The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has governed Sindh province for four consecutive terms, yet the province continues to face persistent issues and significant challenges. The prolonged rule of the PPP has resulted in a marked decline in social and political stability. Each passing day seems to bring new episodes of injustice and crime, exacerbating the already deteriorating law and order situation.

Tribal conflicts have become a routine occurrence, leading to numerous killings, while the number of dacoits—who kidnap for ransom—continues to rise. Alarming reports of forced conversions of Hindu girls and violence enacted by influential Members of the Provincial Assembly (MPAs) and Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) have surfaced. These acts of violence are often carried out by private militias or religious extremists, who operate under the cover of blasphemy accusations.

In many cases, victims and their families struggle to file First Information Reports (FIRs) due to the influence of powerful individuals involved in the crimes. On January 26, 2025, a tragic incident unfolded in the village of Jani Junejo, Sanghar district, where three members of the Junejo community were brutally murdered in broad daylight over a land dispute. Media reports suggested that MNA Allauddin Junejo was reportedly involved in this heinous crime. Despite the gravity of the situation, four days passed without the police registering the FIR. In response, the victims’ families staged a protest, refusing to bury the deceased until law enforcement authorities took action and filed the FIR.

Numerous such crimes have occurred in the province, yet the PPP government has failed to maintain law and order. The police appear to serve partisan interests, shielding influential individuals with strong ties to the ruling party

This is not an isolated incident in Sindh. In September 2024, a young doctor, Shah Nawaz Kumbhar, was murdered while in police custody in Umerkot by a religious extremist. He was beaten, killed, and burned despite being under police protection. Influential religious figures orchestrated the attack, and it took several days of vigorous protests by civil society for the police to register the FIR.

Numerous such crimes have occurred in the province, yet the PPP government has failed to maintain law and order. The police appear to serve partisan interests, shielding influential individuals with strong ties to the ruling party.

A particularly notorious case is that of Nazim Jokio, a young man who was brutally murdered and set on fire in 2021 allegedly by PPP MNA Jam Abdul Karim Bajir. Tragically, his wife was coerced into compromising on her husband’s court case, and the perpetrators walked free.

Similarly, in 2021, a seven-year-old Hindu girl, Priya Kumari, went missing from Sukkur and has yet to be found. Another victim, Fazila Sarki from Jacobabad, was kidnapped in 2007 and remains missing, allegedly due to the influence of local tribal leaders.

Over the past two decades, the governance crisis in Sindh has led many to question the credibility of the Pakistan People’s Party. Historically regarded as a democratic force with a strong electoral base in the province, the party has failed to provide citizens with a sense of security. Beyond law enforcement failures, the province’s institutions are plagued by widespread corruption and administrative mismanagement.

In 2021, a seven-year-old Hindu girl, Priya Kumari, went missing from Sukkur and has yet to be found. Another victim, Fazila Sarki from Jacobabad, was kidnapped in 2007 and remains missing, allegedly due to the influence of local tribal leaders

The federal government has remained largely silent on the deteriorating governance in Sindh. It has shown little concern for restoring law and order or addressing corruption. Many believe that under Asif Ali Zardari’s leadership, the PPP has aligned itself closely with Pakistan’s establishment at the federal level. The party has enacted legislation that strengthens authoritarian forces, enabling them to maintain control over the province without meaningful checks and balances.

The people of Sindh increasingly feel socially deprived and economically marginalized. Despite the province’s rich natural resources, a significant portion of its population lives below the poverty line due to mismanagement and corruption. There is growing sentiment that Sindh is being treated as a colony within Pakistan, its resources exploited by the powerful elite at the federal level.

The federal government has remained largely silent on the deteriorating governance in Sindh. It has shown little concern for restoring law and order or addressing corruption

Historically, the PPP was viewed as a beacon of hope for Sindh’s people. Many believed that its governance would address their socio-economic grievances. However, the party has gradually lost public trust, having failed to implement meaningful reforms to improve the province’s socio-economic conditions. This has led to widespread criticism from the media and civil society.

Today, Sindh is plagued by rampant corruption, maladministration, and an ineffective law enforcement system. Among Pakistan’s provinces, Sindh is considered the most politically unstable after Balochistan. In Balochistan, the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) has maintained power for over two decades, backed by federal elites. Likewise, the PPP continues to govern Sindh in a manner that resembles BAP’s government in Baluchistan.

Sindh province is in dire need of better governance, institutional reforms, and accountability. Without such measures, the province will continue to suffer from instability, corruption, and lawlessness, further deepening the grievances of Sindhis in the country.

Read: Sindh under the Daku Raj!!!

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The writer is a freelance writer and an Assistant Professor in the Department of International Relations, University of Sindh, Jamshoro