Sindh World Bank Portfolio Review: $3.85 Billion
Billions of dollars in development funding are yet to translate into completed projects across Sindh. The Sindh World Bank portfolio review on Monday examined implementation delays, financial progress and procurement bottlenecks in a portfolio worth $3.849 billion.
Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and the World Bank reviewed 12 ongoing projects at a high-level meeting at the Chief Minister’s House. The meeting was chaired by CM Shah and World Bank Country Director Bolormaa Amgaabazar. Of the total allocation, $2.334 billion has been disbursed, while $1.571 billion remains to be released. About three-fifths of the money has therefore reached projects, with the rest still pending.
For the fiscal year 2026-27, the government has set a disbursement target of $381.2 million, with officials also citing a higher target of $434.2 million. So far, $43.2 million has been disbursed. CM Shah pledged faster implementation, fewer bottlenecks and development money turned into better public services. He directed departments and project teams to take responsibility for pending actions and meet agreed deadlines.
Sindh World Bank portfolio: water projects dominate
The 12 projects include 11 Investment Project Financing schemes and one Programme-for-Results project. They span water, transport, healthcare, education, agriculture and housing, and the meeting reviewed procurement activities and implementation challenges across those sectors.
Karachi’s water and sewerage infrastructure featured prominently. The $240 million second phase of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Services Improvement Project, known as KWSSIP-II, is linked to the K-IV water supply scheme. Environmental and social documents for associated facilities have been submitted to the World Bank for approval. A fresh survey to reassess the Resettlement Action Plan for additional K-IV capacity is expected to begin soon. The agreement is scheduled for December 5, followed by a census and survey exercise from December 21 to February 20, 2027.
Repairs to the Dhabeji Rising Main are complete, and chlorination stations have been relocated and handed over to the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation. Water and sewerage works in Sobha Nagar and Essa Nagri are expected to be completed by November 15 and December 31, respectively.
Transport and landfill works run behind schedule
Progress on Karachi’s Yellow BRT corridor also came under review. The newly constructed Taj Haider Bridge was opened to traffic in October 2025, while work on the overall bridge project, including demolition of the old structure, stands at 73.9 per cent against a target of 92.7 per cent. Completion is scheduled for March 29, 2027.
Work on the two Yellow Corridor bus depots remains behind schedule. Depot One has achieved 17.57 per cent progress against a target of 93.6 per cent, while Depot Two has recorded 46.66 per cent against its 100 per cent target. Depot One faces the widest gap and will need sharp acceleration to meet March 2027.
In another Karachi project, operations at Cell One of the Jam Chakro landfill site began on October 19. The remaining landfill cells and three waste transfer stations at Sharafi Goth, Imtiaz and Gutter Baghicha are expected to be completed by November 30.
In healthcare, the $196.7 million Sindh Integrated Health and Population Project includes nine signed civil works contracts. Health infrastructure sits alongside water and transport in the province’s largest external funding programme, and health workers elsewhere in the province have faced their own pressures, as shown by Karachi doctors protesting over FIRs and harassment.
Why disbursement speed matters
A portfolio of $3.849 billion is only useful when money turns into pipes, buses, clinics and classrooms. The review’s central finding is that disbursement lags allocation: $1.571 billion, or roughly two-fifths of the total, is still unreleased. That gap is the difference between approved projects and delivered services.
The same accountability question runs through other Sindh reporting. Feature Pakistan has covered Rs23.95 billion in irregularities found in the Sindh irrigation department, where an auditor general report examined spending in 2024-25. Karachi’s infrastructure pressures also appear in bids invited for the demolition of Gul Plaza, a project that follows a January fire and years of delay.
Investment conditions across Pakistan form the wider background, including the mineral incentive package under preparation. For Sindh, the test set by Monday’s meeting is concrete: departments must meet agreed deadlines, and the $43.2 million disbursed so far this fiscal year must rise sharply toward the $381.2 million target. The next review will show whether the bottlenecks named on Monday have actually moved.
Frequently asked questions
How large is the Sindh World Bank portfolio?
The portfolio is worth $3.849 billion across 12 ongoing projects, including 11 Investment Project Financing schemes and one Programme-for-Results project.
How much has been disbursed so far?
Of the total allocation, $2.334 billion has been disbursed, while $1.571 billion remains to be released. About three-fifths of the money has reached projects.
What is the disbursement target for fiscal year 2026-27?
The government has set a disbursement target of $381.2 million for the fiscal year, with officials also citing a higher target of $434.2 million. So far, $43.2 million has been disbursed.
Which Karachi projects were reviewed?
The review covered the $240 million KWSSIP-II water project linked to K-IV, the Yellow BRT corridor including the Taj Haider Bridge and two bus depots, and the Jam Chakro landfill site with three waste transfer stations.
When is the Yellow BRT bridge project due to finish?
Work on the overall bridge project, including demolition of the old structure, stands at 73.9 per cent against a target of 92.7 per cent, with completion scheduled for March 29, 2027.
