The Sindh Assembly in Pakistan passed a series of bills Thursday granting the provincial government complete administrative control over major medical institutions, moving to consolidate local regulatory power ahead of upcoming budget sessions. Chaired by Deputy Speaker Anthony Naveed, the legislative session saw the unanimous approval of an amendment to the Sindh Blood Transfusion Act alongside frameworks governing health, education, and workers’ rights.
Law Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar spearheaded the Thursday session. A central piece of the approved legislation legally resolves historical jurisdictional disputes by locking the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) and the National Institute of Child Health (NICH) under direct provincial oversight.
The assembly also approved a medical and dental education bill that officially paves the way for the creation of the Sindh Medical and Dental Education Council. This establishes a new regulatory body for medical academics across the region, according to local reporting on the passed bills.
The approvals culminate a heavily active legislative week for the assembly. Just days earlier on Monday, lawmakers passed the Domestic Workers Welfare Bill 2025, which introduced formal employment safeguards such as mandated leave and limits on working hours for household workers.
Additional bills were passed during the session to regulate private security companies, training institutes, and private guards. The assembly also finalized the approval of the Sindh Workers Welfare Fund Bill to strengthen existing labor welfare mechanisms.