500,000 applied under Naya Pakistan Housing Programme

ISLAMABAD: More than 500,000 people have so far applied for housing under Naya Pakistan Housing Programme, a senior official of the Ministry of Housing & Works told media.

First phase of the flagship project was unveiled in October last year. To make the registration easy for the people, an e-registration facility was launched by NADRA. At the same time, the government established a Naya Pakistan Housing Authority to expedite work on the project and complete it within stipulated deadlines, he added.

The role and task of the authority is as follows:

“It will recommend the federal government to provide, or procure immovable property or project through any means permissible under law including compulsory acquisition, purchase, lease or license through private agreement, donation by any private party or any state land, or project by any government or other public authority on such terms as may be mutually agreed between the federal government and the relevant transferer or provider,” stated a ministry official.

On the question of affordability, he said that the State Bank of Pakistan has initiated loan schemes for low cost housing to facilitate low-income families. With NPHP, home loan financing will also be improved, which is currently only 0.2% people in Pakistan against 80% to 90% per cent in Europe, 30% in Malaysia and 10% in India.

He further added that the NPHP has been initiated in Faisalabad, Lahore, Multan, Rahim Yar Khan, Layyah, Bahawalpur, Vehari, Kasur, Sialkot, Jhelum, Gujranwala, Chishitan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffargarh, Sukkur, Quetta, Gilgit, Muzaffarabad, Swat, and Islamabad. At the same time, the scope of the programme would be extended to other cities.