Inaugural Meeting of Pakistan Society for Real Estate Studies (PRES) Held at NUML

Islamabad, June 3, 2025 — The inaugural meeting of the Pakistan Society for Real Estate Studies (PRES) was held today at the National University of Modern Languages (NUML), Islamabad. This pioneering initiative—the first of its kind in the country—was chaired by Maj. Gen. Shahid Mahmood Kayani, HI(M) (Retd.), Rector NUML, and brought together prominent stakeholders from the real estate, planning, and development sectors.

Distinguished participants included Mr. Jawed Ali Khan, Country Head of UN-Habitat Pakistan; Dr. Nadeem ul Haque, former Country Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF); and senior representatives from REITs, construction associations, the Ministry of Housing, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), and leading housing societies such as Capital Smart City, The Garden, and IMARAT. Graana.com and IMARAT were also represented by Farhan Javed and Saad Awan, reinforcing their commitment to supporting informed policy and sustainable urban development. Several international experts joined PRES as well, bringing global insights to local challenges.

As urbanization accelerates in Pakistan—with projections indicating that over 45% of the population will live in urban areas by 2030—the country faces increasing challenges related to economic inequality, inefficient land use, and environmental degradation. In response, PRES has been established as a dedicated think tank and collaborative platform, aimed at fostering research-driven policymaking, academic engagement, and multi-sector collaboration in the real estate domain.

PRES plans to initiate a series of impactful programs, including the organization of the International Conference on Real Estate (ICRE), publication of policy papers and research briefs, launch of short courses and capacity-building initiatives, and the development of a Sustainability Index to evaluate and promote environmentally responsible and inclusive urban development.

Participants strongly advocated for strengthened collaboration between academia, industry, government bodies, and development partners to tackle illegal housing schemes, promote transparency in market operations, and address the widespread issue of unplanned urban expansion.

Key strategic recommendations discussed during the meeting included:

• Introduction of regulatory frameworks for the real estate sector

• Integration of real estate studies into academic curricula

• Reforms in property-related taxation

• Establishment of a centralized oversight authority

• Licensing of property dealers to ensure professionalism

• Digitization of property transactions to boost transparency

• Development of affordable housing models for low- and middle-income segments

The attendees widely commended NUML’s visionary leadership in initiating PRES and underscored its potential to play a transformative role in shaping a sustainable, transparent, and professionally governed real estate ecosystem in Pakistan.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to support PRES’s mission through sustained research, inclusive dialogue, and strategic partnerships focused on advancing urban development nationwide.