Out of Rs386bn financed by banks by April, PTI govt spent Rs105bn on low-cost houses

ISLAMABAD: A total of Rs105 billion were spent on low-cost housing units (LCUs) by the PTI government under the Naya Pakistan housing initiative and 3,564 houses have been built till now, reveals official data available with The News.

The PTI government had promised to construct five million housing units under the NAPHDA programme - a dream project of former prime minister Imran Khan. The PTI government did not deliver even a single housing unit to the needy.

On April 18, it was reported that the NAPHDA claimed it delivered 17,000 housing units to the deserving through Akhuwat Foundation. When contacted, Akhuwat Foundation spokesman claimed that the NAPHDA had nothing to do with their projects and they built 17,000 low-cost housing units independently.

The NAPHDA data available with The News, however, reveals that over 24,000 low-cost housing units are being constructed by the local government departments in different parts of the country, and over 50,000 units have been planned so far.

Earlier, the NAPHDA’s focal person had told this scribe that the projects, being carried out across the country, would be completed by the end of this year, while the remaining would be finished by the end of next year.

Till April 2022, banks have financed a total of Rs386 billion to the government of Pakistan for these low-cost housing units. The banks will finance a total of Rs564 billion till the end of the current year.

The details from NAPHDA shows that around two million people applied for these housing units, of which 1.7 million applicants have been declared eligible from all over the country. Nadra has verified over 0.9 million eligible applicants across the country.

In addition to this, the data shows that the construction projects initiated by the NAPHDA have created over 1.4 million jobs across the country. From the year 2020 to 2022, over 80,000 projects were approved by the government under NAPHDA.

According to details about the low-cost housing units across the country under NAPHDA, around 345 LCUs, 3.5 marla each, are being constructed with a cost of up to Rs1.7 million in Raiwand, Lahore. These houses will be completed in September.

Over 1,300 LCUs are planned in Jallozai Housing Scheme, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and development work is in progress there. Each house will cover 750Sqft area and cost up to Rs2.5 million.

In Sarghoda, 324 LCUs (3.5 marla each) are being constructed and expected to be completed in August this year. Each house will cost up to Rs1.8 million. Around 270 LCUs (3.5 marla each) are being built in Chiniot. Each house will cost up to Rs1.7 million. Almost 50 per cent of work on the project has been completed till date and it is expected to be completed in August this year.

Over 1,800 LCUs are being built on Angoori Road, Islamabad. The cost of each unit is around Rs2.5 million. The project is likely to be completed in December this year. As many as 3,000 LCUs are being constructed in Bahria Greens, Karachi. Each unit is expected to cost up to Rs2.6 million. The project will be completed by the end of 2023.

Over 5,000 low-cost housing units are being constructed at Bahria Phase-8, Rawalpindi. Each unit will cost up to Rs2.6 million. This project is expected to be completed in December next year.

Around 197 houses (3-marla each) are being constructed at Kallar Kahar Township. Each unit will cost up to Rs2.2 million. Work on the project has not been started yet as negotiations with the banks are in progress.

Negotiations with the banks for over 200 low-cost housing units at Turangzai Baba Housing Society, Charsadda, are also in progress. Each unit is expected to cost up to Rs2.7 million. A project of 200 LCUs at Paradise City, Kakasahib Road, Nowshehra, is also being negotiated with the banks. Each unit will cost up to Rs2.7 million. Over 100 LCUs (3-marla each) are being planned at Attock. Each unit will cost up to Rs2.4 million.