Govt should be held accountable after five years: PM

Imran allots 1,008 flats and 500 built houses under Naya Pakistan Housing Project

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Thursday the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has the mandate for five years, therefore, its accountability and the questions about its performance should be raised after completion of its tenure.

Talking to reporters after performing the balloting for the allotment of 1,008 flats and 500 houses constructed in Islamabad under the Naya Pakistan Housing Project, NPHP, Imran said that the term of Naya Pakistan is actually the name of a new thinking and mindset.

“We have been mandated by the people for 5 years and we have come for five years,” the prime minister told reporters. “The accountability should be conducted after five years about what we have done for the country and the people,” he added.

“When I came to power, it was stated on the very first day that we have failed. And there were predictions that the government is going,” he added. Despite that, he said, the government continued on its promise of 5 million houses.

“The government has built 7,000 houses for the poor and the people have started getting these houses,” the prime minister said. “Two new cities are being built, which will meet the target of 5 million homes,” he added.

The prime minister said that ‘Naya Pakistan’ is the name of new thinking and mindset. "Naya Pakistan is in fact a vision of empowering weaker segments of society through economic emancipation and provision of basic necessities of life," he added.

After the 18th Amendment, the prime minister said, powers had been devolved to the provinces. He said he wanted that Sindh also take advantage of the concessions given to the construction sector. He also announced that the government would unveil a food security programme next month.

Earlier, addressing the balloting ceremony, Prime Minister Imran said that the project was in line with the vision of facilitating the lower class which faced hardship in owning a house, particularly in the urban areas.

He said under the mortgage system, the rent paid on house would be converted into the instalments of the total cost of the house or flat. The government, he added, would give Rs300,000 subsidy on each house and also ensure that the markup rate did not exceed by 5%.

Imran acknowledged that without the support of the banks, the project could not be accomplished. “The passage of new foreclosure law for banks took two years to get approval by the courts,” he added, referring to the two-years delay in the project because of the pending litigation.

He said that the government gave concessions to the construction industry during the pandemic that resulted in a boom, including increase in demand for cement. “The construction industry will generate massive employment opportunities.”

The prime minister allotted 1,008 flats and 500 houses for poor workers and widows on low-cost mortgage after performing the balloting at the site of the residences in the suburbs of Islamabad.

The project, under the Naya Pakistan Housing Project, was carried out by the Workers Welfare Fund and Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development. On the occasion, Imran lauded the efforts of the Workers Welfare Fund for reviving the project that lingered on for last 25 years.

(WITH INPUT FROM APP)