Chinese firm offers low-cost housing units

Urges government of Pakistan to exempt imported raw material from duties and taxes

LAHORE:

Chinese investors have extended their help in rehabilitating Pakistan’s flood victims by offering to produce pre-fabricated houses in their existing plant in Faisalabad.

At a press conference held in Lahore on Thursday, Hanan DR Group Country Head (Pakistan), Mr Zhang explained that, a few years ago, the company had invested $150 million in an Industrial Estate at Faisalabad’s Free-zone M3IC.

“On an emergency basis, we are focusing on helping the flood victims by building low-cost houses for approximately Rs1.8 million at no profit,” he said.

The actual value of a single unit, he said, is approximately Rs2.6 to 2.8 million

While the management has decided not to make any profit from this project, they did urge the government of Pakistan to exempt the imported raw material from all taxes and duties.

According to the country head, two hundred houses could be prepared every month and over two thousand houses in a year. Each house would be soundproof and earthquake-resistant, consisting of two rooms, a kitchen, and a toilet.

“These houses will be constructed on a single story, on a covered area of approximately 550sqft each and will be able to withstand fire with a 50-year structural guarantee,” he added.

He added that electricity would also be provided via solar panels, along with clean drinking water and other state-of-the-art facilities.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 2^nd, 2022.

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