Inauguration next month: PM to launch low-cost housing scheme
State minister for housing says govt has set up a construction company.
State minister for housing says govt has set up a construction company. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
The government will launch a cheap housing scheme by constructing 500,000 housing units a year across the country to provide low-priced housing to citizens, the Minister of Housing and Works announced on Thursday.
Usman Ibrahim made the announcement in a briefing to the senate standing committee on housing and works held at the Parliament House.
He said that the ministry has acquired land measuring 16 acres in sector I-16 in Islamabad, and that public limited company Apna Ghar has been established to construct the housing units. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has been appointed chairman of the steering committee of the scheme.
“The Prime Minister will inaugurate the housing schemes in all the four provinces of the country during the first week of December”, he said.
The minister also told the committee that two construction companies, Aden Garden Company and Abbad Associates, in Lahore and Karachi, have also offered to include their land with the prime minister’s housing scheme.
He also informed the committee that the ministry has cancelled 4,000 bogus allotment letters for government housing, as well as thousands of false notifications issued by the previous government.
The minister added that 200 flats in Aabpara have been under the illegal occupation of police officials for the last 10 years. The police officers have been living in these apartments without paying rent since they were called in for the Lal Masjid operation, he said. He told the committee that the Supreme Court has suggested that the interior ministry purchase these flats and rent them to the police as per law.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 29th, 2013.
The government will launch a cheap housing scheme by constructing 500,000 housing units a year across the country to provide low-priced housing to citizens, the Minister of Housing and Works announced on Thursday.
Usman Ibrahim made the announcement in a briefing to the senate standing committee on housing and works held at the Parliament House.
He said that the ministry has acquired land measuring 16 acres in sector I-16 in Islamabad, and that public limited company Apna Ghar has been established to construct the housing units. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has been appointed chairman of the steering committee of the scheme.
“The Prime Minister will inaugurate the housing schemes in all the four provinces of the country during the first week of December”, he said.
The minister also told the committee that two construction companies, Aden Garden Company and Abbad Associates, in Lahore and Karachi, have also offered to include their land with the prime minister’s housing scheme.
He also informed the committee that the ministry has cancelled 4,000 bogus allotment letters for government housing, as well as thousands of false notifications issued by the previous government.
The minister added that 200 flats in Aabpara have been under the illegal occupation of police officials for the last 10 years. The police officers have been living in these apartments without paying rent since they were called in for the Lal Masjid operation, he said. He told the committee that the Supreme Court has suggested that the interior ministry purchase these flats and rent them to the police as per law.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 29th, 2013.