LAHORE: PHA to construct around 15,000 housing units by 2013

[Lahore_Real_Estate]

Pakistan Housing Authority (PHA) will construct around 15,000 housing units by the middle of 2013 in various parts of the country, including Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi, a senior official said on Thursday.

Besides, the governments of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan have also been assigned the task to meet the target of the Prime Minister Housing Scheme.

Talking to The News after the groundbreaking ceremony of an affordable housing project under the Prime Minister Housing Programme, Housing and Works Minister Rahmat Ullah Kakar said that the PHA had launched projects at I-16, I-12, Kurri Road in Islamabad and Wafaqi Colony Lahore and the government had set a deadline of middle of 2013 for their completion.

However, completion of the project may be delayed for some time due to economic recession and deteriorated law and order situation in the country, but would not be stopped at any point of time, said Kakar.

The projects of G-10, G-11, and I-11 of Islamabad are near completion and these 3,040 housing units would be handed over to the allotees in December, the minister said.

He said the PHA had already handed over 384 CND Type apartments to the martyrs of Karsaz situated in Karachi Railway Station and Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation Landhi.

Similarly, In Punjab, construction of 120 apartments in Wafaqi Colony had entered into the final phase and expected to be handed over to the allotees before December and 216 C and D Type apartments were already handed over to the owners in Peshawar, he said.

In Balochistan, construction of 957 row and incremental houses at Kuchlak Road Quetta is underway, he said, adding that the PHA faced unavailability of state lands and financial constraints. To cope with it, the authority has involved the local and international investors in the construction of projects, said Kakar.

He said that the PHA is confident to meet the assigned targets set under the Prime Minister Housing Programme and would complete one million housing units within the period of fiver years in a befitting way.

Speaking at the ceremony, the minister said that the conference is important to build the confidence of local and foreign investors. He said that due to the poor law and order situation no one is interested to invest in Pakistan and construction projects always need billions of rupees investment.

“The government is providing housing units to lower cadre employees at subsidised rates of Rs0.3-0.5 million,” Kakar said

The government has not ignored anyone in the allotment of housing units and transparent process has been adopted, Kakar said.