China keen to participate in PM’s housing scheme

[LahoreEstate]

BEIJING: China has expressed keen interest in participating in the Prime Minister’s Housing Scheme to develop affordable houses for every Pakistani.

These views were expressed here Friday by a three-member delegation from Pakistan Housing Authority including Syed Turrab Haider Zaidi, Senior Joint Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Works, Col (Rtd) Subha Sadiq Malik, Director General Land Pakistan Housing Authority (PHA) and Athar Nawaz Malik, Director General (C&PM) of PHA.

Mr Zaidi said that because China was collaborating in the development of various projects in Pakistan, President Asif Ali Zardari desires that Pakistan should also benefit from Chinese expertise in the PM’s housing scheme for low income groups.

He said their visit was in line with the directive of the top leadership during which they held a number of productive meetings here in coordination with the senior officials from the Pakistani Embassy.

The delegation meetings included China State Engineering Corporation, Beijing Construction Company, Shanghai Construction Company, CCPIT, and International Contractors Association of China.

Pakistan, Zaidi said, wants to benefit from the efficient, environment friendly, energy saving, low cost, natural disaster resistant and rapid construction techniques of the Chinese in the housing sector.

The Chinese side has expressed interest by saying that ‘We want to invest in Pakistan in housing sector,’ Mr Athar Nawaz Malik told APP.

Malik further said that the Chinese side is ready to collaborate with the Ministry of Housing to make the Prime Minister’s Housing Scheme a success.—APP

http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn...heme-za-03