UPDATE (Aug 24, 2022): Punjab Minister for Housing and Urban Development Mian Aslam Iqbal has directed the concerned provincial department to set up a special cell to facilitate overseas Pakistanis interested in investing back home. The cell is being developed specifically for the Naya Pakistan Housing Programme (NPHP) and is aimed to boost NRPs’ investment in low-cost housing projects.
Overseas Pakistanis send remittances which comprise a big chunk of the national exchequer. The minister said that the involvement of NRPs would be important because it will increase the foreign exchange reserves of the country and strengthen the national economy.
The minister also reviewed the progress of different housing projects under NPHP and directed that no delays in their timely completion will be tolerated. He said, “Naya Pakistan housing programme is our priority and it has to be carried forward rapidly.” The minister also directed to form a committee which will prepare a comprehensive plan to speed up the working pace on low-cost housing schemes.
UPDATE (May 6, 2021): Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain has announced that in the first phase of the Naya Pakistan Housing Programme, houses will be allotted to 600 journalists of the Islamabad region.
He made this statement during a meeting with Minister of State for Information Farrukh Habib, while calling on Chairman Naya Pakistan Housing Authority Lt Gen Anwar Ali Haider (retd). Hussain added the initiative will gradually be introduced in Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Peshawar and Quetta.
UPDATE (April 21, 2021): Prime Minister Imran Khan laid foundation stone of Jalozai Housing Scheme for low-income people in Nowshera. Learn more details in our blog on Jalozai Housing Scheme.
UPDATE (April 14, 2021): Prime Minister Imran Khan laid the foundation of a low-cost housing project under Naya Pakistan Housing Programme in Sargodha on April 14. Punjab CM Buzdar along with several other senior government officials were present on the occasion.
Under this housing scheme, 1,175 houses of 3 marla will be constructed at six locations in the Sargodha district, with the help of the Punjab government. Frontier Works Organization will carry out the construction work.
Around 33,528 applications have been received, so far, and the houses will be allotted through balloting.
READ MORE: Your Complete Guide to Investing in Naya Pakistan Certificates
UPDATE (April 6, 2021): On 9th April 2021, Prime Minister Imran Khan will reportedly lay the foundation stone of the Lahore Development Authority City Naya Pakistan Apartments. In the first phase of the project, 4000 apartments will be built. In total, around 35,000 units will be constructed.
UPDATE (March 4, 2021): Naya Pakistan Housing and Development Authority (NPHDA) and Provincial Housing Authority/Housing Department KPK signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on March 3.
Under the Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme (NPHS), around 1300 low-cost housing units will be built in Jalozai Housing Scheme, Nowshera. The MoU aims to provide the general framework and standard operating procedures for the project.
UPDATE (March 3, 2021): The construction of 406 houses has started in Gujranwala, according to Punjab Housing and Urban Development Minister Mian Mehmood ur Rasheed. The units will reportedly be built on three and five marla plots.
UPDATE (Feb 24, 2021): In yet another development for the Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme (NPHS), Lahore Development Authority (LDA) Director General Ahmed Aziz Tarar constituted a separate directorate to expedite the delivery of 4,000 residential units under NPHS in LDA City. Titled “Directorate of Housing XII,” the newly-established body will perform tasks, such as managing sales and marketing, under the administrative control of the Additional Director General (Urban Planning).
The news came on the heels of another update regarding the Naya Pakistan Housing Program. The first phase of opening of the tenders for the construction of 4,000 apartments under LDA City’s Naya Pakistan Apartments project was completed on Feb. 20. Under package four of Phase-1, around six contractor companies reportedly filed their bids for the construction of 256 apartments. It was further reported that, in each case, four tenders were opened for the construction of two blocks. In total, 32 apartments will be constructed in every block.
UPDATE (Feb. 16, 2021): Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar approved the procedure of the allotment of flats in Lahore Development Authority (LDA) City Naya Pakistan Apartments under Section 19 of management and transfer of properties of Development Authorities Act 2014.
The decision came at the 41st meeting of the provincial cabinet which also covered the following points:
- Authorized LDA to enter into an agreement with the Bank of Punjab in light of the construction of 4000 apartments in the first phase of the project.
- A flat would cost around PKR 2.75 million and a 50 percent quota will be reserved for the general public
- About 20 percent share will be held for provincial government employees, 10 percent for federal government employees and 20 percent for LDA officials
- CM Buzdar also gave instructions to reserve a special quota for journalists and lawyers
UPDATE (Feb. 3, 2021): Prime Minister Imran Khan is set to inaugurate the construction of 4000 apartments under Naya Pakistan Housing Project (NPHP) in Lahore this month, according to Punjab Minister for Housing Mian Mehmood-ur-Rashid.
During a visit at the site of LDA City, Lahore, the minister added LDA’s governing body had approved funds worth Rs. 20 billion for the construction of roads and other infrastructural developments such as water supply and sewerage system and pavements on 8,500 kanals of land. The area is the earmarked site for 35,000 apartments in the Halloki area of LDA City.
UPDATE (Jan.27, 2021): For the approval of the mechanism for allotment of 4000 apartments, to be constructed under the first phase of LDA City Naya Pakistan Project, the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) has turned towards the Punjab Cabinet.
The government will be asked to determine the price, eligibility criteria and the conditions for allotment of apartments for prospective buyers. A summary will be presented to Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar.
Update (Dec 04, 2020): The Lahore Development Authority, more commonly referred to as LDA, has approved the construction of 4,000 residential units under Phase 1 of LDA City Naya Pakistan Apartments Project, according to reports published in the leading newspapers. The project will reportedly cost about PKR 10 billion.
Update (October 16, 2019): The deadline to apply in the second phase of registrations for Naya Pakistan Housing Program have been extended to November 15, 2019.
Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme is a low-cost government housing scheme that aims to provide shelter and housing to the homeless. Since it’s a mega real estate project, a lot is going on with regards to planning and development. The latest update is that the project has entered its practical phase; land has been identified in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for the construction of 12,000 housing units. There’s more. Let’s have a look.
Latest Updates on Naya Pakistan Housing Program
The first two phases of the registration for the Naya Pakistan Housing Program have already been launched and, as it turns out, the government has received an overwhelming response. Moreover, the registration process has been digitized to facilitate those who wish to have a house of their own through the scheme. Please note that the second phase of online registrations for Naya Pakistan Housing Program has already begun and the deadline to submit the forms is until October 15, 2019.
Among the latest updates on the Naya Pakistan Housing Program, the most important one is the federal government’s decision to construct 135,000 apartments. Around 25,000 apartments will be built in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi and the remaining 110,000 housing schemes will be constructed in Balochistan for fishermen and government employees, as per a recent news report published in a local English daily.
PM’s Vision: Converting country’s slums into high-rises
The government is of the view that the growth in Pakistan’s population poses a good investment opportunity for real estate investors. Because with this surge in population comes new housing projects. However, most of the country’s populace lives in slums. Around 40 percent of Karachi’s residents live in “katchi abadis” or squatter settlements.
The government’s plan is to turn these underprivileged areas in the country into well-developed areas with high-rise apartments through a revolutionary way of constructing large-scale housing projects. A Chinese company has shown interest in the government’s low-cost housing scheme. They make prefabricated homes, which is a new method of dealing with large scale housing projects. As mentioned by the Prime Minister, the Chinese company is capable of building a floor of a house in only a week’s time, which is commendable.
Housing project started in Kuchlak Quetta
Naya Pakistan Housing Program is working in collaboration with the Housing Task Force and the city’s administration of Lahore, Rahim Yar Khan, Multan, Layyah, Bahawalpur, Sialkot, Vehari, Kasur, Chishtian, Jhelum, Muzaffargarh, Dera Ghazi Khan and Gujranwala. Moreover, Swat, Islamabad, Gilgit, Sukkur and Quetta have also been added in the Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme. It is expected that the project would be extended to other cities as well.
Around 110,000 units in Gwadar and Kuchlak Quetta, including 54,000 for fishermen, are to be built soon while such projects would be initiated in other cities as well. Balloting for Naya Pakistan Housing Program has taken place in Kuchlak (Quetta). This was initiated in an attempt to help Pakistan’s squatter settlements (katchi abadis) or rented houses or flats into well-constructed apartments and high-rises. The government of Pakistan plans to build around 600 flats and 750 houses in Kuchlak.
On April 21, 2019, the Prime Minister of Pakistan laid the foundation stone to start the Naya Pakistan Housing Program in Kuchlak, in which around 7,684 people, belonging to different strata of the society submitted the registration forms.
Land identified in different sectors of Naya Pakistan Housing Program
As per the official website of Naya Pakistan Housing Program, land has been identified in Peshawar, Swat and Hangu districts after an extensive survey by the government’s Housing Department and PHA. Around 4100 kanal have been selected at the location of Surizai in Peshawar. Similarly, 4000 kanal land has been allocated in the Hangu district and about 300 kanal of land has been demarcated in Swat. The government plans to construct about 7,50,000 units over a period of five years in the KP province.
Pre-qualification of contractors has begun in NPHP
After the successful processes of online registration system for Naya Pakistan Housing Program, the government is now going to recruit some of the best contractors from across the world.
Tenders have been floated for the pre-qualification of contractors for Naya Pakistan Housing Program to build houses and the infrastructure related to it. In the first phase of Naya Pakistan Housing Program, the government has announced to roll it out in Chishtian, Rena Khurd and Lodhran. Similarly, in the second phase, the project will be initiated in Layyah, Bhakkar and Khushab for which application forms have already been submitted.
In order to encourage public-private partnership in the country and secure the services of private companies, builders and developers for the development of the Naya Pakistan Housing Program, the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) is also making amendments to its bylaws. Once the processes and steps to hire the right contractors for is completed, the government plans on holding a ballot for the allotment of 3 marla and 5 marla houses.
As for the construction companies and contractors for Naya Pakistan Housing Program, apart from local businesses, many international companies have also shown their interest. As per a local English daily, a Chinese prefabricated housing manufacturer, by the name of Sunrise Construction, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Punjab Housing and Town Planning Agency PHATA. The Chinese construction company has proposed the government to build 10,000 units in various parts of Punjab via the emerging construction technology – prefabricated houses which will be done for the first time ever in Pakistan.
Mr Zaighum Mehmood Rizvi serves as the head of the 17-member task force formed by Prime Minister Imran Khan for overseeing the housing project. This is what he has to say about bringing in international contractors, “We are working on using pre-fabricated housing technology with high quality standards and apart from this international contractors from China, Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia are also showing interest because we need large scale manufacturers who will use the latest technologies to build houses in short time.” Watch out the video below:
The government of Pakistan is also pressing on one key point, that is to hire most of the labour force from Pakistan. Only the technical staff and engineers can be hired from other countries. The Chinese construction company involved in the scheme has also initiated a sustainable housing solution that will provide not only solar energy solutions but also a recycling filter plant to provide safe and clean drinking water to the residents. The company also aims to have a model house built in the provincial capital in 45 days.
What will be the way forward after balloting for NPHP Pakistan?
Once the contractors are hired and the balloting is done for the 3 and 5 marla houses, the successful applicants will pay a 10% of the total price of the house as the upfront costs and the rest of the amount will be done in easy installments. Though, the government has set different prices on the basis of area size and location. According to the news report, “The government has announced to give a 3-marla house for PKR 1.65 million to PKR 2.93 million and 5-marla house for PKR 2.19 million to PKR 4.11 million in different districts of Punjab.”
The government aims to build single and double unit houses, having 1 to 4 bedrooms, having basic civic amenities, like well-carpeted roads, laying of sewerage lines, provision of electricity, gas and other basic utilities, spacious parks, well-constructed mosques and community centres.
As Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme is meant for low-income families, the government plans to facilitate residents through the House Building Finance Company (HBFC), Meezan Bank and Bank of Punjab (BoP). Once the successful applicants make the initial down payment, they can then contact the designated banks to apply for a home loan for the next 15-20 years.
Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan is concerned about the non-existence of foreclosure laws as it seems to be one of the biggest hurdles in the way of the government’s housing program. Banks do not fund home loans due to the absence of laws where a bank is given the authority to sell mortgaged properties if the house loan is not paid in time. Once the foreclosure laws are introduced people would be able to avail loaning facilities.
Good news for Karachiites
In a recent update for Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme, registration process has begun in Karachi as well. There are mobile vans deployed outside NADRA centres where registration forms for NPHP are being submitted from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM with a minimum fee of PKR 250. The registration fees can be paid either through credit/debit card, easypaisa, NADRA or through the online portal.
Registrations cross 1 million mark for NPHP
Naya Pakistan Housing Program is gaining popularity among the masses. People are enthusiastically registering themselves for the low-cost housing scheme in Pakistan. The registrations have crossed the 1 million mark as the deadline to submit the registration forms for NPHP is approaching fast. As per a news report published in a local English daily, “According to NADRA, so far 109,475 people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been registered for Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme, 2,065 from erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), 477,337 from Punjab, 130,981 from Sindh, 248,424 registrations from Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), 13,984 from Gilgit-Baltistan, 79,218 from Balochistan, 9,813 from Azad Kashmir have been registered as aspirants for getting houses under NPHS.”
Meanwhile, you should also check out the Kingdom Valley location in Islamabad. The project is owned and developed by Kingdom Group in association with the Naya Pakistan Housing Development Authority (NAPHDA)
So, these were the latest updates about the government’s most popular housing program. If you are interested in knowing about Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme details, then keep reading the best real estate blog in Pakistan. Do write to us and share your feedback on blog@zameen.com. Happy reading!
