The Ministry of Housing and Works has unveiled the first draft of the National Housing Policy 2025, a significant step forward since the last policy revision in 2001.

The policy’s draft aims to confront the pressing issues of urban migration and the proliferation of unplanned housing societies contributing to slum areas.

The policy draft, prepared by the Policy and Planning Wing, was crafted with input from academia, housing experts, and provincial departments. Two expert working groups initially identified gaps in the current policy through focused discussions, which were then integrated into the new draft. The policy targets a housing shortage estimated at 10 million units, aggravated by rising costs and financial constraints.

Federal Minister for Housing and Works Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada, during a final briefing on the draft, highlighted the critical need for purposeful planning. He emphasized that empowering local governments could address ongoing housing challenges, acknowledging that housing responsibilities now rest largely with provincial governments following the 18th Constitutional Amendment. The federal role will be to provide overarching guidelines, while provinces implement region-specific models.

The vision of “adequate, affordable, and sustainable housing for all” focuses on nine thematic areas, emphasizing microfinancing, local materials use, disaster management, and urban regeneration. Experts agreed that improved data management could enhance planning and reclaim land for future housing, stressing the impact of unplanned societies on agriculture, the country’s sustenance backbone.