Federal Cabinet approves National Housing Policy 2026

August 11, 2026 (MLN): The Federal Cabinet has approved the National Housing Policy 2026, which marks a major milestone for Pakistan's housing and urban development sector, with the approval coming nearly 25 years after the country's previous housing policy was cleared in 2001.

The approval was given in the Cabinet's last meeting and fulfills a longstanding need for a comprehensive national framework to provide clear strategic direction for the housing and urban planning sectors, said a press release issued.

Federal Minister for Housing and Works Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada, along with the Secretary of the Ministry of Housing & Works, congratulated the Ministry's Policy & Planning Wing for its dedicated efforts in preparing the policy document, appreciating the team's extensive work and noting that all major stakeholders had been taken on board during the formulation process.

The policy has been designed to address the diverse and evolving challenges of housing and urban development through a coordinated, inclusive and sustainable approach. Its overarching vision is to promote adequate, affordable and sustainable housing for all, while improving access to housing opportunities, basic amenities and supporting infrastructure.

The National Housing Policy 2026 outlines nine strategic themes covering key dimensions of the sector, including land for housing, housing finance, construction services, technology and building materials, development of intermediate and secondary towns, slums and katchi abadis, affordable and low-cost housing, rural housing, and capacity building and knowledge sharing.

It further provides a comprehensive framework spanning land availability, housing finance, construction and technology, balanced urban development, institutional and legal reforms, and climate-resilient, environmentally sustainable housing.

The Federal Minister termed the approval a significant achievement and a historic milestone for the Ministry, noting that Pakistan had been without an updated national housing policy for nearly a quarter of a century.

He said the policy would provide clear strategic direction for addressing the country's housing deficit and emerging urban development challenges.

The draft National Housing Policy 2026 is available on the Ministry of Housing and Works' official website, www.mohw.gov.pk, for public information and reference.

Copyright Mettis Link News