SBP pushes vertical housing to boost PM's affordable housing scheme

August 06, 2026 (MLN): The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Rawalpindi on Thursday held a consultative session to support the implementation of the Prime Minister's Housing Programme, "Ghar Ho Tou Apna, Apna Ghar Programme", and discuss challenges affecting its execution.

The event brought together representatives from 25 commercial banks, officials of the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA), members of the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI), representatives from 34 housing societies, university students, and members of the public.

The session was chaired by Chief Manager SBP Rawalpindi Rizwan Khaleel Shamsi, who acknowledged the role of banks in facilitating the housing initiative.

He encouraged developers and housing societies to focus on vertical housing projects, describing high-rise developments as a more sustainable and affordable solution to Pakistan's housing needs, according to APP.

He noted that the expansion of housing societies over recent years had reduced forests and green spaces, creating environmental concerns.

He said vertical urban development could help protect the environment while providing affordable housing. He also highlighted successful low-cost housing models adopted in other countries, suggesting that similar approaches could be tailored to local requirements.

During the session, commercial banks discussed documentation-related issues and briefed housing society representatives on the programme's features to help improve public awareness.

Participants also proposed introducing a one-window documentation system at the RDA to streamline procedures and recommended appointing dedicated focal persons from the RDA and revenue authorities to facilitate faster processing.

The meeting also included discussions on mortgage and lien-marking procedures, with stakeholders sharing operational challenges and proposing measures to improve implementation.

Senior Deputy Chief Manager Umar Siddique Khattak announced that additional high-level engagements would be organized in the coming months.

He also proposed establishing a working group comprising key stakeholders to develop recommendations aimed at promoting affordable housing across Pakistan.

The participants reaffirmed their commitment to supporting low-cost housing initiatives and expressed appreciation to SBP Rawalpindi for organizing the consultative session.

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