Staff Reporter Islamabad
Prime Minister Imran Khan has expressed the commitment to uplift the weak and underprivileged segments of the society.
The Prime Minister said this while addressing a ceremony in connection with allotment of 1,500 houses and flats to the working class under the Naya Pakistan Housing Programme.
The project was initiated as part of a joint collaboration among the Workers Welfare Fund,
Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resources Development.
“I want to congratulate Zulfi Bukhari [Minister for Overseas Pakistanis], Workers Welfare Fund and their team for reviving the 25-year-old project and providing the people with their
own houses,” he added.
“In the last 25 years, no one had thought about making this a priority and providing houses to those who can’t afford to have their own residence,” the Premier said.
“This is the true meaning of Naya Pakistan – a new idea and mindset of a government, deciding to uplift the destitute segments of the society,” the PM remarked.
He said it was a collective responsibility of a government to prove through its actions that it has new ideas to serve its people. “It is a right of this segment of the society and we owe it to them,” he maintained.
The Prime Minister said that it is very difficult for the salaried class, workers and labourers to construct or purchase a house in the cities due to soaring prices of land.
He said the government has started the Naya Pakistan Housing Programme with a new mindset to provide support to these segments of the society to own a house.
He pointed out that the government has introduced a legislation under which the banks will provide loans on five percent interest rate for the construction of houses. He said the banks have promised to set aside Rs380 billion for this purpose.
He directed the State Bank of Pakistan to ensure that these loans are easily available to the people. He said these loans can be repaid over a period of twenty years.
The Prime Minister assured to allocate more funds for the housing programme with the increase in the revenue of the government so that the working and the salaried class could build their houses.
Imran Khan said there is a boom in the construction
industry due to the incentives given by the present government.
He said that this will not only lead to wealth creation but also provide job opportunities to the youth.
Later talking to the media persons, Prime Minister Imran Khan announced to launch
a plan next month regarding food security.
