Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed relevant authorities to develop and roll out a practical strategy to attract investment in Pakistan’s construction and housing sector. Chairing a high-level review meeting in Islamabad, the Prime Minister made clear that removing barriers to investment in this sector is a government priority and that the time for action is now.

The Prime Minister emphasised that homeownership is a fundamental right of every citizen and that providing housing loans on easy terms remains at the top of the government’s agenda. He assured investors that the housing sector has significant untapped potential and that the government will not let unnecessary obstacles get in the way of growth. He also gave a firm assurance that the investments of foreign investors and overseas Pakistanis in the sector would be fully protected.

A key highlight of the meeting was the progress on legal reforms. Officials informed the Prime Minister that legislation related to the construction and housing sector is in its final stages, with work moving rapidly. A low-cost loan system for affordable housing projects has already been put in place, and in the next phase, banks will be assigned specific targets to scale up lending in this area. Work on building a complete mortgage finance ecosystem across the country is also advancing, alongside the development of a comprehensive developer-led financing system for housing construction.

The Prime Minister directed that all stakeholders, both public and private, be included in the process. This includes provincial governments as well as Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, reflecting a nationwide approach rather than a piecemeal one. Participants at the meeting were briefed on proposals from the task force and working groups on housing and construction, along with updates on measures that had already been approved and are being implemented.

Officials also shared that special initiatives are being introduced to make it easier for foreign investors and overseas Pakistanis to invest in the sector. These measures are expected to drive residential construction, create economic activity, and open up employment on a significant scale. The Prime Minister noted that a thriving construction sector would not only address the country’s housing needs but could generate millions of jobs across allied industries.

The meeting was attended by a broad and senior group of officials, including Federal Ministers Azam Nazeer Tarar, Ahad Khan Cheema, Muhammad Aurangzeb, and Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada, along with the Attorney General, the Governor of the State Bank, chief secretaries from all four provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, as well as private sector experts. The scale of attendance alone signals how seriously this agenda is being taken at the federal level.