Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif Wednesday said that the government’s top priority was to facilitate low-cost housing schemes.
Chairing a review meeting of the Task Force on housing sector development for low-cost housing projects chaired, the prime minister said the affordable housing projects would not only make residential units accessible to the common man but would also boost the national economy and create employment opportunities.
The prime minister further directed that the task force, in collaboration with the ministry of finance and banks, should soon submit recommendations for financing low-cost housing projects, which should be included in the upcoming budget proposals.
He opined that the sustainable growth of the national economy was closely linked with the development of the construction sector.
Ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Riaz Hussain Pirzada, Ahad Khan Cheema, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Ali Pervaiz Malik, FBR Chairman, and other senior officials attended the meeting, PM Office Media Wing said in a press release.
The prime minister was briefed on the progress of the government’s initiatives related to low-cost housing.
The meeting was informed that the Condominium Act 2025 and amendments to the Foreclosure Law were in their final stages and after approval, the said legislation would make it easier to obtain loans for the construction and ownership of homes under low-cost housing schemes.
The task force also briefed the meeting on the progress made so far regarding the initiation of construction projects, particularly low-cost housing schemes. app
Separately, the National Assembly was informed on Wednesday that the Prime Minister will soon announce a new textile policy, which is expected to include a proposal to exempt the 11% sales tax currently imposed on domestic cotton production.
During the National Assembly’s session, Parliamentary Secretary Zulfiqar Ali Bhatti, responding to a question by Sharmila Faruqi, stated that the new textile policy will be unveiled within the next couple of months. He emphasized that the Prime Minister himself will make the announcement.
Bhatti pointed out that the country is importing more cotton than it produces domestically. He said the 11% sales tax imposed by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on locally produced cotton should be reduced in order to boost domestic production and address the imbalance between imports and exports.
Responding to a question by Rai Hassan Nawaz, Bhatti informed the House that the government has formed the National Export Board, which includes representation from all four provinces. He added that new policies on tariffs, e-commerce, and other trade matters will be introduced soon.
Bhatti also clarified that there has been no decline in the country’s textile exports; rather, there has been a 9.3% increase. However, he acknowledged that rising electricity and gas prices have led to higher textile prices in the local market, adding that price control does not fall under their direct responsibility.