Islamabad Chamber of Small Traders (ICST) on Saturday lauded the government for initiating Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme aimed at providing five million houses for low-income people over the next five years. In a statement, ICST Patron Shahid Rasheed Butt said that the housing scheme would help people get their own roof at an affordable price which has remained a dream for the majority since long. He said that the housing sector has been ignored for decades by the past governments providing an opportunity to the black sheep in the private sector to plunder the resources of the poor. Shahid Rasheed Butt said that the government should keep real-estate mafia and investors away from the mega project so that masses can get affordable houses and the culture of kachi abadis can be tackled. He said that the private sector has failed to deliver as it is involved in massive exploitation of the poor everywhere in the country including Islamabad, as currently there are over 6,000 illegal housing schemes in the country that should be dealt according to the law. Action against famous politicians known for land grabbing and notorious developers is highly laudable moves which should continue while common people should get their money back, he demanded. He also welcomed growth in the remittances have been increased by over 13 percent during the months of July, August and September. The remittances will further surge in the months to come due to increased confidence of expatriates in the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government led by Prime Minister Imran Khan, he added. PM’s resolve to improve remittances, package for expatriates, efforts to discourage hundi business and erosion in the exchange rate will also help boost remittances, he said. Published in Daily Times, October 14th 2018.