For every human being, the greatest desire is to own a home. People work day and night to fulfil this dream, and only a fortunate few are able to achieve it in their lifetime. Due to the continuously rising prices of land and construction materials, owning a home in Punjab had become little more than a distant dream for a large segment of the population. In many cases, one generation could only afford to buy a plot, while the second or even third generation struggled to build a house on it.
Now, however, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz is transforming the fate of countless people across the province. She has launched a unique and unprecedented housing initiative titled “Apni Chhat Apna Ghar” (My Roof, My Home) to provide homes to the people of Punjab, an initiative unlike any seen before. In the past, various housing schemes were introduced in different eras, but most failed even before they began, remained incomplete, or fell victim to corruption. This time, however, no obstacle seems able to stand in the way of Maryam Nawaz’s resolve. From tenancy to ownership, Apni Chhat Apna Ghar has truly changed lives.
Under this initiative, the Punjab Housing and Urban Development Department is providing interest-free loans of up to PKR 1.5 million for home construction. Applicants build their own houses and repay the loan over nine years. The scheme is specifically designed for low-income families. The loan can only be used for house construction and not for any other purpose. Applicants must be residents of Punjab. Importantly, the Government of Punjab is offering these loans without any religious, political, or ideological discrimination, and no recommendation from any Member of the National or Provincial Assembly or any government official is required.
Under the Apni Chhat Apna Ghar scheme, applicants owning up to five marlas of land in urban areas or ten marlas in rural areas are eligible for the loan. Applications are submitted with simple documentation. After verification, applicants receive two interest free instalments of PKR 750,000 each. Banks are not involved; instead, funds are disbursed through microfinance institutions.
As of December 21st, 2025, the Housing and Urban Development Department has provided over 121500 thousand beneficiaries with more than 155,492,930 billion rupees. As a result, more than 50,000 houses have been completed across various districts of Punjab and are already inhabited, while more than 70,000 thousands are under construction. The Punjab government aims to ensure the construction of 500,000 houses within five years, while the Housing Department plans to provide interest free loans to an additional 100,000 people by June of the next fiscal year.
So far, 57 percent of beneficiaries are from urban areas, while 43 percent are from rural regions. People from all walks of life including business owners, salaried employees, widows, orphans, transgender persons, and service providers are benefiting from the scheme. Under this unique initiative, every beneficiary constructs their own house and ensures its quality. No contractor, government official, or intermediary interferes in the process. Individuals build their homes according to their own preferred designs. The more applications the government receives, the more houses are built. Loan recipients are exempt from repayments for the first three months, after which they repay approximately PKR 14,000 per month.
There is no precedent for the Apni Chhat Apna Ghar project in Punjab’s history. Its transparency and success are evident from the fact that Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) and the University of Engineering and Technology (UET) have submitted independent research and evaluation reports on the scheme.
This ground breaking initiative has not only helped address the housing shortage across Punjab but has also generated employment and boosted economic activity. Skilled and unskilled workers alike are finding jobs, improving livelihoods at both provincial and national levels. Domestic investment has increased, and foreign investment is also showing positive signs.
So far, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has enabled thousands of orphans, widows, low-income families, families of martyrs, transgender persons, and other vulnerable groups to complete the construction of their homes.
According to a World Bank report, Punjab currently faces a shortage of 2.3 million housing units, which could exceed 10 million by 2047. The report also highlights severe overcrowding in urban housing and a lack of basic facilities. Under the Apni Chhat Apna Ghar scheme, people are not only receiving homes but are also experiencing a tangible improvement in their quality of life.
Providing someone with a home is even more important than providing employment. Across Punjab, countless families are being freed from the burden of rental housing and are offering prayers for Maryam Nawaz and her father, Mian Nawaz Sharif. Three-time former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had earlier introduced the Pakistan Housing Scheme. Following in her father’s footsteps, Maryam Nawaz is building homes and winning hearts-emerging as a true leader of the people. In her very first speech as Chief Minister, she promised to provide homes to the people, and she has honoured that promise, securing her place in history.
Today, there is not a single district in Punjab where houses are not being built under the Apni Chhat Apna Ghar scheme. Maryam Nawaz is, in the truest sense, shaping a new Pakistan, where one vision is turning into thousands of roofs. By providing homes, dignity, and security, she has made the impossible possible.
The author is a freelance writer who has previously worked with Voice of America, Al Jazeera, Samaa TV, and Dunya TV. Can be reached @zeeea, [email protected]