Islamabad, 16 Apr 2025: New Housing Policy 2025 has been officially introduced by the Ministry of Housing and Works to combat the worsening housing deficit in Pakistan and curb the rising number of Illegal Societies spreading without regulatory control.
Strategic Vision for Sustainable Living
The Policy and Planning Wing has drafted this modern policy framework as a replacement for the outdated 2001 housing document.
Crafted through collaborative input from provincial authorities, industry professionals, and academic stakeholders, the policy envisions accessible, affordable, and environmentally responsible housing for every citizen.
READ MORE:
RDA Warns Private Housing Societies in Rawalpindi of Legal Action
With Pakistan facing an alarming housing gap of 10 million units, the new blueprint aims to halt the uncontrolled expansion of cities, preserve valuable farmland, and rectify inefficiencies caused by disorganized urban development.
Focused Reforms to Guide Future Development
The revised New Housing Policy lays out nine strategic pillars that include:
- Facilitating low-income families through microhousing finance schemes
- Promoting locally available construction materials
- Enhancing resilience to natural disasters
- Driving urban regeneration projects
- Encouraging evidence-based policymaking
- Developing institutional capabilities
- Enabling local governments to take the lead
- Curbing the formation of Illegal Societies by enforcing strict planning rules
- Strengthening data collection for long-term planning accuracy
Minister’s Insight and Provincial Implementation
Federal Minister for Housing, Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada, who presided over the policy briefing, expressed grave concern about the unregulated growth of settlements damaging Pakistan’s agricultural backbone.
He stressed that Illegal Societies have undermined sustainable development and led to land mismanagement across provinces.
While the central government will guide national-level housing priorities, actual execution of these strategies has been delegated to the provinces under the 18th Constitutional Amendment, allowing them to customize plans based on local needs and environmental dynamics.
READ MORE:
Rawalpindi Cracks Down on 157 Illegal Housing Societies
Bridging Policy and Practice
A central theme of the New Housing Policy is the empowerment of municipal institutions to identify, prevent, and dismantle Illegal Societies, ensuring that future development aligns with Pakistan’s socio-economic and ecological goals.
The Ministry has committed to conducting periodic reviews, involving civil society and technical experts to monitor implementation and address emerging challenges.
With the release of this policy, the government reiterates its resolve to make housing a fundamental right and curb the proliferation of unauthorized settlements.
