Amid a growing housing crisis in Pakistan, UN-Habitat Pakistan convened a National Consultative Workshop in Islamabad to address pressing issues surrounding affordable housing, land governance, and Housing, Land, and Property (HLP) rights. With a national housing backlog exceeding 10 million units and more than 50% of the urban population living in informal settlements, the workshop aimed to bring together policy leaders and experts for a united national response.
The high-level event brought together representatives from federal and provincial governments, UN agencies, academia, and civil society to identify challenges, share best practices, and develop strategies to ensure equitable access to land and housing.
UN-Habitat Reaffirms Commitment to Pakistan
Opening the event, Mr. John Taylor, Chief Technical Advisor at UN-Habitat Pakistan, and Mr. Jawed Ali Khan, Senior Advisor and Habitat Program Manager, highlighted the urgency for coordinated reforms. They reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to supporting Pakistan through technical assistance, policy development, and capacity building for sustainable urban growth.
Ms. Ombretta Tempra, Chief of Land, Housing and Shelter at UN-Habitat, presented a global overview of the housing crisis, noting that 1.6 billion people globally face housing affordability challenges, while over 1 billion live in slums. She introduced the UN-Habitat 2023 resolution to establish an open-ended working group on adequate housing, emphasizing the importance of tenure security, land-based financing, and inclusive legal frameworks.
National Housing Policy and Digital Transformation in Focus
Speaking on national initiatives, Mr. Waseem Hayat Bajwa, Director General of the Ministry of Housing and Works, introduced Pakistan’s draft National Housing Policy, which seeks to provide “adequate, affordable, and sustainable housing for all.” He outlined key reforms including:
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Integrated planning for intermediate cities
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Climate-resilient construction techniques
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Enactment of the Urban Regeneration Act and Condominium Act
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Legal and institutional reform for streamlined housing access
Mr. Hamid Mumtaz, Deputy Program Manager at UN-Habitat, presented the organization’s work on land digitization, highlighting efforts to enhance women’s property rights especially after disasters.
Dr. Khalid Hafiz, Member Planning at the Capital Development Authority (CDA), announced that land records for Islamabad’s urban sectors have been digitized, with efforts underway to digitize rural areas in collaboration with the Punjab Land Records Authority (PLRA).
Punjab Takes Lead in Affordable Housing Innovation
Mr. Imran Ali Sultan, from the Punjab Affordable Housing Program, shared Punjab’s significant progress in establishing sustainable housing communities. He noted the development of key digital systems including:
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Housing Management Information System (HMIS)
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Project Management Information System (PMIS)
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Beneficiary Management Information System (BMIS)
He also highlighted new legal instruments such as the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA), Joint Venture (JV) Rules, and Affordable Public Housing Schemes (APHS) Rules, designed to facilitate public-private collaboration.
Strengthening Collaboration and Legal Frameworks
The workshop’s panel discussion emphasized the importance of institutional collaboration and policy harmonization across all tiers of governance. Experts recommended the creation of a national housing and land database, improved legal aid mechanisms, and enhanced tenure security, particularly for vulnerable populations and disaster-affected communities.
Participants also urged the integration of informal settlements into urban planning, simplification of land registration procedures, and fast-tracking legislative frameworks like the Urban Regeneration and Condominium Acts.
A Platform for Action
The workshop concluded with a consensus on the need for coordinated national action. Participants reiterated their shared commitment to achieving inclusive, resilient, and sustainable housing solutions, aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goal 11: “Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.”
UN-Habitat reaffirmed its support to Pakistan in transforming its housing sector through technical assistance, policy innovation, and strategic partnerships with all stakeholders.
