PM Shehbaz directs faster processing of Apna Ghar Scheme applications

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday directed authorities and banks to expedite the processing of applications under the government’s Apna Ghar Scheme, as total loan disbursements under the programme reached Rs11 billion.

Chairing a review meeting on the scheme’s progress, the prime minister said the growing participation of citizens in the housing initiative was encouraging and reflected public confidence in the programme.

“If we continue at the current pace, the dream of home ownership for a larger number of deserving citizens will become a reality,” he said.

Shehbaz noted that the success of the scheme would stimulate growth in the construction sector, promote allied industries and contribute to overall economic development.

The prime minister instructed the Ministry of Housing to work with the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to simplify the loan application form and make the process easier for applicants.

He also directed banks to accelerate approvals of eligible applications.

To increase public outreach, Shehbaz ordered authorities to intensify awareness campaigns nationwide and asked provincial governments to establish facilitation desks at the district level to help applicants obtain land ownership documents required for loan processing.

During the meeting, officials briefed the prime minister on the programme’s performance, stating that loans worth Rs11 billion had so far been disbursed under the scheme.

According to the briefing, applications increased significantly after the government simplified the scheme’s rules and regulations in March this year.

A total of 67,900 applications have been received from across the country, of which 16,587 have been approved, while loans have been disbursed to 3,146 beneficiaries.

Officials said efforts were underway to further accelerate loan processing through a digital hub, facilitation desks and other administrative measures.

The SBP has directed banks to process Apna Ghar Scheme applications within 15 days, the meeting was informed.

Participants were also told that parliament recently passed condominium and financial institution recovery laws, which are expected to remove legal hurdles in the housing sector and support future growth.

A dedicated digital portal has also been launched to monitor the scheme’s progress.

The meeting was attended by Federal Ministers Ahsan Iqbal Cheema, Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada and Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani, the SBP governor, presidents and chief executive officers of Pakistani banks, provincial chief secretaries and senior officials from relevant institutions.