LAHORE: Punjab has added another feather to its cap as the ‘Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar’ housing project has won another prestigious international award.
Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif received the UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour Award for the ‘Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar’ project at a ceremony held at the historic Convention and Exhibition Centre in Muscat.
The Chief Minister was specially invited to Muscat as a State Guest to receive the UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour Award. She was warmly welcomed at the World Habitat Day ceremony at the Convention and Exhibition Centre.
UN-Habitat Executive Director Anacláudia Rossbach welcomed CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif and other participants. The hall erupted in applause as the Chief Minister received the prestigious award.
The CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif dedicated the UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour Award to the people who have built their homes under the ‘Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar’ programme.
Only five selected countries from around the world received the UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour Award this year. Myanmar’s Htoo Weng, Brazil’s Thiago Baurmann Gubert, Tunisia’s Abdelmalek Ghanem and London Mayor Sadiq Khan were among the other recipients.
The CM also attended the opening ceremony of a special UN-Habitat exhibition organised on World Habitat Day. She was also specially invited to the development agreements signing ceremony and participated in a group photograph with other participants.
A special briefing was given at the UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour Award ceremony. It was highlighted that the UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour is one of the highest international distinctions associated with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme.
The award is conferred upon individuals, cities, public and private institutions and research institutes in recognition of outstanding performance. Its key objectives include promoting affordable and adequate housing, sustainable urban development, improvement in basic urban facilities, better urban development and reconstruction, and recovery from natural disasters.
The UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour has been presented to around 200 public and private institutions over the past 37 years.
It is pertinent to mention that Pakistan received the UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour in 2007. After 19 years, Punjab’s ‘Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar’ project has emerged among the leading initiatives selected from more than 150 projects worldwide. For the first time in Pakistan’s history, a provincial housing project has received international recognition and the prestigious UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour Award.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026