Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday constituted a committee to execute the government’s affordable housing scheme.
The committee will be headed by Housing and Works Secretary Dr Imran Zeb Khan to devise a comprehensive and coherent plan in consultation with relevant experts and representatives of departments concerned.
Under the housing scheme, the government will construct five million low-cost houses.
Earlier the day, the premier chaired a meeting and directed the committee to submit its recommendations within a week. The premier said that the private sector should be encouraged and maximum facilitation must be extended to those who would be partnering with the government for the project.
PM Imran said that the construction of low-cost houses would not only address housing issues in major cities but also promote economic growth and create job opportunities.
“We have to devise a comprehensive mechanism for regulating slums without dislocating poor people and ensuring provision of all civic amenities to those residing in these areas,” said the prime minister. Those who attended the meeting included Yaqoob Izhar, Najeeb Haroon, Arshad Dad, Law Secretary Justice (r) Abdul Shakoor Paracha and other senior officers.
In a high-level meeting held at PM house on Monday, Prime Minister Imran Khan decided to make the relevant laws more effective through required amendments for checking and obstructing smuggling and Hawala-Hundi in the country.
In the meeting, a committee was constituted, which would be headed by Attorney General of Pakistan, having representatives from Customs, State Bank, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). The committee would present its recommendations to the prime minister within a week.
The prime minister also directed the Ministry of Interior to present its recommendations within a week for administrative measures regarding a coordinated and comprehensive strategy in that respect.
The Secretary Commerce and FBR Chairman gave a comprehensive briefing to the prime minister about the losses to national economy caused by illegal transfer of amounts abroad through smuggling and Hawala-Hundi.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Finance Asad Umar, Minister of State for Interior Shehryar Afridi, Advisor to PM on Institutional Reforms Dr Ishrat Hussain, Special Assistant to PM on Accountability Mirza Shehzad Akbar, Special Assistant to PM on Political Affairs Naeem-ul-Haq, Secretary Finance, Secretary Interior, Secretary Commerce, Attorney General, State Bank Governor, FBR Chairman, FIA Director General and other senior officials.
Published in Daily Times, September 4th 2018.
