Pakistan has reduced the documents required for the Prime Minister’s Apna Ghar housing scheme from 25 to five. Officials have also capped application processing at 15 working days to simplify access to home financing.
The changes came under review at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on October 14. The meeting examined financing for housing, agriculture and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Officials said lenders had approved Rs448 billion for 75,198 Apna Ghar applicants. Actual disbursements stood at Rs76 billion, reaching 14,000 beneficiaries.
The government aims to provide Rs700 billion in housing finance for 125,000 residential units during the current year.
Easier applications and property documentation
Shehbaz directed officials to simplify housing finance procedures further and help applicants obtain clear property title documents.
He also instructed the committee examining developer financing to complete its recommendations promptly. The measures seek to reduce administrative hurdles for households while improving access to funding for housing development.
The programme operates under the slogan “Ghar Ho Tu Apna” and provides affordable housing finance across Pakistan.
Its official portal lists first-time homebuyers with valid CNICs who do not own a housing unit as eligible applicants. Financing covers home purchases, construction and buying a plot together with construction.
Applicants can visit apnaghar.gov.pk, create an account, log in, complete the loan application and submit it online. They can also apply through participating financial institutions.
The portal’s terms clarify that submitting an application does not guarantee financing. The selected bank makes the final decision under its credit assessment policies.
Agriculture and SME lending targets rise
The briefing also detailed lending to farmers and small businesses.
Agricultural financing has reached Rs1,352 billion, benefiting approximately 3.455 million people. The government plans to raise lending to Rs1,500 billion and reach 4.5 million beneficiaries by June 2027.
Meanwhile, more than 352,000 SMEs have received loans totalling Rs1,137 billion. By June 2027, the government aims to increase SME financing to Rs1,500 billion and expand borrowing businesses to 575,000.
Shehbaz said timely financing for these sectors remained essential for economic growth and national development. He urged banks falling short of expectations to improve their performance.
He directed relevant ministries, secretaries and the State Bank of Pakistan to consult stakeholders and submit recommendations by October’s end. The exercise will focus on making existing financing schemes more effective.
Grain storage and private investment
The prime minister also called for public-private partnerships to operate inactive PASSCO warehouses and silos. Better storage would help farmers preserve their produce safely.
He praised Allied Bank’s model of establishing grain storage facilities and lending to farmers against stored commodities. He asked officials to explore expanding the approach with private-sector participation.
Shehbaz also welcomed Allied Bank’s proposed investment in an SME park. Together, the financing and storage measures aim to improve credit access for households, farmers and businesses while reducing procedural obstacles.
