Overseas Pakistanis brought into Apna Ghar scheme as Govt expands housing finance network

Overseas Pakistanis will now be eligible for subsidised housing finance under the Prime Minister's Apna Ghar Programme (AGP) as the government moves to broaden the reach of its flagship housing initiative and channel more financing into the residential construction sector.

Under fresh measures approved by the federal government and notified by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), non-resident Pakistanis holding NICOP or POC cards have been brought within the scope of the scheme, which offers subsidised financing to first-time homebuyers.

The government has also adopted a multi-channel implementation model aimed at expanding access to housing finance through additional segments of the market.

As part of the revised framework, participating financial institutions (PFIs) will be allowed to arrange institutional lending for government employees through department-level bulk processing arrangements. Banks and other participating lenders will also be able to extend financing to private developer-led housing projects under the programme.

The latest expansion comes as authorities seek to increase uptake of the scheme, with total loan disbursements reaching Rs11 billion so far.

The Apna Ghar Programme, launched jointly by the federal government and the SBP, enables eligible first-time homeowners to obtain financing for the purchase, construction or renovation of residential properties.

Separately, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently directed authorities and banks to accelerate application processing under the scheme during a review meeting on its performance.

According to an official statement issued after the meeting, the prime minister said growing participation in the programme reflected increasing public confidence and expressed optimism that continued momentum would help more deserving families achieve home ownership.

He also linked the scheme's progress to broader economic activity, saying increased housing construction would support the construction industry and related sectors.

The prime minister further instructed the Ministry of Housing and the SBP to simplify the loan application form and make the financing process more accessible, while directing banks to speed up approvals of eligible applications.