ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Wednesday said that PTI government’s flagship program of the construction of five million housing units during the next five years would help addressing the issue of shortage of official accommodation.
The government was cognizant of the issues being faced in housing sector especially with regards to the provision of official accommodation to the government employees in the federal capital and the provincial headquarters, he added. The Prime Minister expressed these views while chairing a briefing on the Ministry of Housing and Works here at the PM Office. Minister for Housing and Works Ch. Tariq Bashir Cheema, Secretary Housing Dr. Imran Zeb and senior officials of the Ministry attended the briefing.  Secretary Housing briefed the Prime Minister about the functions of the Ministry and attached departments and organizations including Pakistan Public Works Department (Pak PWD), Estate Office, National Housing Authority, Pakistan Housing Authority Foundation (PHA-F), Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation (FGEHF) and National Construction Limited (NCL).
He also shared the achievements of various organizations with regards to their mandated functions. The Prime Minister was informed that all efforts were being made to ensure complete transparency in the process of allotment of official accommodations while efforts were also afoot to get official accommodations vacated from illegal occupation.  He was informed that currently, the Ministry of Housing was facing a shortfall of 26,724 units at various stations. The Secretary also highlighted various issues relating to Pak PWD and other departments of the Ministry. 
The Prime Minister expressed concern over the under-utilization of human resource and expertise available with various organizations of the Housing Ministry and directed that a comprehensive plan should be prepared to ensure optimum utilization of the available human resource.  Secretary Housing also briefed the Prime Minister about the progress on Naya Pakistan Housing Program. It was informed that an encouraging response was being received from the bidders/companies towards Naya Pakistan Housing Program and 41 bidders/companies have applied and offered land for plots /apartments/ houses in major cities of Pakistan.