ISLAMABAD: Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman urged need for making conducive policies to promote flood and climate resilient houses in Pakistan.

She said that recent floods had brought huge devastation in Pakistan destroying millions of houses and causing loss of over Rs 1.2 trillion, therefore, it was very important that government should focus on making new policies to promote environment friendly green houses in country that should reduce floods and climate induced risks.

Addressing inaugural session of 1st International Housing EXPO 22 organised by Ministry of Housing and Works and Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) she said that Pakistan is witnessing growing urbanisation as in future, 60 percent of population would be living in urban areas and it was very important that sustainable urbanisation with better municipal services in cities should be promoted to reduce pressure on urban communities.

Mirza Muhammad Afridi Deputy Chairman Senate said that construction industry stimulates economy and emphasised that State Bank of Pakistan and government should make policies in consultation with private sector to facilitate better growth of this important industry.

Iftikhar Ali Shallwani Federal Secretary Ministry of Housing and Works said that it was responsibility of government to provide affordable housing to people, but it needed help of private sector to achieve this goal.

He said that organising 1st International Housing EXPO 22 in collaboration with ICCI on public-private partnership model is right step in this direction. He hoped that EXPO would be major achievement of Ministry of Housing and ICCI.

Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari President ICCI urged Capital Development Authority to allocate land to ICCI to build housing units, university and hospital for traders and urged for giving permanent representation in CDA Board to resolve issues of business community more effectively. He urged government to fully cooperate with ICCI in establishing new industrial zone in region. Islamabad Citizen Club should be revived urgently and ICCI be given representation in its administration.

Published in The Daily National Courier, December, 09 2022

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