Reviewing National Housing Policy Of Pakistan | Problem Identifications & Recommendations

Abstract

The biggest reason for increasing urbanization is the housing backlog which is common globally. Due to the massive rural migration to the urban cities, there is a lack of advanced technologies in those sectors. According to the 2011 census of Pakistan, urbanization level reached up to 36.2. Moreover, against the population of 186 million, there were 21.7 million houses.  Comparing Pakistan with other countries, it is still developing. Furthermore, Pakistan does have many loopholes and gaps when it comes to the effective implementation of laws and policies to strengthen the housing sector. Hence, this paper is to explore the National Housing Policy of Pakistan established in 2001 and find out the possible recommendations that can help enhance and improve the housing sector of Pakistan.

Introduction

An adequate standard of living for basic human rights and a vital module is ‘Housing’. Also, Housing is not only important for safety or comfort but it is also necessary for development and encouraging social unity of a country. For economic growth and stabilization, the housing sector plays a vital role. As it can provide job opportunities in the construction and material market and can also demand fiscal facilities. To reduce poverty in the country, the housing and industrial sector has a significant potential to alleviate joblessness by providing skills to unskilled (Abrams, 1965).

Pakistan got its first housing policy after 55 years of publishing, unlike any other developed country which was projected in 2001. Besides, Pakistan is facing a major issue in managing the housing sector as there is a high rate of population growth and a shortfall in housing. According to the 2017 census, there is a 4 million annual increase in the population of Pakistan. In 2017, the population was 207.8 million in Pakistan which means increasing from 132.4 million from 1998 (Wazir & Goujon, 2019).

As per the 1998 census, there was a housing backlog of 4.3 million units as there were a total of 19.3 million housing units of which 32.3% were in urban areas and 67.7% in rural areas. Whereas in the 2017 census, the housing backlog was increased to 9 million in which there were a total of 19,211,738 housing units. As recorded, Pakistan will be under the most populated countries by 2050 as 50% of the urban population lives in slums/squatters/kachi abadis (Salman et al., 2018).

As of now, Pakistan holds the National Housing Policy (NHP) 2001, which centers around fundamental prerequisites of delivering a valuable climate to revitalize and accelerate the housing sector. The strategy means to move the innovative thoughts and their execution to ensure livable and satisfactory housing for every one of its residents. This arrangement plans to perceive pieces of land, be it state land or private land, in rural and metropolitan zones to create it for the housing sector (Salman et al., 2018). Their strategy was to improve housing construction and develop a system of housing finance for land and house purchasing including community participation. They even strategize to upgrade infrastructure, create job opportunities, and affordable housing programs, giving more attention to the cities and towns that require less investment but only to the existing planned towns and cities (National Housing Policy, 2001). 

Recommendations

The strategy was to compensate for the additional and to meet the shortage in the following twenty years. However, to do so; it specifies that the general housing creation was to be raised to 500,000 housing units every year. The foundations of the strategy were to make reasonable housing, particularly for the middle and low-pay groups. To guarantee the improvement of housing for poor people and for the dominant part rural population using various incentives like free land, cross-subsidy, and allowance.

Lands

Land being the most important principal for housing is based on three components identification, allocation, and servicing in the process of housing supply. Whereas in NHP (2001), policy measure of lands includes

• Firstly the land availability to develop a 5-to-10-year development plan through land banking.
• Secondly, to minimize lawsuits and provision for unified, transparent, and market-oriented systems and procedures to be introduced by removing and amending the land acquisition law. For that modern technology is used to get land information systems to record and update the availability of land in urban and rural zones. Due to the lack of formal and registered social contracts, complications and the existence of land mafias also thrived and for that informal tenure system was to be rationalized.
• Lastly, the land disposal system was categorized to dispose of the land through an open auction on affordable rates except for low-income groups areas or any commercially marked zone.

Issues

There are no formal and customary tenure systems that can otherwise help in forming a rationalized kind of formal and registered social contract. The needs of the state and preferences of house owners and communities are not met because the government fails to simultaneously incorporate such contracts into its systems which are in turn not maintained either. There are many parallel systems of land registrations and allotments due to false promises, and collateral assurances which in turn have given rise to land mafia and incorrect land issuance issues which have extensively collapsed the system. Until this date we have failed to form proper systems which can help to maintain records of primary ownership of land, continuing to the ownerships follows.

Solutions

• From the very initial stage, when the land for housing is being determined all kinds of requirements should be kept in mind including low-cost housing and affordable land availability for low-income communities.
• The process of buying and selling land should be transparent and convincing for people related to every class.
• Since land is the most critical part of the housing sector, it is basic that an extensive viewpoint is produced for the land conveyance framework at public, common, local, and neighborhood levels with viable coordination among different Government offices, advancement offices, and different bodies or more all the private area.

Housing Finance

In order to promote housing as a source of socioeconomic growth in the country the government has taken a strong step by placing “Housing and Construction” on the priority list in category C list. Unfortunately, the government can’t cope with the backlog in the housing sector. Due to this problem, they have determined ways of housing finance through different government and private sectors such as banks, insurance companies, and other financial institutions. They have also formulated laws for easing taxes and encouraging land and home ownership.

Issues

Even though laws have been formulated and determined by the government unfortunately they have failed to implement these laws in order. Many influential people don’t pay their taxes as per requirements and they have invested all the black money in properties, which in turn does not benefit the economy at all. On the other hand, the less fortunate people can’t get a hand on these properties because there is no other financial support for them except for their monthly wages, and since no price control authorities are available, the land prices are increasing rapidly.

Solutions

Only making the laws for one, doesn’t resolve these issues at all. What can be recommended is that,

• There should be a price controlling committee available which should be working according to the laws. They should determine to what extent and value a price of some particular land can be increased.
• White money transactions and paying of taxes should not be the vulnerability of the less fortunate only, it should be equal for everyone.
• Small loans should be provided to people with low incomes, on very minimal terms and conditions and at the same time their recovery methods should also be very precisely beneficial for the funding institution as well as the loanee.

Construction Sector

Apart from housing finance and land acquittance, one more critical element for the growth of the housing sector is the construction sector itself. The strength and quality of construction determine the economic strength at home. Secondly, the development of the construction sector could be the major source of revenue generation through the export of this sector’s services. The foremost and important step taken to promote construction by the government is to provide ease in taxes and duties related to its services. The promotion of local contractors and builders through proper planning and policies should be equally treated and respected like those of international contractors and builders.

Issues

The problem with the construction industry is that there is no white money transaction in this sector. Mostly the taxes are not paid and no proper channel is generated for this sector. Moreover, the contractors are not educated and have no clue of how the system should work what demands are suitable for them, and what not. There are institutes present for the proper implementation of the verdict and constitutions which are passed after the acceptance of the Pakistan Engineering Council for contracts to be made up more authentic and considerable. Unfortunately, these standards are misused and misunderstood.

Solutions

• Ease should be provided in the construction industry in terms of taxes and price inflations of materials and land.
• Direct purchase of materials through the companies should be made possible as for to avoid any illegal money transactions.
• Service and other taxes should be minimal and considerable as for is important for this sector since it contributes majorly towards the economy of Pakistan.
• Institutes that are already present should be held accountable for any false act being performed and if more institutes are needed should be formed to make sure the process of construction and all its services are carried out according to the requirements and needs of this industry and people related to it.

Kachi Abadi’s, Slums & Squatters

The mushroom development of ghettos and katchi abadis in metropolitan zones is the result of extraordinary population development, quick urbanization, and a huge scope flood of migrants captivating unapproved violations on metropolitan spaces particularly state land including key, risky zones in and around stream beds, adjoining on nallas, close to railroad tracks and so forth.

However, they were supposed to be relocated to appropriate places by Land Owning Agencies (LOA). Strict development measures were to be taken in the urban areas to discourage forming new katchi abadis and there was supposed to be no eviction until they were relocated according to the resettlement plan. Plans were supposed to be on a self-finance basis in which infrastructure and services were on an incremental basis depending on residents’ needs to make it cost-effective and affordable. For low-income people, there were supposed to be plots in Government housing schemes at reasonable and affordable prices and to develop low housing schemes by private authorities. To avoid relocation and resettlement of slums/katchi abadis they proposed the concept of mixed-use development with incentive packages in city dwellings and structures. Whereas, incentive packages included offering prime locations to the commercial developers and relocating the slums/squatters/katchi abadis from those areas.

Issues

In the past 19 years, a lot of schemes were introduced for low-income groups just as the Ashiana housing scheme designed specifically for those who couldn’t afford expensive living but to enhance their living standards it was developed. But the results were different from what was planned for those low-income groups who couldn’t afford it because of its high maintenance and expenses which they couldn’t bear so it ended up being developed by middle-class people.

Similarly, the proposal of offering prime locations where slums were settled, to the commercial developers wasn’t the best idea as they were unable to relocate them to any other proper area rather they ended up settling on vacant lands found on the sides of Nallas, river beds or waste disposal land.

Solutions

• Thus, to ensure transparent and clear housing transactions due to the increased need for housing supply, the housing sector should be driven by the government itself instead of handling it to the private sector and the investors.
• Options such as mortgage programs, equity loans, and shared ownership should be introduced so that people can get a hold of their housing units, for ownership purposes.
• The housing authorities should develop more towns on the peripheries of the city with low-priced lands, which will accommodate and attract people who can’t afford land within the center of the city. Still, these areas should be equipped with all the necessities needed for settlements to make homes and should be provided by the government.
• Above all the government should build a cell that makes sure that these laws and implications are not objected to by any external force and it should help to eradicate corruption and discrepancies.

Planning, Zoning & Building Regulations

As there were no confirmed aims to lead the city organizers and different experts, the building and zoning guidelines which were obsolete couldn’t be refreshed and aligned with the real factors on the ground. The improvement of ghettos, katchi abadis, and squatter settlements was straightforwardly connected with the absence of plans and their usage on a long-term basis.

First and foremost, the policy was to develop master plans/structural plans/outline development plans for urban and rural areas. The plan was supposed to cater to low-income housing needs on an incremental basis.  The relocation and resettlement plan of slums/squatters/katchi abadis was supposed to be an integral part of the plan with the concept of promoting integrated development. Also, the Development of infrastructure and amenities funding was to be for planned areas. Building regulations, building by-laws, and planning standards for the upgradation, resettlement, and relocation of slums/katchi abadis were supposed to be revised, to lower the planning standards and make them cost-effective.

Issues

Coming this far, there have been no such plans that are for the development of katchi abadis/slums/squatters. Because city centers or urban areas are also lacking those plans. Before coming to the poor there is always a plan to resettle the urban centers which incorporate either traffic problems or infrastructural amenities.

Solutions

• There should be a policy in which the buildings that are abandoned or underutilized due to any circumstances should be used for the relocation or resettling of slums/squatters/katchi abadis.
• This can include factories, industrial zones, or any barren site that cannot be used for any other purpose.
• Instead of keeping that building abandoned it can work for the betterment of the poor population and it will require less financial budget and time for the settlement.
• Not every area has to be a commercial hub it can also work as a social housing in which they can generate their economy through mixed activities and live there. The entire space will have its living, work, and socializing aspects.   

BUILDING MATERIALS, CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT:  

Building Materials, Construction Technology & Research Development

Mainly the cost of the development depends 60% to 70 % on the materials rather than land or infrastructure so it turned out to be one of the major aspects. Building components such as; windows, doors, fittings, roof systems, and fixtures were to be standardized to make it cost-effective and affordable for low-housing groups and to manufacture materials and components locally. Whereas they planned to approach the use of traditional and indigenous materials with new modernized construction techniques. There were supposed to be up-gradation programs for modern skills and research development in building construction to make it cost-effective and technology-based housing instead of conventional techniques.

Issues

Since there has been no improvement or advancement in the construction techniques and building materials, there is a lack of skill set and quality of the end product seen in the building construction. Globally, there is a lot to learn from their strategies, from eco-friendly to sustainable construction, from green spaces to environmentally friendly materials and constructions. There is much more to go as there are no modern construction techniques and sustainability factors and research in our buildings making it costly especially for poor people. 

Solutions

• Keeping in view the significance of building materials, development innovation, and proper examination to cut down the general expense of developments inside the range of every person, the accompanying arrangement measures are suggested for usage.
• All the building materials ranging from grey to finish should be standardized so that they can be made in bulk quantity which will in turn make it cost-effective and available for everyone.
• The research and development part should be integrated into institutes and should be funded by the government so that cost-effective greenhouse materials can be built which will help save the environment as well.
• Use of native materials, and training of local talent through research and development should be encouraged.

Low Income, Low Cost & Rural Housing

Land was to be provided with the collaboration of a provisional department, to the private sector and builders on discounted rates for rural population and low-income groups. Taxes were to be exempted on plots which were having an area of 1000 sq. ft. for 5 years. They planned to make the construction of such houses cost-effective and affordable through designing and planning by housing loan agencies. Microlearning facilities and micro-financing systems were supposed to be extended for rural housing and construction. They planned to develop construction clinics that would guide and suggest durable and environment-friendly construction.

Issues

Lands within the city that are entirely developed and overpopulated cannot be affordable for the poor people which is why there is overcrowding in one city. The low housing plan will not accommodate the slums/katchi abadis as they do not have any strong way of earning. Ultimately, they will return to the slums just like the current situation in cities where 50% of the population lives under poor conditions. People living in slums won’t be able to pay those loans which these policies reflect above and they will end up living in the same condition.

Solutions

• Provincial authorities need to realign the housing advancement structure in every city by improving structure guidelines and drafting standing rules to help high-density, skyscraper, and mixed-use land designs.
• Streamlining long endorsement and authoritative strategies and presenting waivers of endorsement expenses for low-pay groups is expected to forestall the managerial cycle being an obstruction of the section.
• Terms and conditions that make theoretical exchanging difficult and unrewarding should be created.

Infrastructure Development

In planned areas, federal and provisional funding was supposed to be available with the provision of trunk infrastructure provided by the utility agencies without any additional charges. Approval was only given to those areas which had an implementation of the technical and environmental capability of infrastructure. Planning of all infrastructures and services was to be according to the “National Building Code of Pakistan” and “National Reference Manual on Planning and Infrastructure Standards”.    

Issues

The above-mentioned is the development of a plan only for the planned areas and for slums/katchi abadis they mentioned upgrading and resettling them for their up-gradation but did not include the infrastructure development in those plans which is highly required in such areas. Further, they majorly lack infrastructure and all the basic services in such areas. They prefer living on the sides of river beds because the one necessity is the availability of water. Similarly, they are located in most prime areas of the city because of the nearby facilities, and especially living in city centers they can get jobs easily.

Solutions

• New towns and urban community centers being developed, should be laid around to vertical extension and horizontal spread should be avoided.
• Mixed-use development should be guaranteed in these new areas. These measures will bring about expanded thickness, so more families can be obliged to utilize less space.
• Alongside the development of new areas, the service of housing ought to likewise service existing housing stock, for example, ghettos, slums, and katchi abadis.
• Along these lines, the government can create more decent housing units by using less resources.

Development Of Intermediate & Secondary Towns

For the advancement of satellite, intermediate, secondary, and industrial towns, a countrywide program was supposed to be embraced as a work focus of the future. Exceptionally, for the poor public and to additionally decrease migration to urban areas. Incentive packages were to be set up by the common Governments, advancement organizations, and different bodies worried for nearby and global entrepreneurs, designers, and constructors to embrace the improvement of intermediate, secondary, satellite, and modern towns.

Issues

The problem with the development of intermediate and secondary towns is the lack of government interest in them. Private investors and builders tend to eradicate the area for their benefits which eventually force the people living in that area to migrate to more developed cities to find livelihood and living. This in turn builds up more pressure on these cities to generate more financial outcomes more job opportunities and less law order which becomes difficult to implement. Although people living in these underdeveloped towns are very talented, even their women. Due to the absence of awareness and education, they fail to enlighten others with who they can provide benefits.

Solutions

• The most important and immediate requirement for the development of intermediate and secondary towns is to provide them with the necessities of life like roads, proper infrastructure, proper institutes, electricity, etc.
• Many local and international NGOs are working on this case already, which is a plus point for the government since they have all the stats needed to start this process.
• Instead of forming notable junctions in some limited selected cities, the government should be involved equally in the betterment and development of these towns.
• They don’t have any road system, no education system, and no proper clean drinking water systems.
• If the government is not capable of doing it on its very own then it should be done through some private investors or NGOs involving the World Bank, US Aid, etc.

 WOMEN IN HOUSING AND COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION:

Women In Housing & Community Participation

In the development of housing and certifying that a healthy livable environment is created, the role of community is very important and serious. Especially the development of low-cost housing schemes and similar projects have been failures in the past and those who did not find the new developments agreeable in meeting their necessities were all due to lack of involvement of the communities. Hence, the policy was generated in which women were to be given equal rights to resources, technology, economic, and decision-making procedures which includes participation in housing activities and policies for affordable housing through awareness campaigns.  

Issues

In Pakistan, mostly man is considered as the decision maker of the houses or in any important matter. This policy should not only include the rights of women in participation but the community as a whole should have participation in the housing or any developmental process. Implementing or relocating communities is a very sensitive topic for the people so it would better work when there is a collaboration between the government, stakeholders, and the community leaders.

Solutions

• Government and local bodies including social working organizations and international NGOs should promote the existence of women’s role in the community, to contribute towards the housing sector.
• Seminars should be held on local and community levels in order to encourage women to participate in the development of the housing sector.
• It is to be understood that a successful community is formed by the contributions and sacrifices of both men and women
• Hence, women’s empowerment for the betterment of the housing sector has to be increased.

Institutional & Legal Framework

The present institutional scheme of the housing division is disjointed, overlying, irreconcilably funded, and deficiencies clearly defined roles and lines of responsibility. To improve the housing policy and measures efficiently, in a planned and clear manner, it’s required that the role of the Federal and Provincial Governments, Development Agencies, and City and District Governments be definite within an institutional framework. According to the lawful provisions, the Federal and provincial councils have coexisting capability to legislate inter alia in esteem of housing, local planning, and urban and rural growth. Housing may be an area people affair where end users are both the contributors and stakeholders for all kinds of housing activities. The role of the government in urban and rural areas is paramount in enabling, promoting, and facilitating the supply of housing to all or any segments of the population within their respective authorities.

Issues

The problem with the existing institutional framework is the lack of competency and experience among the stakeholders of the people related to the housing sector. Provincial and Federal governments themselves conflict with each other causing problems for the people using their services. Building bylaws and building standards can be violated by a very small amount of bribe which has been trending for a very long time and the lack of inexperience and incompetency of the employees. Due to these reasons, people fail to have trust in these institutions and hence the major affected is the housing sector.

Solutions

• A proper check and balance has to be kept in all existing and new institutional frameworks.
• Existing institutes have to be legalized, authorized and systemized.
• Actions should be taken to eliminate blackmail and false actions.
• First of all the existing framework has to be set in order so that its purpose can be served and people can have trust in it again.
• The provincial and federal governments themselves should oversee and watch over these institutes, to make sure that they are following correct rules of conduct.
• Instead of forming so many institutes for every city, there should be one central institute having the same building bylaws and having city offices.
• This will help in centralizing and controlling all the building laws and will also promote the idea of the housing sector.

References

Abrams, C. (1965). Man’s Struggle for Shelter in an Urbanizing World. Journal of Historical Research in Music Education, 22(1), 99–101. https://www.jstor.org/stable/25611852?read-now=1&seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

National Housing Policy. (2001).

Salman, M., Tariq, F., Hassan, J., Zafar, Z., Malik, S., Gul, A., Nawaz, M., & Sheikh, N. B. (2018). Appraisal of National Housing Policy – A Case of Pakistan. Technical Journal, University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Taxila, Pakistan, 23(3), 1–8.

Wazir, M. A., & Goujon, A. (2019). Assessing the 2017 Census of Pakistan Using Demographic Analysis: A Sub-National Perspective. Vienna Institute of Demography Austrian Academy of Science, April, 0–43. www.oeaw.ac.at/vid