PM Shehbaz Orders Faster Progress on Apna Ghar Scheme

PM Shehbaz Apna Ghar Scheme

The Prime Minister isn’t waiting for quarterly reports to check on his flagship housing programme. Shehbaz Sharif chaired a review meeting on the Apna Ghar Scheme and told officials directly to speed things up, signaling that progress so far hasn’t matched the government’s own expectations.

What Happened at the Meeting

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a review meeting in Islamabad specifically focused on the progress of the PM Shehbaz Apna Ghar Scheme. During the session, he directed officials concerned to accelerate work on the programme.

He told the meeting that providing shelter to the common man remains one of the government’s top priorities, and reminded officials that the scheme was launched precisely with this purpose in mind.

Three Clear Directives From the Prime Minister

The meeting wasn’t just a general check-in. The PM gave specific instructions on what needs to happen next.

1. Banks Need to Lend More Aggressively

Sharif said public and private banks should provide maximum financing to make the Apna Ghar Scheme successful. This is a direct signal to the banking sector that current lending levels aren’t seen as sufficient given the scale of the housing shortage the scheme is meant to address.

2. A Strategy for Both Vertical and Horizontal Housing

The Prime Minister directed officials to formulate a strategy covering both vertical and horizontal model housing projects under the scheme. This matters because it shows the government isn’t limiting its approach to just one type of development, apartment towers in dense urban areas and individual houses on separate plots both remain part of the plan.

3. Weekly Progress Monitoring

Officials confirmed that the Ministry of Housing and Works and the State Bank of Pakistan are now reviewing the scheme’s progress every week. Weekly oversight at this level indicates the government wants tighter, more frequent accountability rather than periodic check-ins.

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Why This Push Is Happening Now

This directive doesn’t exist in isolation. It follows a string of recent updates showing the scheme has real momentum but is still falling short of its own targets.

The Numbers So Far

According to SBP’s Executive Director of the Islamic Finance Group, Ghulam Muhammad Abbasi, banks have disbursed Rs. 27 billion in housing loans since the scheme launched. As of June 30, 2026, total outstanding housing finance under the programme stood at Rs. 293 billion, benefiting 65,414 borrowers.

Commercial banks account for Rs. 262 billion of that figure, while microfinance banks contributed Rs. 36.1 billion, showing both formal and informal lending channels are participating.

The Gap Between Applications and Approvals

The scheme has received around 107,000 applications so far. Of these, only 27,000 have been approved, while 13,000 were rejected, largely due to loan defaults, poor credit history, or applicants withdrawing partway through the process. The remaining applications are still under review.

Behind Target for 2027

Abbasi himself acknowledged that the pace of disbursement has been slower than expected, with the scheme aiming for 150,000 homes financed by June 2027. This context makes the Prime Minister’s directive easier to understand, it’s a direct response to a programme that’s moving, but not fast enough to hit its own deadline.

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What “Vertical and Horizontal” Actually Means for Applicants

If you’re an applicant or considering applying, this distinction is worth understanding:

• Horizontal housing refers to traditional individual houses built on separate plots of land, the model most commonly associated with schemes like Mera Ghar Mera Ashiana
• Vertical housing refers to apartment-style, multi-story developments that house more families on less land

A combined strategy suggests the government is trying to address housing needs in both dense urban centers, where vertical development makes more sense, and in areas where individual plot-based construction remains more practical.

What This Means If You’re Currently Applying

Increased Bank Pressure Could Mean Faster Processing

If banks respond to the Prime Minister’s directive by genuinely increasing financing activity, applicants currently in the pipeline may see faster movement on their applications, though this depends heavily on individual bank responsiveness.

Weekly Government Oversight Adds Accountability

With the Ministry of Housing and Works and SBP now reviewing progress weekly rather than less frequently, there’s more institutional pressure to identify and fix bottlenecks quickly, which could benefit applicants stuck in slow-moving parts of the process.

The Rejection Rate Is Still a Real Factor

Even with this renewed push for speed, the underlying reasons applications get rejected, loan defaults and poor credit history, haven’t changed. Applicants should still prepare their documentation and credit standing carefully rather than assuming the scheme’s acceleration will loosen approval standards.

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Conclusion

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s direct intervention signals that PM Shehbaz Apna Ghar Scheme, while showing real progress with Rs. 293 billion in outstanding housing finance, isn’t moving fast enough to hit its 150,000-home target by June 2027 comfortably. With banks now under pressure to lend more, a combined vertical-horizontal housing strategy in development, and weekly government oversight in place, applicants may see the pace pick up, but the fundamentals of qualifying for a loan remain unchanged.

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FAQs

What did PM Shehbaz Sharif direct officials to do?
He ordered officials to accelerate work on the Apna Ghar Scheme, directed banks to provide maximum financing, and asked for a strategy covering both vertical and horizontal housing models.

How much housing finance has been disbursed under the scheme so far?
As of June 30, 2026, total outstanding housing finance stood at Rs. 293 billion, benefiting 65,414 borrowers, with Rs. 27 billion disbursed since launch.

Is the scheme on track to meet its target?
Not currently. SBP officials acknowledged the pace has been slower than expected, with the scheme aiming for 150,000 homes financed by June 2027.

How many applications have been rejected under PM Shehbaz Apna Ghar Scheme?
Out of roughly 107,000 applications received, 27,000 have been approved and 13,000 rejected, mainly due to loan defaults or poor credit history.

What’s the difference between vertical and horizontal housing under this scheme?
Horizontal housing refers to individual houses built on separate plots, while vertical housing refers to multi-story apartment developments housing more families on less land.

Who is now monitoring the scheme’s progress?
The Ministry of Housing and Works and the State Bank of Pakistan are reviewing progress on the scheme every week, following the Prime Minister’s directive.

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