The National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) on Monday opened its doors to citizens applying for a house under the first phase of the Naya Pakistan Housing Programme (NPHP) initiated by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government, DawnNewsTV reported.

So far, Nadra is accepting forms at select centres in seven districts: Sukkur, Quetta, Gilgit, Muzaffarabad, Swat, Islamabad and Faisalabad.

According to Nadra's website, candidates can submit forms until Dec 21. The centres where forms can be submitted will be open on Saturday and Sunday as well.

Candidates will be required to submit Rs250 along with the form, and can also submit a photocopy of the form, provided that they have provided "complete and clear information".

Only one person per family will be eligible to apply for the scheme, and preference will be given to candidates who do not own property in Pakistan.

The initiative was launched by Prime Minister Imran Khan earlier this month where he had announced that five million affordable houses would be constructed over a period of five years for low-income segments of society.

He had disclosed that a 60-day pilot project would commence from today in coordination with Nadra in seven districts to assess the demand and payment capacity for affordable houses.

PM Khan had said that the housing programme would bring long-due prosperity to the country, adding that at least 40 other industries connecting to the housing industry would be set in motion as soon as construction for the project started in urban as well as rural areas.

"The target of this [plan] is the common man, who could not even think about owning a house," he had said.