ISLAMABAD, April 13: The minister for housing and works, Abbas Sarfraz Khan, has asked the provincial governments to make necessary amendments in the relevant laws to implement the National Housing Policy (NHP), approved by the Federal Cabinet to provide low-cost housing to the poor of Pakistan.

He said this presiding over a meeting to review the implementation status of the NHP at Peshawar, with chief secretary and other departments concerned.

The minister said the housing sector was neglected in past, but the present government had decided to boost this sector by giving incentives.

He said that old land acquisition procedures and land revenue record system should be modernized, and stressed the need for a land information system for both rural and urban areas.

He said that a master plan would also be formulated in this respect.

The minister said that the provincial governments had been asked to construct low-cost housing, as the government was determined to improve the life standard of the poor, and that the housing policy was a part of its plan to provide basic facilities at the doorsteps.—APP