ISLAMABAD, May 5: The Pakistan Housing Authority (PHA) has revised the prices of apartments built in four major cities under Mera Ghar Housing Scheme, an authority official told Dawn on Sunday.

The Rs4 billion scheme is in doldrums, a source in the housing ministry said, adding that “it could not attract buyers in other cities, except Islamabad, due to high cost of flats.”

The PHA official said the price had been reduced, except in Islamabad, to make the scheme a success and attract buyers. A summary, seeking approval of the revised prices, has been sent to the Federal Cabinet. “The government has agreed to approve the revised cost in principle and, after the cabinet’s approval, the PHA will announce it for the public,” he added.

The Mera Ghar Scheme had been launched by the previous PML(N) government, but after the army took over the reigns of power it was renamed as the PHA Housing Scheme.

Out of the 4,500 flats to be constructed under the scheme, 2000 were to built in Islamabad, 1300 in Karachi, 1500 in Lahore and 200 in Peshawar. Some 50 per cent of the flats have been constructed.

The PHA official said, in Islamabad, 100 per cent apartments had been sold at sectors G-11, G-7, G-8, while 40 per cent were disposed of at sector I-11.

However, the customers’ response remained poor in Karachi and Lahore, where only five per cent flats had been sold so far. The scheme could not give the desired results in Peshawar where some 20 per cent apartments had been purchased, the official added.

However, a source said only 15 flats had been disposed of in Karachi and Lahore each. The PHA, he said, was making contacts with some government and private departments so that the remaining apartments could be sold at once.

“We are hopeful that some departments will purchase these flats for their employees,” the PHA official said. The authority, he said, was also formulating modalities in case these flats were purchased by some government or private departments.