ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Housing and Works Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada on Tuesday highlighted that Pakistan is currently facing a significant housing crisis and reaffirmed the government’s strong commitment to addressing this challenge through comprehensive policy reforms and targeted housing initiatives.

He expressed these views during his meeting with Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, UN-Habitat, Ms Kazuko Ishigaki, who called on the minister at his office.

According to a press release, the minster expressed appreciation for UN-Habitat’s consistent support to Pakistan in the fields of housing and sustainable urban development. He said that Pakistan is currently facing a significant housing crisis.

Press release stated that the minister particularly acknowledged UN-Habitat’s valuable technical inputs in the formulation of the National Housing Policy, 2025 and its continued support during post-flood recovery efforts, especially in strengthening urban, land, and housing policies and infrastructure. He further emphasized that while policy formulation is important, effective implementation remains the key priority for achieving tangible results.

Ms. Kazuko Ishigaki stressed the importance of strengthened strategic planning, effective zoning, and regulatory reforms to enable sustainable, inclusive, and climate-resilient urban development. She noted that the implementation of the UN-Habitat Strategic Plan 2026–2029 is a top priority, with housing identified as a critical foundation for community and national development. She reiterated UN-Habitat’s commitment to providing technical and policy support, including resource mobilization, to advance climate-resilient and affordable housing initiatives in Pakistan.

The Secretary, Ministry of Housing & Works, Captain (Retd.) Muhammad Mehmood, informed the Regional Director that the National Housing Policy is at its final stage of approval, adding that the government intends to place strong emphasis on green building standards and incentive-based frameworks to accelerate growth in the housing and urban development sectors. He highlighted that incentives play a vital role in bridging gaps in affordability and sustainability.

Ms. Ishigaki welcomed this approach and expressed UN-Habitat’s readiness to extend full support for green building initiatives, noting the organization’s decade-long experience in promoting sustainable construction practices to mitigate the environmental impacts of conventional building methods. She reaffirmed UN-Habitat’s commitment to continued collaboration with Pakistan to advance integrated housing solutions that are resilient, affordable, and adequately serviced.

The meeting was attended by Additional Secretary Housing, Deputy Director General (Planning & Policy Wing), and Jawad Ali Khan, Senior Advisor, UN-Habitat, who accompanied Ms. Ishigaki. Concluding the meeting, Ms. Ishigaki warmly invited the Federal Minister to participate in the upcoming UN World Urban Forum, scheduled to be held in May 2026 in Azerbaijan. Both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation and continue close collaboration to promote sustainable urbanization and improve housing outcomes across Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, February 11th, 2026