LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday inaugurated the Punjab Pavilion at the World Urban Forum being held in Baku, Azerbaijan.

During her visit to the Punjab Pavilion and various stalls set up at the Urban Expo, Director General of Punjab Housing and Town Planning Agency (Phata) Zeeshan Sikandar briefed the chief minister on the progress and achievements of the Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar programme, says a handout issued here on Tuesday.

The CM claimed that Punjab’s flagship housing initiative, Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar, had secured a place among the top innovative projects of the world.

She expressed pleasure over the international recognition of the initiative and reviewed affordable housing models and projects being implemented in other developing countries.

Claims province’s flagship housing initiative has secured a place among world’s top innovative projects

The chief minister took a live virtual tour of the housing scheme through interactive digital gadgets and watched a documentary portraying the construction journey and impact of the project on beneficiaries.

She also interacted with staff at the Punjab Pavilion and appreciated their efforts in presenting Punjab’s development initiatives at the global forum.

Speaking to foreign delegates and media representatives, Ms Nawaz highlighted the success of Punjab’s affordable urban housing programme, saying the initiative was very close to her heart and aimed at enabling deserving families to build homes through transparent and non-discriminatory loan distribution.

She said that 600 to 700 houses were being constructed daily under the programme and more than 100,000 houses had been completed within one year.

International delegates, foreign media representatives and guests attending the pavilion praised the chief minister’s vision and welfare-oriented policies after viewing the documentary featuring beneficiaries of the scheme.

The Punjab Pavilion emerged as a major attraction at the World Urban Forum, while international media described the Punjab government’s swift implementation of the housing initiative as a model for other countries.

Published in Dawn, May 20th, 2026