Farhan Qureshi 
The Punjab housing scheme, Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar, received strong praise from Oman’s Minister of Housing and Urban Planning, Dr Khalfan bin Said bin Mubarak Al Shueili. He met Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif in Muscat, where he described the initiative as superior to Oman’s housing finance model.
Punjab Housing Scheme Earns Praise in Muscat
Dr Al Shueili noted that Oman offers housing grants and loans through the Oman Housing Bank. He said the Punjab approach stands out because its loans are completely free of interest. During the visit, the chief minister also accepted the UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour Award on behalf of the Punjab Housing and Town Planning Agency.
Scale and Progress of the Programme
Maryam Nawaz shared that more than 200,000 people have received loans to build homes over 18 months. Roughly PKR 260 billion in interest-free financing has been disbursed, and over 125,000 families have already moved into their new homes.
The monthly instalment is set at an affordable PKR 14,000, supporting a loan recovery rate above 99 per cent. The provincial government aims to build 500,000 low-income houses over five years, which would extend secure housing to a far wider group of families.
A Model With Wider Regional Appeal
The Omani minister’s interest reflects growing regional attention on Punjab’s welfare policies, which also include Apna Khet, Apna Rozgar, Apni Zameen, Apna Ghar and Apni Chhat, Mehfooz Chhat.
Strong repayment performance and international acknowledgement suggest that interest-free housing finance can work at scale, and sustaining that discipline while expanding construction would keep the programme credible and replicable for other regions.
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