Pakistan’s Burgeoning Housing Needs: Private Sector a Vital Conduit in Bridging the Yawning Shortfall!

M. Fazal Elahi
Seventy long-years have passed since the creation of Pakistan, yet, like many other areas, housing continues to be a gray area and calls for urgent government attention. Provision of Shelter, one of the fundamental and vital human needs, as elsewhere in the developed world, is the primary responsibility of the state. Other vital areas of social significance are health and education which too are primary responsibilities of the state but are in an equally abysmal state in our part of the world. As appropriately enunciated in the International Journal of Sciences: Basic and Applied Research (IJSBAR) (2015) Volume 24, housing is one of the fundamental human rights and an essential component of the right to an acceptable standard of living. Adequate and affordable housing is not only necessary for security and comfort, but is also critical in fostering social cohesion and development of a nation. The housing sector plays a major role in economic growth and stabilization through the creation of job in construction and materials and demand for financial services. The housing and construction industry has the potential of absorbing a large number of skilled and unskilled workforce, significantly mitigating unemployment and, thereby, reducing poverty in the country. Housing construction activity and productivity has been rising in Pakistan in recent years from very low level; still housing sector is in its infancy when compared with other developing and developed countries. IJSBAR Report 2015 furthers states that Pakistan is faced with the challenge of urbanization and inadequate housing due to exodus of population from rural to urban areas since the 1960s. Of the total population of almost 186 million, in the year being reported, the urban population in Pakistan constitutes about 36.2%, and is increasing at a rate of 2.6% per year. This process of rapid urbanization, the report states, has resulted in overcrowding of cities and deterioration of environment. According to the report, housing backlog in the country in 2015 stood at around 9 million units and the then housing conditions were characterized by overcrowding, inadequate sewerage, pollution and poor building construction, which offers no security of tenure or protection from weather extremities. Elaborating further, the report enunciates that in 2008, the yearly estimated housing demand was 570,000 units while the actual supply was only 300,000, leaving a shortfall of 270,000 units per year. This situation, for sure, must have further deteriorated in the successive years and the gap between supply and demand for housing must have substantially increased by now. During the recent years, successive governments did display awareness of the issues pertaining to housing problems in Pakistan. Much, however, is required to be done to grapple with the housing problems in the country effectively. The dismal housing scenario prevalent in the country makes it imperative to unfold the significant contributions the private sector has made and continues to make in alleviating the ever-growing housing problems of the country. To highlight private sector’s contribution towards meeting the housing needs of the country it becomes imperative to make special mention of Bahria Town (BT) Karachi, a gigantic and high profile private land and housing development project that perhaps has no parallel in the history of land and housing development industry in Pakistan. Unambiguously, the projects already developed by Bahria Town in Islamabad and Lahore are commendable, but Bahria Town Karachi crosses all bounds of supremacy. My maiden visit to Bahria Town, Karachi in December 2017 was breathtaking. The moment I entered the precincts of this mega project, I couldn’t but instinctively utter the expression, wow! As a matter of fact, after taking a round of the upcoming gigantic project I couldn’t refrain from admitting that, once built, this great city will, for sure, turn out to be the Dubai of Pakistan. While the political hierarchy and the civil bureaucracy in the country’s economic hub-Karachi are intensely engaged in hobnobbing and political and bureaucratic wrangling, this great city in the making continues to march towards it successful completion at an amazing pace. You just think of it, and it is all briskly coming up in Bahria Town, Karachi. The largest cricket stadium of the country, a gorgeous theme park, the largest Jamia Mosque of Asia, a five star hotel, a high profile hospital of international standard, awe-inspiring shopping malls, houses and apartments of supreme quality, educational institutions of high standards, outclass corporate 🏢 coupled with beautifully laid road network and duly marked streets and lanes makes Bahria Town, Karachi an amalgam of excellence in land and housing development in Pakistan. It wouldn’t be inappropriate to avow that once completed BT, Karachi will become a landmark project not only in the city of Karachi, but in Pakistan as a whole. Looking at an outstanding project like BT, Karachi I am reminded of the popular adage “The man behind the gun always matters”. Chairman Bahria Town, Malik Riaz who has risen to eminence not only for his remarkable business acumen but also for his unparalleled philanthropic endeavors is the key man behind the gigantic land and housing development project of the country-Bahria Town, Karachi. I haven’t known him from Adams; except for his unmatchable accomplishments in the ventures that he is so profoundly engaged in. It would be unfair on one’s part not to eulogize him for the magnificent work that he continues to do, and contribute enormously towards national development by providing top-notch housing facilities to the citizens of this country.