ISLAMABAD – The federal government has simplified the Prime Minister’s Apna Ghar Scheme by reducing the housing finance application processing time to 15 working days and cutting the documentation requirement from 25 documents to just five.
The decision was announced during a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to review financing facilities for housing, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and the agricultural sector.
The meeting was attended by federal ministers, the prime minister’s advisers, senior officials, and chief executive officers of several banks. Participants reviewed lending performance and discussed measures to improve access to financing across the three priority sectors.
Rs448 Billion in Housing Loans Approved
Officials informed the meeting that 75,198 housing loans worth Rs448 billion had been approved under the Apna Ghar Scheme. Of these, Rs76 billion had been disbursed to approximately 14,000 beneficiaries.
For the current year, the government has set a target of providing Rs700 billion in housing finance to support the development of 125,000 residential units.
To facilitate applicants, the authorities have shortened the application processing period to 15 working days and reduced the required documentation from 25 documents to five.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also directed officials to further simplify the application process and improve access to clear property title documents required for housing finance.
Agricultural and SME Financing Expanded
The meeting was also briefed on lending progress in the agricultural and SME sectors.
Agricultural financing has reached Rs1,352 billion, benefiting approximately 3.455 million people. By June 2027, the government aims to increase total agricultural lending to Rs1,500 billion and expand the number of beneficiaries to 4.5 million.
In the SME sector, loans worth Rs1,137 billion have been provided to more than 352,000 business owners. The government has set a target of increasing SME financing to Rs1,500 billion and expanding the number of businesses receiving loans to 575,000 by June 2027.
Officials also discussed proposed revisions to SME regulations and measures to make housing finance procedures more accessible.
PM Calls for Easier Access to Housing Finance
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif emphasized that timely financing for housing, agriculture, and small businesses was essential for strengthening economic activity and supporting growth.
He appreciated banks actively contributing to these sectors and urged financial institutions with weaker lending performance to improve their efforts.
The prime minister directed the relevant ministries, government secretaries, and the State Bank of Pakistan to consult stakeholders and submit recommendations by the end of the month to improve the effectiveness of existing financing schemes.
He also instructed the committee working on developer financing to finalize its recommendations promptly.
Government Plans Public-Private Partnership for Agricultural Storage
The prime minister directed officials to explore the operation of inactive PASSCO warehouses and silos through a public-private partnership model.
The initiative aims to expand agricultural storage capacity and help farmers store their produce safely.
He also appreciated Allied Bank’s model of providing loans against stored grain and establishing grain storage facilities, directing officials to explore opportunities to expand the approach through greater private-sector participation.
The prime minister further welcomed the bank’s investment plan for a proposed SME park.
What the Changes Mean for Homebuyers
Reducing the documentation requirement and setting a 15-working-day processing period could make the Apna Ghar Scheme more accessible to eligible applicants seeking housing finance.
However, applicants should confirm the current eligibility criteria, financing limits, repayment terms, and required documents with the relevant participating bank before applying.
The government’s latest directives aim to simplify housing finance procedures and improve access to loans while supporting residential development and broader economic activity.
