The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has decided to abandon the original vision of the Farash Town Apartments project, which was launched in April 2021 under the leadership of former Prime Minister Imran, aiming to provide affordable living for low and middle-income groups.
Instead, the CDA has renamed the project Nilore Overseas Residencia Phase-I and is planning to sell the 4,000 apartments to wealthy overseas Pakistanis to earn foreign remittances.
The Farash Town Apartments project was originally launched in collaboration with the Naya Pakistan Development Housing Authority (NPDHA).
It was initially planned to provide 2,000 affordable apartments to low and middle-income members of NPDHA, with an additional 400 apartments earmarked for residents of ‘Kachi Abadis.’ The remaining 1,600 apartments were to be sold in the open market by the CDA.
The CDA’s decision to rename the project and sell the apartments to overseas Pakistanis marks a departure from the original concept and spirit behind the initiative. While it’s not unusual for governments to change the names of development schemes after a transition of power, it’s rare for them to abandon an entire project’s purpose.
According to an advertisement in different national newspapers, the CDA is now offering overseas Pakistanis the opportunity to purchase apartments in US dollars. The two-bedroom apartments will be sold on a flexible payment plan, and buyers will be offered special incentives for lump-sum payments.
It remains to be seen how this decision will impact the low and middle-income groups in Pakistan, who were initially supposed to benefit from the project. Nonetheless, this move highlights the growing trend of the incumbent government looking to foreign investment as a means of generating revenue.
However, the President of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Islamabad and former Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on CDA Affairs, Ali Nawaz Awan, criticized the decision, calling it anti-lower and middle-class.
He pointed out that the government had previously launched several housing projects across the country to provide affordable housing for poor people, but these projects were stopped for political reasons.
Awan predicted that overseas Pakistanis would not invest in the project, as they support Imran Khan and want to see the social betterment of the country’s poor people. He accused the government of exploiting marginalized segments of society with its policies.
Attempts to reach CDA Chairman Noor-ul-Amin Mengal for comment were unsuccessful. However, sources revealed that the CDA revised the PC-I of the project in August 2022, changing its scope from affordable housing for low-income groups to high-end apartments for potential buyers at market rates after the ouster of Imran Khan from the PM’s office.
The Frontier Works Organization (FWO) is currently carrying out development work on the site, and it is expected that several apartments will be ready for possession by July of this year.
Via: Nation
I think CDA select from those peoples who already apply in NPHDA ( mera Pakistan mera ghar ).
We must keep in mind that not all overseas are wealthy. Specifically labour workers in middle east looking for affordable residential apartments in Pakistan. Government is also looking for much needed foreign currency. Only thing required is this should be honestly and in a given time. Many others government schemes have not serves the purpose.
پاکستان ایک غریب ملک ہے کوئی امریکہ نہیں جو عوام کو گھر بنا کر دینا شروع کر دے۔ ویسے یہ غریب کے نام پر ہوتے ہوئے بھی حکومتی کارندوں اور تحریک انصاف کے یوتھیوں کو ہی ملنے تھے۔
یہ اچھا فیصلہ ہے کہ یہ فلیٹ ایسے پاکستانیوں کو بیچے جائیں جو اس ملک کو سالانہ تیس ارب ڈالر بھیجتے ہیں۔
اس سے ملک میں مزید فارن کرنسی بھی آئے گی اور جو اس ملک کیلئے قربانی دے رہے ہیں وہ فراڈیوں سے بچ کر ایک فلیٹ کے مالک بھی بن جائیں گے۔