'Government should promote affordable residential schemes'

President Karachi Press Club (KPC) Ahmed Khan Malik on Wednesday stressed upon the government to evolve a comprehensive policy to promote affordable residential schemes to overcome the shortage of 12 million housing units in Pakistan. Addressing at a reception hosted by ABAD in honour of newly-elected office-bearers of Karachi Press Club at ABAD House here, President KPC said that business activities of other allied industries were linked to the progress of construction industry and demanded of the government to avoid evolving cumbersome policies for construction industry to promote affordable housing schemes for the lower strata of the society.
While expressing his gratitude to the ABAD for honouring newly elected body of KPC, he said that ABAD was a vibrant trade body and proved its significance at all forums and assured to give KPC's full support to the ABAD. He also appealed the builders' fraternity to help and guide the members of KPC for the construction of media town at Hawks Bay. Chairman ABAD Arif Yousuf Jeewa said that many of problems regarding construction sector were resolved through active cooperation with media persons and added that ABAD had reserved a certain quota for journalists in its social housing schemes across the country.
He assured the KPC office-bearers that a long term relations between ABAD and KPC would further foster in days to come. Patron-in-Chief Mohsin Sheikhani said that none of the ABAD members was non-taxpayer hence there was a need to recognize ABAD as an association of organized and genuine builders and developers.
Moreover, he said that 90 per cent of ABAD members delivered the projects and admitted that rest of the 10 per cent were earning bad name for the association. He vowed to take action against its members, if their involvement was found in illicit activities. Senior Vice Chairman Fayyaz Ilyas, Vice Chairman Sohail Warind, Joint Secretary KPC Naimat Khan, Treasurer Moosa Kalim, member governing body Saeed Sarbazi and others were also present on this occasion.