The Supreme Court Wednesday asked the federal and provincial governments to devise a strategy for 10 percent housing quota in governmental and non-governmental residential schemes for vulnerable segment of society. Resuming the hearing of identical petition for provision of shelter to poor people in the country, a two-member bench led by Justice Ejaz Afzal termed provision of shelter a constitutional responsibility of the state.

Appearing before the bench, Additional Attorney General for Pakistan Aamir Rehman submitted that Housing Ministry has issued a notification relating to quota allocation for low income strata in government residential schemes. One of the petitioners, Bilal Minto informed the bench that government has devised a policy after the court verdict in the matter. He urged the bench to constitute a committee to monitor government policy implementation.

The bench issued directives to the authorities concerned to devise a multi-pronged strategy for shelter provision to homeless people of the country. Seeking comprehensive report from Capital Development Authority (CDA) about slums (Katchi Aabadis) in Islamabad the bench adjourned hearing of the case for two weeks.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2016