Talking to Business Recorder, he said that ABAD has started working on low cost housing and the development of Katchi Abadi in 2011-12 to meet the growing demand of shelters at affordable price and sent a proposal to the then government, which was later taken by PML-N government in 2013 with an announcement to construct 0.5 million affordable houses.
However, the PML-N government failed to materialize the proposal as the housing sector was transferred to the provinces after 18th Amendment, he said and added that the provinces especially Punjab government was reluctant to implement the proposal, due to its much controversial Aashiyana Housing Scheme.
"Later the proposal of one million low cost houses has been forwarded to PTI leaderships and after six months deliberations, the Prime Minister Imran Khan has announced to build 5 million affordable houses in next five years during his visit to ABAD house before general elections 2018."
Since then, no government official or PTI leadership has approached ABAD for this project in addition ABAD was also not invited to a meeting on NLCHS convened by the premier on last Monday, Jeewa added.
He said that the flattering hope of low income group under NLCHS could only be materialized if the participation of private sector in this project was ensured.
"We have to wait and see during 100-day government plan and afterward ABAD will independently launch its affordable housing scheme if the private sector was not taken on board in NLCHS".
He said that ABAD would not go to the government until they were invited for NLCHS and this project would meet the same fate like Aashiyana Housing Scheme without the participation of private sector as no government scheme was successful for last couple of decades.
Replying to a question, he said that NLCHS could only be viable, if tax relief would be allowed on steel and cement; withdrawal of Regulatory Duty (RD) on construction materials, ensure provision of infrastructure development and provide housing finance at 4 percent or less markup.
He also advised the PTI government to implement the proposal of ABAD for affordable housing instead of evolving afresh.
Talking about the proposal on low cost housing, he said that ABAD had suggested the price of affordable house at Rs.2.1 million, of which, 25 percent shall be paid by the purchaser while rest of the 75 percent shall be financed by the HBFCL or any commercial bank at 4 percent markup for 20 years.
Having frenzied behavior to serve for the nation and the community, Arif said that ABAD is not aimed at getting mileage through NLCHS but to serve for the country under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) hence we have no issue to work with any foreign expert for this mega scheme.
Moreover, he said that World Bank (WB) was showing interest in ABAD's affordable housing scheme hence its senior commercial officer was visiting ABAD house on September 5 (today).