Islamabad: The government on Wednesday launched a new housing finance initiative, ‘Mera Ghar – Mera Ashiana’, aimed at expanding access to affordable housing through subsidized long-term loans.
According to details shared by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the scheme offers a markup subsidy and risk-sharing mechanism to make home financing more accessible. It is open to all citizens holding valid CNICs who do not already own a housing unit in their name.
Borrowers will be able to secure financing for the purchase of a house or flat, construction of a house on an owned plot, or for purchasing a plot and constructing a house. The scheme covers houses of up to five marla and apartments up to 1,360 square feet.
Financing will be available through all commercial banks, Islamic banks, microfinance banks, and the House Building Finance Company Limited (HBFCL).
The loan structure is divided into two tiers:
Tier 1: Loans of up to Rs2 million at a fixed end-user rate of 5%
Tier 2: Loans above Rs2 million and up to Rs3.5 million at a fixed end-user rate of 8%
The maximum loan tenor is 20 years, with markup subsidies applicable for the first 10 years. Borrowers will contribute 10% equity, while banks will provide up to 90% financing.
As per SBP, banks will price loans at 1-year KIBOR + 3%, with no processing charges or prepayment penalties. To reduce risks, the government will provide 10% first-loss coverage on the outstanding portfolio.
In a circular issued to Participating Financial Institutions (PFIs), SBP directed banks to publicize the scheme widely and ensure effective systems are in place to prevent misuse. The central bank added that the mechanism for disbursing markup subsidies and credit loss coverage will be communicated separately.
Samra Zulfiqar, a real estate analyst at Zameen.com, is passionate about finding projects that offer buyers the best returns. Her keen insights spotlight the market’s most promising opportunities.
