Islamabad: The government has proposed changes to strengthen the legal process for recovering housing loans, allowing commercial banks to take action against defaulting borrowers after a structured 90-day notice period.
The proposal is part of amendments to the Financial Institutions (Recovery of Finances) Ordinance, 2001, which is currently being reviewed by the National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue.
Under the draft law, banks will issue three separate notices to borrowers who fail to repay their loans. Each notice will provide 30 days, giving a total of 90 days to clear outstanding dues before foreclosure action begins.
If the borrower does not repay after the final notice, banks will be allowed to sell the mortgaged property to recover the loan. Officials said this would only be done after all legal requirements and notice procedures are properly completed.
The proposal faced concerns during a committee meeting in Islamabad on Thursday, chaired by former finance minister Syed Naveed Qamar. Some members warned that the proposed framework could give excessive authority to commercial banks.
Lawmakers said stronger recovery rules are needed to support mortgage lending and improve confidence in the financial system. However, they also stressed that borrower rights and proper legal safeguards must be protected.
After detailed discussions, the committee postponed approval of the bill and asked the Ministry of Housing and Works to submit a revised draft for further review.
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