MQM invited toJoin federal cabinet: Gilani

This news updete by www.thearynews.com


ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday said the invitation to join federal cabinet has been extended to Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), expressing hope that it would soon answer the government’s invitation positively.

Talking to journalists after the ground breaking ceremony of Low Paid Employees Housing Scheme at the PM Secretariat, he termed the expansion in the federal cabinet as per needs.

The PM revealed that President Asif Ali Zardari bore all the expenses of 220-member delegation that he brought to Saudi Arabia in his recent visit to the country.

Earlier, addressing the ceremony the PM reiterated that the government is committed to provide affordable homes to the poor and the low income groups of society.

He said he had already announced constructing one million housing units for the deprived sections across the country.

The programme Low Paid Employees Housing Scheme would include introduction of 5-marla schemes for shelterless people in the rural areas.

It would include flats and 80-square yard plots for homeless people in the urban and rural areas besides providing a house or an apartment to government employees on or before retirement.

He said the government is taking steps to provide cross subsidies to make housing facilities affordable for low income groups and low paid government employees.

The banking sector and micro credit institutions will also provide mortgage finance on affordable terms to the poorest segment of our society, he added.

He made it clear that the programme will be led by the private sector.

The concerned ministries such as Housing and Works, Finance and FBR have been directed to encourage and facilitate local and foreign builders and provincial governments by providing fiscal, sectoral and regularity incentives.

He said the housing sector has already been reshaped into a full-fledged industry.

This industry, he added, will not only generate employment opportunities but would also be the mainstay for revival of economy as it is linked with the concerned upstream and downstream indigenous industries.

He noted that the Pakistan Housing Authority and other wings of the ministry of Housing and Works have already launched 12 pilot projects at Quetta, Lahore and Islamabad.

Prime Minister Gilani said MoUs have been signed with multinational companies and with UAE, Canada, Germany, USA, Malaysia, China and Egypt to build housing facilities under this programme.

These MoUs will serve as guidelines to bring direct foreign investment to Pakistan, he added.


via news