Punjab housing scheme receives UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has been awarded the UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour 2026 in Muscat, Oman, for the province’s ‘Apni Chhat Apna Ghar’ housing program. The initiative, launched in August 2024, focuses on providing affordable housing for low-income families by offering interest-free loans to help eligible residents build homes on land they already own.

According to government reports, the program has disbursed approximately Rs243 billion to Rs260 billion in loans, supporting more than 200,000 houses. While the initial target was 100,000 homes, the Chief Minister stated the goal has been expanded to 500,000 homes within five years. UN-Habitat recognized the project for its use of public financing and digital technology to improve housing access and accountability.

The Scroll of Honour is UN-Habitat’s highest award for contributions to housing and sustainable urban development. This year’s recipients include Maryam Nawaz alongside Htoo Weng of Myanmar, Thiago Baurmann Gubert of Brazil, Abdelmalek Ghanem of Tunisia, and London Mayor Sadiq Khan.