Getting a home loan in Pakistan has become easier under the Prime Minister’s Apna Ghar Programme, as the government has reduced the mandatory property documentation required by banks to just five documents. The move aims to simplify the application process, reduce delays and help more people secure financing to build their own homes.
According to an official spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing and Works, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has issued formal instructions to banks following Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s directives. Under the revised requirements, applicants must submit five essential property documents, including the transfer and possession letter, site plan, mortgage permission letter and mortgage registration documents.
The revised rules establish a standard documentation checklist across participating banks, ensuring that applicants face consistent requirements regardless of their chosen lender. The policy covers various property categories, including leased properties in cantonment areas, properties managed by the Military Estate Office, rural land recorded in land registers, government housing schemes and Evacuee Trust properties. Homes with Green Property Certificates issued by the Punjab government or authorised institutions in other provinces are also eligible for financing.
Earlier this month, a meeting chaired by the Prime Minister was informed that the processing time for applications under the programme had been reduced to 15 working days. The latest documentation reforms are intended to further streamline the process and address complaints from applicants about lengthy paperwork requirements that previously delayed loan approvals.
The Ministry of Housing and Works said the changes would provide significant relief to ordinary citizens, particularly first-time homebuilders, by making the application process more straightforward and accessible.
The Apna Ghar Programme is a nationwide housing finance initiative administered by the Ministry of Housing and Works. It offers loans of up to Rs10 million for home construction. By reducing the paperwork and standardising bank requirements, the government aims to make housing finance more accessible and reduce the administrative burden on applicants.
The simplified process could encourage more families to apply for housing loans while supporting residential construction and economic activity across Pakistan. Further developments regarding housing finance policies and government housing initiatives are expected to shape access to affordable homeownership in the country.
