Over 7,00,000 population homeless in urban Balochistan: Kakar
Staff Reporter :
QUETTA: In urban centers of Balochistan, 7,41,765 people are homeless. This population in cities of Balochistan is in desperate need of shelter, Latif Kakar, the Secretary Urban Planning and Development Department told the daily Quetta Voice.
Most of the homeless people belong to Quetta, the provincial capital, he informed. Chief Minister Balochistan, Jam Kamal Khan has directed the department to prepare a housing policy to provide shelter to the homeless. “Over 1,00,000 houses need to constructed to provide shelter to the homeless people”, Latif Kakar mentioned.
3,118-acre land required for construction of houses
However, the Urban Planning department needs 3,118 acre land for the construction of houses. Chief Secretary Balochistan Captain (R) Fazeel Asghar has also taken a keen interest and directed the department to expedite efforts to finalize draft policy in this regard.
Official land needs to traced out and acquired on district and divisional level to ensure the construction of houses for the homeless people in the province, the Urban Development has recommended in a summary to the provincial high ups. A comprehensive housing information system should also be established to collect housing data, landmarks, migration, influx, demand, and supply.
Strategy and Action Plan
The Balochistan government’s priority is to undertake a low cost and affordable housing projects in all urban centers, preferably at all divisional and district headquarters. Under the proposed policy/ draft, the revenue department would be asked to lease-out and allot state land to the Urban Planning Development Department for the purpose of housing schemes.
Mr. Kakar thus mentioned that public-private partnerships would be encouraged to make this proposed project for the welfare of the marginalized and homeless of society a success. He, however, warned the number of homeless people would continue it increase if practical measures were not adopted to launch housing schemes for them in urban centers of the province.
