Islamabad:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has decided to dissolve Naya Pakistan Housing and Development Authority (Naphda), a flagship project by former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government.

Reliable sources confirmed that Prime Minister Sharif has decided to run the authority, a national building organization responsible for planning, development, construction and management of real estate projects across the country.

In this regard, the contract with Major General (RETD) Amir Aslam Khan, the current Naphda chairman, has not been renewed.

Meanwhile, Captain (Retd) Muhammad Zafar Iqbal has been appointed the acting chairman of the authority. His appointment will be for a period of three months, according to a notification issued by the establishment department.

According to the message, Captain (RETD) IQBAL will have an extra fee as acting chairman either for three months or until a permanent agreement has been made.

Iqbal is a BS-20 officer for the Pakistani administrative service and is currently serving as Director General of the Federal Government-Employed Housing Authority.

The authority had an annual budget of RS400 million, and over the past five years its total budget RS2 billion reached, but it remained output zero, sources added.

Naphda was established on January 15, 2020. The Senate in Pakistan adopted Naya Pakistan Housing and Development Authority Bill in 2019.