Bilawal Calls Sindh Housing Initiative World’s Largest Project

KARACHI: (Our Correspondent) – Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said his party entered politics to serve the people rather than exercise power, stressing that governments should prioritise public welfare over political interests.

Addressing a ceremony marking the completion of one million houses under the Sindh Peoples Housing for Flood Rehabilitation project, Bilawal said the Sindh government had made history by completing what he described as the world’s largest housing initiative.

He said Pakistan and the international community were facing economic challenges, making the provision of secure homes particularly important for families struggling with inflation and unemployment.

Bilawal said the project was not limited to constructing houses but aimed to empower people by giving them ownership rights. He described it as one of the largest land-transfer initiatives, adding that families who previously had no property ownership had now become homeowners.

He particularly highlighted the project’s focus on women’s empowerment, saying houses had been registered in the names of women and female beneficiaries had also been provided with bank accounts. According to him, the initiative would not only provide shelter but also create livelihood opportunities for millions of people.

The PPP chairman said some politicians talked about resetting the wealthy class, whereas he believed the priority should be to improve the conditions of poor people. He maintained that Pakistan could progress if government policies focused on the needs of ordinary citizens rather than serving the interests of business and affluent groups.

He added that people expected political parties to address their problems instead of becoming embroiled in political confrontations.

Recalling the devastation caused by floods in Sindh and Balochistan, Bilawal said large parts of the two provinces had been submerged, and an aerial survey at the time had given the impression that they were flying over an ocean. He said the government had promised affected families that they would be provided with houses.

According to Bilawal, the Sindh government had completed one million houses within three years and was committed to constructing another one million. He said the PPP had also wanted to extend the housing initiative to flood-affected people in Balochistan, but the federal government had taken responsibility for the province while Sindh was assigned to the provincial government.

Comparing the progress, Bilawal claimed that the federal government had constructed 30,000 houses in Balochistan over three years, while the Sindh government had completed one million homes during the same period.

He also criticised what he described as attempts to malign the Sindh government over allegations of corruption. Challenging those who monitor corruption to examine the project, he asked the Sindh chief minister to invite relevant oversight bodies to inspect its implementation, insisting that no corruption had taken place in the housing initiative.

Bilawal further said the 2023 floods had severely damaged educational institutions across Sindh, forcing the province to repeatedly face cycles of destruction and reconstruction. He linked the province’s low literacy rate and large number of out-of-school children to the recurring crises caused by natural disasters.

The PPP chairman thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for supporting Sindh, contrasting his cooperation with that of the previous prime minister, whom he accused of providing no financial assistance to the province during the floods and effectively treating Sindh as if it were not part of the country.

Bilawal also disclosed that he had recently met the prime minister and his team, during which both sides agreed to improve coordination and ensure that federal and provincial governments fulfilled their respective responsibilities.

Reiterating his party’s political philosophy, Bilawal said the PPP had entered politics to serve people, not rule over them. He expressed hope that political leaders in Islamabad would also focus on public service rather than treating governance as an exercise in authority.