Cabinet okays housing policy, cybersecurity framework

On Monday, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif led a federal cabinet meeting to approve the National Housing Policy 2026 and an action plan for its implementation. The policy emphasizes sustainable, safe, and quality housing for all citizens, as well as adherence to zoning laws and prioritization of vertical construction to optimize land use.

The National Housing Policy was developed by a working group of national and international experts, with input from federal ministries, provincial governments, and development partners. The cabinet also instructed that energy-efficiency codes become a crucial part of the policy, ensuring that new constructions are environmentally friendly and comply with energy-efficiency standards.

During the meeting, the progress of the prime minister's Apna Ghar scheme was reviewed. The scheme has attracted loans worth Rs220 billion from various banks, with more than Rs32 billion already disbursed to successful applicants. Additionally, the cabinet decided to withdraw the notice terminating the 1981 bilateral investment treaty between Pakistan and Sweden, a move endorsed by the Board of Investment.

The Information Technology Ministry presented the draft Pakistan Information Security Framework 2026, known as PISF 2026, for cabinet approval. The framework, developed under the CERT Rules 2023, aims to establish a comprehensive and unified system of baseline information-security standards while maintaining central oversight. The cabinet recognized the framework as an essential guiding document for cybersecurity and directed that its effective implementation be ensured within the specified timeframe.

The cabinet also ratified decisions made at the Cabinet Committee on Energy meeting on July 28, endorsing proposed amendments to the Pakistan Oil Refining Policy 2023. These amendments focus on upgrading oil refineries to better meet the country's energy needs. Decisions from two Economic Coordination Committee meetings held on July 27 and August 4, as well as from the Cabinet Committee on Legislative Cases on July 24, were also ratified during the Monday meeting.