Policy Framework and Institutional Arrangements: Case of Affordable Housing Delivery for Low-Income Groups in Punjab, Pakistan

ABSTRACT

Provision of affordable housing for low-income groups is constrained precariously in Punjab, the largest province of Pakistan, because of a complex institutional framework and overlapping roles of government authorities at federal, provincial, and local levels. This article is a reflexive study that covers a broader aspect of the Punjabi Housing system, drawing a framework of current institutional arrangements in practice for affordable housing provision. Although it draws on an institutional analytical framework, the article is grounded in applying structural analysis to the study of public institutions within the housing sector, which provides a much-needed theoretical framework for analyzing housing institutional arrangements under the current dynamic political environment within the country. The study is an effort to fill gaps in the literature in understanding the intricate practices and processes of public housing institutions with overlapping jurisdictions and roles. The article argues for streamlining the federal, provincial, and local governments to provide an enabling environment to deal with affordable housing policy and provision issues by reexamining the respective institutional structures. Some previous studies relevant to housing policies and projects are also reviewed, followed by an empirical analysis of institutional arrangements; finally, ways forward are suggested toward key policy and empirical implications.

KEYWORDS:

• institutional arrangements
• affordable housing
• Punjab
• Pakistan
• low-income groups
• policy framework

Acknowledgments

The author would like to thank the three anonymous international referees for critical comments on an earlier version of this article.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. One marla is equivalent to 225 sq ft.

2. Per the exchange rate of July 2019, 1 USD = 159 Pakistani Rupee (PKR).

3. Urban slums are known as “Katchi Abadis” in the national language of Pakistan (Urdu).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Institute of Postgraduate Studies (IPS), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM, Penang, Malaysia) through Postgraduate Research Attachment (PGRA) against ref. no P-RD0006/18(R).

Notes on contributors

Sana Malik

Sana Malik is currently pursuing doctoral study in the School of Housing, Building & Planning (HBP), Universiti Sains Malaysia. She is on study leave from the University of Management and Technology (HomesPakistan.com), where she was working as Assistant Professor in School of Architecture and Planning. Sana does research in Housing, Urban/Rural Sociology and Architectural design. She has published papers in high-quality journals and presented her work at eminent conferences as well. Her current PhD thesis is focused on institutional stakeholder collaborations for low-income housing provision in the case of Pakistan.

Ruhizal Roosli

Dr. Ruhizal Roosli is a senior lecturer at the School of Housing, Building and Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). He has worked in the private sector as well as non-profit charity organizations, completing numerous successful projects. His research focuses on how people have, are and will produce a better settlement in normal and emergency situations. The main current research areas are Housing Studies, Property Development, and Disaster Management and Post-Disaster Reconstruction.

Fariha Tariq

Dr. Fariha Tariq was awarded a Fulbright scholarship for a PhD from North Carolina State University. She has received a Bachelors in City and Regional Planning and a Masters in Architecture from the University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore. She focuses her interests on methodologies of settlement design and housing in the Third World. She is working with the Affordable Housing Institute (AHI) in Boston on low-cost housing projects in disaster-prone areas. She has served as a researcher for United Nations-Habitat, and for the Planning Wing, CDA, Islamabad. Much of her work is documented in publications. She has attended and presented at various U.S. and international conferences.

Nor’aini Yusof

Professor Nor’aini Yusof joined USM in 1991. Her research interests are real estate development and management, innovation and sustainable practices in the built environment. She supervises master’s and PhD students. She has published in refereed national and international journals, and regularly reviews technical papers for many reputable journals.