Construction without Real Estate Development

Real estate development in Pakistan suffers from a bad reputation, both in policy circles and in the public. Detractors frequently claim that investing in real estate is unproductive and should be discouraged. Officials often put forward unsubstantiated claims that the real estate business is riddled with illegal activity of all sorts. However, when one looks back at Pakistan's foray into real estate development activity from the date of Independence, we find that the state considered itself responsible for providing housing for the millions of refugees who came to Pakistan to become citizens of the newly minted country. From then on, successive regimes have taken or tried to take, some initiative to fulfil the promise to provide adequate housing for the poor masses.During his tenure, former Prime Minister Imran Khan also promised to provide subsidised housing for the poor, numbering up to 5 million homes. His approach was slightly different as Mr. Khan made a point of recognising the importance of the construction industry as a participant in achieving the goal of providing subsidised housing to the masses. Another important aspect of his agenda was the recognition that the construction of high-rise buildings in big cities is an important part of urban development. However, city administrations did not immediately accept the former Prime Minister's vision and showed limited interest in accommodating the discomforts of construction upheaval, such as 'tower cranes' and other such machinery in their city's midst.1Later, Mr. Khan introduced a stimulus package to shore up the economic upheaval caused by COVID-19's impact on the economy. This included a package for construction activity to lead the stimulus effort. The package recognised construction as an industry and gave it financial incentives. However, there was no mention of the real estate sector as one of the leaders in boosting productive market activity. In addition to urban development, the package focused on the Prime Minister's promise to provide subsidised housing for the poor, as promised in his election campaign.We have long argued that the construction industry is a leading predictor of economic growth and is a cornerstone for the development and improvement of human life and society. From birth to death, the human life cycle takes place within spaces designed and constructed to promote all aspects of society, from education to government, to recreation, and much more. The more advanced a civil