Applicants await 'Apni Chhat Apna Ghar' loans

Beneficiaries of the Punjab government's 'Apni Chhat Apna Ghar' housing scheme in Vehari have alleged that they have been waiting for months for the first instalment of approved loans despite pledging their plots and completing all required formalities. Several applicants, including Muhammad Nadeem, Aziz, Hassnain Ashraf, Mahmood, Muhammad Nawaz, Nazir Ahmed and Javed, told the media that they had applied online for government loans of up to Rs1.5 million to construct houses under the scheme launched by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. They said their applications were approved about a month after submission and subsequently referred to Akhuwat, NRSP and other private organisations for further verification and processing. The applicants said representatives of the organisations visited the plots where they planned to construct their houses and completed the required verification process. They were also asked to submit two guarantee cheques, each worth Rs1.5 million, as part of the loan process, they claimed. According to the applicants, their plots were subsequently pledged and their loans of Rs1.5 million were approved. Accounts were also opened in their names at the Punjab Bank's Vehari branch. However, the beneficiaries alleged that despite completing the formalities and securing approval, they had yet to receive the first instalment. They said all cases approved between January and June 30, 2026, were still awaiting disbursement of the initial payment. The applicants appealed to Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to intervene and ensure the immediate release of the approved instalments so they could begin construction of their homes. When contacted, representatives of Akhuwat and NRSP said they had completed the verification of the applicants, pledged their plots and obtained the required two guarantee cheques before approving the Rs1.5 million loans. They said the funds would be disbursed once the Punjab government transferred the approved amounts into the beneficiaries' accounts.