LAHORE/MUSCAT: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif received the UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour Award 2026 in Muscat, Oman, on Monday in recognition of Punjab’s flagship Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar housing programme.
Punjab Housing Programme Receives UN-Habitat Honour
The award ceremony was held in connection with the global observance of World Habitat Day at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre in Muscat. The UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour recognises significant contributions to areas including adequate and affordable housing and sustainable urban development.
According to the official UN-Habitat award guidelines, up to five winning initiatives are selected following an assessment and selection process, with the winners receiving their awards during the World Habitat Day global celebration on October 5, 2026.
Punjab’s Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar Programme, implemented through the Punjab Housing and Town Planning Agency, was selected for its contribution to expanding access to adequate, safe and affordable housing for low-income households.
Interest-Free Loans Disbursed to Applicants
The programme was launched in August 2024. According to official figures reported in September, interest-free housing loans worth Rs259.68 billion had been disbursed to 200,072 applicants across Punjab as of September 10, 2026.
Maryam Nawaz had earlier dedicated the international recognition to people in Punjab without homes, describing the award as an honour for them.
