Bilawal Defends Sindh Housing Scheme, Seeks Audit
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari rejected corruption allegations in the Sindh housing scheme on Tuesday and asked the chief minister to invite an international audit of the project. The PPP chairman said opponents were running a smear campaign against the Sindh government.
Speaking at a ceremony in Karachi, Bilawal said Sindh had faced repeated criticism while political opponents tried to create an impression of widespread corruption in the province. He said opponents had accused the PPP of raising funds for the housing project to misappropriate money.
He urged Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to write to international organisations and invite them to audit the project. “I can confidently say that no corruption has taken place in this project,” he said.
He asked political opponents to stop criticising the Sindh government and learn from its work for underprivileged communities instead.
Sindh housing scheme reaches one million homes
Bilawal described the Sindh People’s Housing Scheme as the world’s largest housing project. He said the provincial government had completed one million homes for flood-affected families in three years.
The programme aims to build two million homes, he said, and he also spoke of a wider target of five million. The PPP launched the scheme during a global economic crisis, with support from international partners.
Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah told the ceremony that the World Bank had provided $500 million for the programme, while the Sindh government had contributed $179 million from its own funds. The target is 2.1 million climate-resilient houses across 23 districts.
Shah said the Sindh Peoples Housing Foundation had run the project with a team of only 40 people and a digital system. Families were given money and support to build their own homes, rather than relying on contractors.
Bilawal said the government had built permanent houses and given families ownership rights, with houses registered in women’s names. Families who once had no home now had permanent housing, he said.
Floods and the promise to women
Bilawal recalled that he had been in Larkana when the heavy rains began, and that he had flown over the floodwaters with the prime minister and seen the land look like a sea.
He said he had promised women hit by the disaster that he would help build homes for them, a promise that had now led to one million houses.
He said the federal government of the time had told international lenders that provincial governments were corrupt and funds should go to the Centre, though those who said so had not visited Sindh.
The World Bank had shown confidence in the Sindh government and released funds, he said, and he had also raised funds for Balochistan while serving as foreign minister.
He contrasted that with Balochistan, where the federal government had taken charge of reconstruction but only 30,000 houses had been built in three years.
Call for political cooperation
Bilawal said political parties needed to work together rather than fight one another. He said the people of Pakistan did not want political confrontation and were more concerned about which party was solving their problems.
He said citizens wanted relief from economic hardship, unemployment and weak education, not politics based on hatred and division, and parties should cooperate to tackle the crises.
He said he had met the prime minister’s team and both sides had assured each other of continued coordination, which would improve governance and help complete public welfare projects.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari opened a 600-bed hospital in Larkana earlier this year, another Sindh government project in the health sector. The World Bank holds a $3.85 billion portfolio in Sindh, covering projects across the province. The Sindh chief minister has ordered an end to water shortages in Karachi and Hyderabad. Sindh has drawn up master plans for 31 cities to guide urban growth. Canada has committed $35 million to climate resilience in Pakistan, including support for flood-hit communities.
The Tribune reported his remarks on Tuesday.
Frequently asked questions
What did Bilawal say about corruption in the housing scheme?
He rejected the allegations and said he could confidently say no corruption had taken place in the project.
What audit has Bilawal asked for?
He urged Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to write to international organisations and invite them to audit the project.
How many homes has Sindh built for flood victims?
One million homes in three years, with a target of two million.
Who funded the housing programme?
Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said the World Bank provided $500 million, while the Sindh government contributed $179 million from its own funds.
Why were homes registered in women’s names?
Bilawal said land ownership had been registered in the names of women in beneficiary families, giving them greater security.
