ISLAMABAD, July 26: Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif on Friday said that vast swathes of land on the outskirts of major cities could be used for constructing low-cost buildings to overcome shortage of housing units.

PM Sharif expressed these views in a meeting with a delegation of a Turkish construction company here at the Prime Minister's Office.

“Pakistan needs to learn from Turkey's experience in construction of 0.6 million low-cost housing units for the middle income groups in last 10 years. Similar schemes could be introduced in Pakistan to provide houses and apartments for low-income people on subsidised rates and to the middle-income groups on actual cost,” he suggested.

He proposed using both sides of the Islamabad Expressway for this purpose.

The PM said that self-sufficient and self-contained housing colonies should be built in the suburban areas connecting them with the city centers through fast transportation system.

He stressed preference be given to local architecture and design.

Meanwhile, head of the Turkish delegation Ahmed Albayrak appreciated PM Sharif’s interest and said that Turkey would facilitate and share it experience in the field of housing with Pakistan.—APP