Baku (TDI): Punjab made its mark on the global urban policy stage this week as Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif inaugurated the Punjab Pavilion at the World Urban Forum in Baku, Azerbaijan.
The pavilion is a dedicated exhibit that the CM’s government says drew widespread praise from international delegates and foreign media alike.
The Punjab Pavilion emerged as a major attraction at the World Urban Forum, with international media describing the Punjab government’s swift implementation of its housing initiative as a model for other countries.
The forum, organized by UN-Habitat, is one of the world’s foremost gatherings of city planners, policymakers, and urban development experts. At the heart of the exhibit was Punjab’s flagship housing scheme, Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar.
An unprecedented response at the Pakistan Pavilion “Apni Chhat Apna Ghar” at the UN Urban Forum in Baku. International delegates, urban experts, foreign media and visitors flocked to witness Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s flagship housing initiative that is transforming… pic.twitter.com/0zvwxA5WYJ
— Marriyum Aurangzeb (@Marriyum_A) May 19, 2026
Phata Director General Zeeshan Sikandar briefed the chief minister on the program’s progress and achievements, while Nawaz took a live virtual tour of the housing scheme through interactive digital gadgets and watched a documentary portraying the construction journey and impact of the project on beneficiaries.
Speaking to delegates gathered at the pavilion, the chief minister put forward ambitious figures. She said 600 to 700 houses were being constructed daily under the program, with more than 100,000 houses completed within one year.
She also framed the initiative in personal terms, describing it as very close to her heart and aimed at enabling deserving families to build homes through transparent and non-discriminatory loan distribution.
Read More: Maryam Showcases Punjab Reform Plan at World Urban Forum
The CM reviewed affordable housing models and projects being implemented in other developing countries, suggesting Punjab sees itself not merely as a showcase but as an active participant in the global conversation around urban housing solutions.
International delegates, foreign media representatives and guests praised the chief minister’s vision after viewing the documentary featuring beneficiaries of the scheme.
For a province where rapid urbanization has long outpaced affordable housing supply, the international platform offers Lahore a chance to burnish its policy credentials.
