British Pakistani entrepreneur to advise PM Imran for free on 5 million houses scheme

British Pakistani entrepreneur Aneel Mussarat has said that he will be be providing advice on Imran Khan’s plan to build 5 million homes and is not looking for a formal position in the cabinet, local media reports have informed.

Aneel Mussarat, who has known Imran Khan since 2004, said that he is not taking any formal position with the government of Pakistan and has no plans of doing business here in order to avoid conflict of interest.

Mussarat further said he has profitable businesses in the United Kingdom and Europe and the only reason he is taking interest in the project is because Pakistan is his country of origin and he wants to give something back.

During the meeting, it was decided that Imran Khan will take ownership of the initiative, which aims to provide five million homes with basic facilities, in order to ensure smooth implementation of the scheme.

Musarrat said that Pakistan faces serious housing crisis and tens of millions of people are living in shabby conditions, adding that it’s unfortunate that only a few influential people have almost occupied whole housing sectors.

He shared that the housing scheme will be for poor people who “have no chance otherwise of moving up the property ladder.” and that the aim is to bring 10,000 new property developers into the market and take control away from a few people who decide everything about the housing to benefit themselves.

“The objective is to alleviate poverty and help Pakistan recover economically,” Musarrat said, continuing, “It’s an inward economy and small capital is needed to buy homes. At least 10,000 new developers will enter the market to build five million homes.”

He added that he will using his company’s housing development experts to advise Pakistani government.

Aneel further shared that he has acquired land in Lahore and Mianwali and will be building hospitals for free mother and child treatment. The funding of these hospitals will be done through his charitable foundation based in the UK.

Aneel has previously played an integral part in raising funds for Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital (SKCH) and Namal College for about 12 years through fundraising events in Manchester.

Aneel Musarrat, aged 48, made his name in UK’s property market after starting off as a small time property trader but steadily grew up and started constructing and renting properties at commercial level. His current worth is around £300 million and he was once listed as one of the richest persons in the UK.