In Gilgit Baltistan, the housing crisis is not simply about a shortage of homes. It is also about families repeatedly losing their homes to earthquakes, floods, landslides and river erosion, then struggling to rebuild without adequate technical or financial support.
The continuing seismic activity in Chipursan Valley, Hunza, has highlighted the plight of families displaced from damaged or potentially unsafe homes and forced to rely on tents and temporary shelters. Similar housing losses have affected communities in Ghizer, Diamer, Astore, Gilgit and Baltistan. For these families, displacement disrupts education, destroys livelihoods and household assets, increases debt and undermines dignity. Emergency relief is essential, but temporary shelters cannot substitute for safe, permanent housing.
The question is not whether government should provide housing directly to every household. It is whether public policy can make safe housing accessible and affordable, and ensure that families displaced by disasters have a realistic path to recovery.
A national policy, a regional challenge
Pakistan has taken a significant policy step with the approval of its National Housing Policy 2025 in August 2026. The framework addresses affordable housing, access to finance, land availability, construction technology, rural housing, institutional coordination and climate resilient development. It envisages an enabling role for government, supported by financial institutions, private investment and community participation. The federal Wazir e Azam Apna Ghar programme also offers eligible first time homebuyers financing of up to Rs10 million, with a subsidised markup of 5 per cent for the first ten years, subject to programme conditions.
These initiatives provide a foundation, but their effectiveness depends on implementation. Housing is a devolved subject following the Eighteenth Constitutional Amendment, making provincial and territorial adaptation essential. Approaches developed for urban apartments or conventional homebuyers cannot automatically address the circumstances of remote mountain settlements, where land is scarce, transport costs are high and disaster risks are substantial.
Article 38(d) of the Constitution of Pakistan under the Principles of Policy, recognizes housing among the basic necessities the state should provide to citizens unable to earn their livelihood because of infirmity, sickness or unemployment. The constitutional emphasis on security of person and human dignity also provides relevant context for protecting people from unsafe living conditions.
Gilgit Baltistan already has housing and planning institutions, while the federal Ministry of Housing and Works and the Pakistan Housing Authority Foundation provide potential channels for technical and institutional cooperation. The challenge is to connect these structures with disaster management, land use planning, affordable finance and permanent rehabilitation through a coordinated regional framework.
From regulation to facilitation
Many households in Gilgit Baltistan build using local materials and the skills of traditional masons, often without access to engineering assessments or affordable safety improvements. Neither expensive concrete construction nor traditional building methods are automatically safe in every setting. Construction must respond to local geology, seismic exposure, weather, available materials and household resources.
Government should therefore go beyond issuing building regulations. It should make compliance practical by providing technical advice, promoting safer local construction methods, strengthening supply chains and helping vulnerable households finance essential improvements.
The National Housing Policy provides relevant tools, including housing finance, public private partnerships, climate resilient construction and community based approaches. What Gilgit Baltistan needs is a locally adapted implementation plan that connects these instruments to the realities of mountain communities.
Five priorities for action:
First, coordinate existing institutions.
The Gilgit Baltistan government should strengthen coordination among its housing and planning departments, development authorities and disaster management institutions. A Housing Facilitation Council under the Planning and Development Department could help coordinate policy, funding, technical assistance and partnerships. Federal institutions, including the Pakistan Housing Authority Foundation, should be engaged where their mandates and ongoing programmes offer practical opportunities for cooperation.
Second, connect emergency relief to permanent recovery.
Every major disaster should trigger a plan covering damage assessments, temporary accommodation, restoration of essential services and permanent housing. In Chipursan, credible scientific assessments should guide decisions about which homes can be repaired and where relocation may be necessary. Families facing unacceptable risks need safe alternatives, secure land arrangements and access to livelihoods. Public reporting should track progress from displacement to permanent rehabilitation.
Third, promote safer, climate appropriate construction.
Traditional systems such as Dhajji Dewari and Criba can contribute to seismic resilience when properly designed and constructed. Better foundations, structural connections, insulation, moisture protection and ventilation can improve safety and winter comfort. Experience from the Building and Construction Improvement Program and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture can inform locally adapted demonstration homes, construction guides and training. Mobile technical teams could provide free site assessments and practical advice in remote communities.
Fourth, match finance to household circumstances.
Subsidized mortgage programmes can help eligible first time homebuyers, but they may not reach the poorest households or families displaced by disasters. Even a loan covering 90 per cent of a home’s cost requires a down payment and the capacity to repay. A family that has lost its home, livestock and income may not qualify in practice.
Gilgit Baltistan therefore needs a combination of affordable housing finance, targeted construction grants, vouchers for essential safety improvements and dedicated support for disaster affected households. Public guarantees could encourage financial institutions to lend where appropriate, while grants should be prioritised for families unable to take on debt. Secure land tenure and clear eligibility rules would also help prevent vulnerable households from being excluded.
Fifth, combine safety standards with viable alternatives.
Construction should be restricted in identified high risk floodways and active landslide zones. Yet enforcement cannot stop at prohibitions. Families living in dangerous locations because they lack alternative land need assistance to access safe sites, secure tenure and essential services. Community participation and transparent hazard mapping should inform these decisions.
## A shared effort with public accountability
Nonprofit organisations can contribute technical expertise and training, businesses can supply materials, and communities can identify priorities and monitor implementation. However, partnership must not transfer the government’s responsibilities to charities or disaster affected households. Government must lead on policy, financing, land use planning, safety standards and accountability.
Within twelve months, the Gilgit Baltistan government could complete priority district level housing and hazard assessments, identify households requiring permanent rehabilitation, launch pilot projects for safer housing, train local masons and develop a financing mechanism for vulnerable families. Federal programmes should be reviewed to determine which can be adapted to local conditions and where additional support is needed.
Gilgit Baltistan does not necessarily need another large institution before action can begin. It needs clear leadership, coordinated existing institutions, predictable financing and measurable results.
Disasters will continue to demand emergency response. But rebuilding homes without addressing safety, affordability and exposure to hazards perpetuates the cycle of loss. The success of housing policy should be measured not only by loans issued or buildings constructed, but also by whether vulnerable families can access safe homes and whether those displaced by disasters have a credible route back to security and dignity.
For Gilgit Baltistan, the priority is to turn national housing commitments into locally workable solutions, making the transition from tents to permanent homes a sustained public responsibility rather than a promise deferred until the next disaster or shifting government responsibility to humanitarian and development agencies, donors and financial institutions alone.
