PNN: CM sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah said the Asia-Pacific region faces mounting pressures from rapid urbanisation, housing shortages, climate risks and environmental stress, urging adoption of climate-resilient housing, inclusive planning, disaster preparedness and community-driven solutions.
Speaking at the closing session of the three-day Asia-Pacific Shelter and Settlements Forum (APSSF) 2026 in Karachi, he termed shelter and human settlements fundamental to dignity, equity, social stability and climate resilience, and thanked international delegates and partners for solution-oriented discussions.
The forum, described as the region’s premier housing platform, brought together nearly 1,200 participants, including around 100 international delegates, with 600 delegates from 41 countries and 206 organisations representing governments, UN agencies, financial institutions, academia, civil society, media and the private sector.
Citing Sindh’s experience of floods, displacement and urban stress, Shah reaffirmed commitment to resilient housing, especially for vulnerable communities. He noted Sindh had earlier presented the Sindh People’s Housing for Flood Affectees (SPHF) programme in the Philippines and secured agreement to host APSSF 2026 in Karachi.
The SPHF, highlighted as a global benchmark, aims to build over 2.1 million climate-resilient homes for more than 15 million people-larger than the populations of 154 countries-with women-centred ownership through land titles in women’s names. International partners, including the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and Islamic Development Bank, praised the beneficiary-driven model.
Across 26 sessions, participants discussed scaling resilient housing and translating dialogue into measurable action. Planning Minister Jam Khan Shoro stressed embedding resilience in policy, finance and institutions. Delegates will visit Thatta, Jamshoro and Hyderabad on Feb 14 to review SPHF implementation.
The forum concluded with a recap video of key moments, including the inaugural address by First Lady Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari, who highlighted the role of shelter in social transformation.