New Amendment Bill Seeks Governance Reforms in Naya Pakistan Housing Authority

Pakistan’s National Assembly has introduced the Naya Pakistan Housing and Development Authority (Amendment) Bill 2026 to amend the Naya Pakistan Housing and Development Authority Act, 2020, streamline administrative procedures, and improve decision-making within the authority’s governance framework.

The Naya Pakistan Housing and Development Authority Act, 2020 regulates the establishment, structure, powers, and functioning of the Naya Pakistan Housing and Development Authority in Pakistan. The government says the amendment was needed to rationalize administrative powers and align the law with legal requirements following the Mustafa Impex case.

What Changed in the Law?

“Federal Government” Replaced with “Policy Board” in Section 5

The amendment proposes changes in Section 5 of the Naya Pakistan Housing and Development Authority Act, 2020.

In subsection (1), clause (b), the words “Federal Government,” occurring for the second time, will be replaced with “Policy Board.”

The government says this change will:

• Clearly identify the appropriate decision-making authority
• Reduce unnecessary referrals to the Federal Cabinet
• Improve administrative efficiency
• Streamline governance within the Authority
• Support faster processing of routine administrative matters

Appointment by Deputation or Secondment Updated in Section 12

Section 12 of the Act has also been amended.

The amendment substitutes subsection (2) with a new provision regarding appointment by deputation or secondment.

Under the new provision, appointment by deputation or secondment to a post may be made by the Authority through selection from among persons holding regular appointments in any ministry, division, department, organization, or similar body of the Federal Government.

Such appointment will be allowed only if:

• The person is serving in the same basic pay scale in which the vacant post exists
• The person possesses the qualifications required for initial appointment to the vacant post
• The person has the required experience for the post
• The terms and conditions of deputation or secondment are settled before appointment
• The Authority and the borrowing ministry, division, department, or organization mutually agree on the appointment
• The appointment follows the applicable rules and regulations

The government says this amendment will:

• Clarify the procedure for deputation and secondment
• Ensure merit-based selection for vacant posts
• Maintain qualification and experience standards
• Improve human resource management within the Authority
• Support transparent administrative appointments

“Federal Government” Replaced with “Policy Board” in Section 16

Section 16 of the Act has also been amended.

In subsection (1), the words “Federal Government,” occurring for the second time, will be replaced with “Policy Board.”

The government says this change will:

• Delegate relevant administrative powers to the Policy Board
• Reduce the burden on the Federal Cabinet
• Improve decision-making within the Authority
• Speed up procedural and non-policy matters
• Strengthen institutional governance

“Patron” Replaced with “Federal Government” in Section 57

The amendment also proposes a change in Section 57 of the Act.

In this section, the word “Patron” will be replaced with the words “Federal Government.”

The government says this amendment will:

• Update the legal terminology used in the Act
• Clarify the role of the Federal Government
• Remove ambiguity in the law
• Strengthen the legal structure of the Authority
• Align the Act with the revised governance framework

Governance Reforms Introduced

The amendment is part of broader legal and administrative reforms proposed in light of the Mustafa Impex case.

In the Mustafa Impex judgment, the Supreme Court of Pakistan clarified that executive decisions involving policy, financial, or administrative implications must be taken by the Federal Cabinet collectively, unless the law authorizes another authority.

After this judgment, the government observed that several existing laws still assign routine, procedural, and administrative powers to the “Federal Government.” This creates the need to repeatedly send minor and non-policy matters to the Federal Cabinet, causing unnecessary delays.

Why This Law Was Needed

According to the Statement of Objects and Reasons, the amendment was introduced to streamline governance, improve administrative efficiency, and ensure that the Federal Cabinet focuses on matters of national policy and strategic importance.

The Cabinet Division reviewed relevant laws and prepared the amendment bill to rationalize and reassign such powers to appropriate authorities.

The bill aims to reduce avoidable burden on the Cabinet and improve the speed of administrative decision-making.

Key Objectives of the Amendment

• Amend the Naya Pakistan Housing and Development Authority Act, 2020
• Replace “Federal Government” with “Policy Board” in key sections
• Update the procedure for appointment by deputation or secondment
• Replace the word “Patron” with “Federal Government” in Section 57
• Reduce unnecessary burden on the Federal Cabinet
• Improve administrative efficiency
• Streamline routine and procedural matters
• Align the law with the Mustafa Impex judgment
• Strengthen the governance framework of the Naya Pakistan Housing and Development Authority

Pakistan’s National Assembly has introduced the Naya Pakistan Housing and Development Authority (Amendment) Bill 2026 to modernize administrative procedures, clarify institutional authority, and support the effective functioning of the Naya Pakistan Housing and Development Authority.