Comment by Riaz Haq on October 6, 2016 at 9:21am

#Chinese investor eyeing stake in #Pakistan's Dewan Cement Amid Record Growth of Cement Demand. #CPEC

http://tribune.com.pk/story/1187284/potential-new-player-chinese-in...

In a development that may raise eyebrows in a highly competitive cement industry, a Chinese investor has expressed interest in due diligence of Dewan Cement Limited in order to acquire a stake in the company.

“We have received a request through email from a potential Chinese strategic investor seeking permission for due diligence of Dewan Cement, which may eventually lead to acquisition of shares in our company,” said a company notice sent to the Pakistan Stock Exchange on Friday.

“We intend to permit due diligence; if any material development takes place, we will communicate the same to the (stock) exchange and the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan.”

The development is expected to create an interesting situation in the cement sector where a number of companies are already vying to increase their market share.

“If this due diligence results in some deal, the new investor will most likely install a new plant which may take up to three years to start operations. So this is not an immediate threat to the cement cartel,” Sherman Securities analyst Sadiq Samin told The Express Tribune.

“The due diligence process will itself take two to three months and then we will have to look how it affects the market.”

This would not cause any jitters because cement demand was growing continuously, he said when asked whether the entry of a foreign player would spark fears.

Dewan Cement has a production capacity of around 2.88 million tons per annum, constituting 6.1% of the total installed capacity of 45.6 million tons of the cement industry. It has two manufacturing units including Pakland Cement and Saadi Cement.

Analysts suggest that the situation would have been different if the company had installed a new plant and the Chinese player could immediately start manufacturing cement after taking it over.

Pakland Cement was established in 1981 at Deh Dhando in Malir district, Karachi. The plant was fully operational by 1985 and producing Ordinary Portland Cement.

Anticipating a further growth in demand, cement companies are aggressively engaged in expansion of their plants.

Cherat Cement, Attock Cement, DG Khan Cement and Lucky Cement have already announced expansion plans and these plants will come online over the next three years. The combined investment by these players is expected to be in the range of $700 million to $1 billion.

The construction sector, a major consumer of cement, posted an excellent 13% growth in fiscal year 2015-16 compared to average growth of 4% in the past four years due to economic recovery and the booming real estate sector, according to the Pakistan Economic Survey 2016.

The government expects construction-related activities to pick up further momentum on the back of increasing public sector development spending coupled with massive infrastructure and power projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Comment by Riaz Haq on November 4, 2016 at 9:32am

Royal Orchard Multan – A project of Royal Developers & Builders (Pvt) Ltd

http://www.zameen.com/blog/royal-orchard-multan-a-project-of-royal-...

Apart from the provincial capitals, major cities across Pakistan have become the landing station for noted real estate developers who find the primary markets of the country less fertile for gaining momentum and generating sizable interest among investors and buyers. Lately, we have seen cities like Faisalabad, Sheikhupura, Sialkot and Gujranwala welcome new residential projects by famous real estate developers.

Multan, being the central and major metropolis of South Punjab, is experiencing an enhanced real estate activity at the moment and additions of posh housing projects are adding value to the property market of the city further. Considering time right for the launch of a luxurious housing project in the city, Royal Developers & Builder (Pvt), a subsidiary of Habib Rafiq Pvt Ltd Group, brings its 60 years of experience to the City of Saints in the guise of Royal Orchard Multan.

Royal Orchard is located on Main Multan Public School Road near Northern Bypass and Mittital Road, Shakh-e-Madina Road and Women University, with the Multan International Airport only a 9-minute drive from the project site. It is one of the largest residential schemes in the city and offers the people of Multan a secured and amenities-laden lifestyle backed by Habib Rafiq (Pvt) LTD’s signature construction standards.

The projects is unique in various ways as it will have the biggest Jamia Mosque of Multan built on an area of 25 kanals. Royal Orchard will also have the biggest roundabout of the city as well as the biggest Commercial Broadway of Multan which would be 590 feet wide. The developer is offering a lifetime of maintenance services to the residents of Royal Orchard. Other attractions of the project include:

• Underground electrification

• Community Transport services

• Telephone exchange and DSL

• Water filtration plants

• Post office

• International standard mini golf club

• A community club

• Parks, play grounds and jogging tracks

• Banks and shopping plazas

• School, colleges and a university

• A Cineplex

• Food courts, restaurants and hotels

• Gated community, walled premises

• Four manned entrances from three sides of the city

• Carpeted roads

• Security check posts, physical surveillance, CCTV

You can choose to buy residential plots in Royal Orchard in various sizes to suit your budget. Payments can be made through a convenient 3-year plan. For more details, I recommend you visit Zameen.com’s New Projects Section for Royal Orchard Multan.

Comment by Riaz Haq on December 3, 2016 at 10:34am

Samhan Group of Companies launches independent real estate brand

http://tribune.com.pk/story/1251425/samhan-group-companies-launches...


After tremendous success of Gujranwala and Sargodha projects, Samhan Group of Companies has formally launched its independent real estate brand by the name of Samhan Housing. The launch event was organized at Royal Palm Lahore and was attended by real estate magnates from across Pakistan as well as members of the Samhan Group.

The Group entered the real estate realm in 2014 with its first project being at Gujranwala, followed by Sargodha in 2015. The Group also has a low-budget housing project ‘Samhan Homes’ within the said schemes to its credit, and has put the best of its efforts into speedy development of all real estate projects while ensuring on-time possession for every home owner. Now, with two immensely successful residential projects in its portfolio, Samhan Group has formally launched its independent real estate brand ‘Samhan Housing’ and has expressed intent to launch residential projects in Attock, Islamabad and Lahore in the near future.

“It’s a momentous occasion for Samhan Group as we materialize our vision of diversity in business with the launch of our independent real estate brand Samhan Housing,” said Saleem Hanif, Chairman Samhan Group, while sharing his thoughts on the occasion. “After executing two hugely successful residential projects, we decided to introduce our independent brand into the real estate sector. In our upcoming residential projects, we will try to tap into all budget segments of the population, providing them with the high-quality residential solutions that they can afford,” he added.

“We are proud to have added Samhan Housing to our portfolio of companies. Pursuing excellence in all our business endeavors, we have already proved our mettle in the vastly competitive real estate sector and with our upcoming projects, we are geared to expand our outreach and earn the same level of public trust that we did in our previous property ventures,” said Mr. Sheraz Khan, Head of Sales & Marketing, Samhan Housing. “We hope to give Pakistan some of the most amazing residential projects in the near future and make our mark as Pakistan’s premium and most trusted real state player,” he added.

Established since 2009, Samhan Group of companies has ventures in defence logistics, real estate, fashion, IT, advertising/ media production and telecom sectors. With the launch of Samhan Housing as its real estate brand, the group aims to emerge as a market leader with projects that cater to all segments of the society.

Comment by Riaz Haq on April 17, 2017 at 7:52am

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE > BUSINESS
Pakistan's property boom is here, but is it here forever?

https://tribune.com.pk/story/1385594/property-boom-forever/

KARACHI: Everyone in Karachi believes that the safest and most lucrative investment is in the real estate sector these days since it provides the best returns with much less risk and effort.

That is why, every other day, housing schemes are being launched. It means that the property boom is here. But is it here forever? That’s the million-dollar question.

---------

It is true that per square metre prices in Karachi ($760.78) are much lower than average per square metre prices ($8,824.60) in the metropolitans.

However, we must realise that the fundamental value of a real estate investment is largely influenced by its rental value. Rent-to-price ratio in Karachi (0.54) is lower than the ratio of Dubai (0.83) only. Shanghai, Mumbai and Singapore have much lower rent-to-price ratios than Karachi.

This means that, on average, rents in Karachi have already peaked as a return on investment relative to other big cities. Furthermore, people in Karachi are already paying much more rent in comparison to their salaries.

Rent-to-salary ratio of Karachi (1.30) is only lower than the ratio of Mumbai (2.07) and Shanghai (1.88). Dubai and Singapore have lower rent-to-salary ratios.

This means that, on average, people in Karachi are paying too much rent in comparison to their income when compared with other big cities.

From Dubai back to Pakistan: the real estate investors’ journey

The only plausible reason for such high prices in Karachi is the burial of illicit money in the property market. Furthermore, tax avoidance also makes property investment a lucrative strategy.

A few changes in regulations (filer/non-filer issue) have been tried to curb the above two avenues. Otherwise, as per the rental yield analysis, fundamentals of property investment in Karachi seem very weak.

Comment by Riaz Haq on May 16, 2017 at 8:17am

#China building boom to churn out #Pakistan's largest steel IPO with #steel output growing 23% in 2016. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-05-15/china-building-b... … via @markets

Agha Steel Industries Ltd. is planning Pakistan’s biggest-ever private sector initial share sale this year to help boost output as China funds more than $55 billion in infrastructure projects across the nation and a buoyant stock market spurs investor demand.

The Karachi-based company plans to raise as much as 10 billion rupees ($95 million) selling a 25 percent stake, Executive Director Hussain Agha said in an interview. The sale will be the largest since the 12-billion rupees government stake sale of Habib Bank Ltd. in 2007, the country’s largest IPO yet.

Steel and cement makers in Pakistan are expanding to meet demand as the “One Belt, One Road” trade route financed by China spurs construction. The nation’s economy has grown at about 5 percent annually since 2013, encouraging Agha’s peers including International Steels Ltd. and Aisha Steel Mills Ltd. to lift production.

“You need roads, sky rises and housing,” said Agha. “Pakistan’s steel industry is in an infancy stage and growing at a massive pace -- the whole environment will change.”

Read more: Chinese Largesse Lures Countries to Its Belt and Road Initiative

The company will use the funds for $50 million expansion that will triple output to 500,000 metric tons within two years. Production will then double to a million tons by 2023, he said. Habib Bank has been appointed financial adviser while Arif Habib Ltd. and BMA Capital Ltd. were picked as book runners for transaction.

Pakistan’s steel output grew 23 percent to 3.6 million tons in 2016, the biggest gain among 40 nations, according to the World Steel Association. Agha Steel expects construction-grade steel, such as rebars and wire rods, to grow as much as 12 percent annually for the next three years.

The construction sector expanded 13 percent in year ended June 2016, more than twice the pace in the previous 12 months, according to State Bank of Pakistan’s annual report. Rapid urbanization and rising income levels has left the nation with an annual shortfall of 500,000 homes, according to real-estate developer Arif Habib.

“Real-estate is the main engine for this growth, it has really picked up,” said Ayub Khuhro, chief investment officer of Karachi-based Faysal Asset Management Ltd., which has about 8 billion rupees in stocks and bonds. “The government is also willing to protect companies with anti-dumping measures.”

Comment by Riaz Haq on August 2, 2017 at 7:33pm

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE > BUSINESS
Following chaos, real estate markets largely stay stable

https://tribune.com.pk/story/1468287/following-chaos-real-estate-ma...


Real estate markets in Pakistan largely remained quiet in the first half of calendar year 2017 following chaos in the second half of previous year in the wake of revision in property tax rates and new property valuations.

Islamabad
Among major cities of the country, market activity was largely dominated by genuine buyers in Islamabad in the first half of 2017 with little price fluctuations.

Pindi police officer suspended for aiding alleged land grabber

The areas that performed well were Bahria Town and Sector B-17. In Bahria Town, prices for one-kanal (605-square-yard) plots rose 5.84% and those for 10-marla (302-square-yard) plots increased 4.52%.

In Sector B-17, prices for one-kanal plots increased 14.26% while rates for 10-marla plots swelled 18.05%. Growth in the sector came primarily as a result of construction of a new airport.

Lahore

There was little activity in the city and overall the real estate market remained stable in the first half. Following a positive trend at the start of the year, it was expected that activity in Bahria Town would resume. However, this did not happen because of issues in the Lahore Ring Road and in Sector-F.

High population density resulted in stability in property prices in the Wapda Town. However, LDA Avenue-1 experienced a slight drop of 2.79% in prices for one-kanal plots and 5.98% for 10-marla plots. The price dip was primarily because of litigation issues, lack of security and low level of development.

However, some areas in the city performed relatively better. DHA Lahore’s Phases I-VI recorded a growth of 3.79% in prices for one-kanal plots and 1.72% for 10-marla plots.

As these areas had a high population density, this hindered the prospects for engaging more buyers and investors. Much of the activity took place in Phases V and VI.

In Phases VII-IX, prices increased moderately by 3.29% for one-kanal and 4.2% for 10-marla plots.

A long-standing political uncertainty over the Panama Papers case has had its impact on real estate prices in some areas.

The worst-hit was Bahria Orchard where prices dropped 3.2% for one-kanal and 7.78% for 10-marla plots as many investors were attracted towards Bahria Town Karachi.

Gujranwala

Investor and buyer activity in Master City, Citi Housing and DC Colony remained stable while DHA Gujranwala recorded hefty price movements.

In DHA Gujranwala, one-kanal plots registered a price increase of 21.88% whereas prices for 10-marla plots rose 15.44%. Prices are expected to rise again as various other DHA projects slow down.

In Master City, plot prices edged up 1.44% for one kanal and 4.93% for 10 marla. Citi Housing saw price increase of 4.08% for one-kanal plots and 3.35% for 10-marla plots. Many investors in this project were attracted away by Palm City, resulting in less activity in Citi Housing.

Karachi

Bahria Town Karachi was one of the most attractive investment avenues. It was able to attract investors away from Gwadar because of its development at a rapid pace.

NAB arrests man for illegal sale of government land

Prices for 500-square-yard plots jumped 35.94% while rates for 250-square-yard land pieces swelled 43.96%. For genuine buyers, Gulshan-e-Iqbal remained the top choice.

Buyer activity in DHA Karachi and DHA City Karachi was rather sluggish. DHA City had fared well in the first quarter, but investors were then attracted towards the fast-developing Gwadar city.

“Localities that had speedy development performed better than others in H1. Moreover, localities that had infrastructure developments taking place nearby also saw significant jumps. This tells us that investors are looking at areas that will prove to be the right fit for homeowners in the future,” commented Zeeshan Ali Khan, CEO of Zameen.com – a real estate portal.

Comment by Riaz Haq on September 11, 2017 at 10:38am

#Karachi's "land mafia" killing exposes the dark underbelly of #Pakistan's real estate boom. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-09-10/-land-mafias-and... … via @business

Perween Rahman was returning home one evening in March 2013 from her job as head of the Orangi Pilot Project, which for years has pushed land title claims for Karachi’s poor, when she was shot three times by a gunman on a motorcycle.

Rahman died as she was rushed to hospital by her friend and colleague Anwar Rashid. “He was a sharp shooter,” said Rashid, now 71 years old and white-haired, but still a director of the OPP, pointing to his throat and chest to indicate where Rahman was hit. “This is because of the land -- the police, the mafia, all involved.”

---------
“Public land has commonly been illegally regularized and sold,” Brussels-based conflict watchdog International Crisis Group said in a February report. “It has become the city’s most prized and contested commodity, with federal, provincial and local land-owning agencies, military cantonments, corporate entities and formal and informal developers competing to extract as much value as possible. Given the fiscal stakes, disputes are settled by bribery and political, bureaucratic and police patronage, and even deadly force.”


----------

Some 13 different government agencies are tasked with regulating laws and coordinating development, but slums have sprung up across the city with little regard for any of these. 


------

Karachi’s real estate in recent years has offered better returns than Dubai and London, according to tycoon Arif Habib, who is building a $2 billion gated estate in the Naya Nazimbad district, neighboring an area that used to be controlled by Taliban militants. One of his units said on Monday that it has filed an application with the government to buy an extra 900 acres to expand the project.

Habib also pioneered and listed Pakistan’s only real estate investment trust in 2015, offering a stake in one of Karachi’s most prominent malls and office towers. Developers including Habib and rival builders such as real estate baron Malik Riaz Hussain and the military’s property arms, are tapping into the price boom.

------

Rahman’s family and associates suspect her work mapping Karachi’s poor districts and helping residents gain land titles put her in conflict with powerful criminal networks. The OPP mapped more than 1,000 settlements between 2006 and 2013, though that stopped after Rahman’s death and subsequent threats and attacks on the group’s staff.

---------

One example of heightened scrutiny is property mogul Hussain’s vast city-sized Bahria Town development about an hour’s drive from Karachi. Construction began in 2014 and, when completed, the enclave will boast a 36-hole golf course, theme parks, five-lane highways, Dubai-style fountains, and what it says will be the world’s third-largest mosque.

A 125 square yard house in Bahria Town that initially sold for 1.73 million rupees ($16,000) is now between 2.4 million rupees to 3.5 million rupees, said M. Akmal Khan Khattak, a marketing manager at real-estate agent Athar Associates. He’s been recommending the purchase to his clients.

--------------

“They have provided security, they have provided electricity,” Tariq said, referring to Bahria Town. “People see their success and they will follow.”

Sindh province, of which Karachi is the capital, is now looking to computerize land records which may help curb corruption, Mohammad Zubair, governor of the province and a member of the federal ruling party, said in an interview in March. This was earlier done in Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous region that’s also governed by the same party.

“Of course the challenge will always remain,” Zubair said when asked about land grabbing. “Because the political players and people in important positions are involved.”

Comment by Riaz Haq on September 22, 2017 at 10:37am

Why it's a good time to invest in #Pakistan's real estate. #realestate #property #Investment

https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/real-estate/why-its-a-good-ti...

Factors such as federal budget, law amendments and introduction of real estate investment trust have influenced sector's advancement
akistan's real estate industry continues to evolve as companies try to resolve real estate complexities in order to increase its growth, experts have revealed.

Factors such as the federal budget, law amendments and the introduction of the real estate investment trust have influenced the advancement of the industry. According to reports, investors have pulled out money from several banks in Pakistan after the introduction of 0.3 to 0.6 per cent withholding tax on filers and non-filers on tax returns.

These components, along with the rise of safe property investment bets in various parts of the country and abroad, encourage Pakistanis and non-resident Pakistanis (NRPs) to invest in valuable long-term investments compared to short-term purchases.

Showcasing the change in the industry, this year's International Real Estate and Investment Show brings the third Pakistan Property Exhibition in Abu Dhabi. The specialised event, held with the support of the Pakistan Embassy, Pakistan Business Council and Pakistan Association Dubai, showcases the country's leading developers and realty agents under one roof to showcase the best options for investment, provide spot sales and learn about the leading insights into the market. Visitors can expect to see properties from cities including Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Gwadar, Gujranwala and many more.

"Studies have continuously shown new global trends that the real estate market in Pakistan is tapping into. Apart from new demographic movements, Pakistan has also witnessed a heavy intercity migration over the last five years due to security and economic benefits that specific cities offer," said Antoine Georges, managing director of Dome Exhibitions. "The International Real Estate Exhibition Show enables Pakistanis to secure homes and investment properties in their country by bringing the opportunities to them through the Pakistan Property Exhibition. The pavilion aims to attract more than 10,000 Pakistani investors from the UAE."

To be held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from November 2-4, the exhibition enables Pakistan's realty giants such as DHA, Model Housing Lahore, New Lahore City and Bahria Town to showcase the latest properties available for aspiring buyers.

Real estate and investment companies will also have the chance to market their products to Pakistani investors through well-tailored marketing strategies made available by marketers such as Athar Marketing, Star Marketing, Midas Group and Q&A Marketing and more.

Comment by Riaz Haq on September 23, 2017 at 7:28pm

To Pakistani diaspora who haven't visited home for a while:

You should go back and visit. You would be surprised!

Pakistan in your mind may be frozen in time, but real Pakistan has changed. Everything has changed.

You will find both familiarity and alienness there. It would appear to you like a dream. Or perhaps like being on Star Trek Holodeck, where things are familiar but there are new actors, and you are still a stranger.

First thing that would hit you would be the increase in population. Too many people compared to the time you left Pakistan. Some areas that were farms and free spaces when you were there would now be occupied by new housing developments.

The physical appearances would have changed. There would not be any complete transformation to prosperity, but new buildings replacing old ones, new motorways, would change the physical reality.

You would find distances have shrunk.
The places that seemed far away because you walked to them or went on bicycle, would appear to be so near because now you would travel by car.

You would meet someone, with white beard, bald head, missing teeth, and perhaps walking with a cane, who be introduced to you as your classmate. You would be blown away by the ravages of time, and be grateful for your health.

A middle aged woman with young children would come to visit you. And she will turn out to be the daughter of a cousin or a friend, who was just an infant at the time you left Pakistan.

And finally, as you relive the memories of your childhood, you may find a reason to visit again and again.

Comment by Riaz Haq on October 18, 2017 at 10:58am

UAE's Danube eyeing larger footprint in Pakistan
Waheed Abbas/Dubai
Filed on October 18, 2017 | Last updated on October 18, 2017 at 08.17 pm

https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/real-estate/danube-eyeing-lar...

Pakistani nationals are one of the largest investors in Dubai's real estate sector
Real estate firm Danube Group aims to strengthen its presence in Pakistan by attracting more investments into its property portfolio, and is also expanding its home furnishing brand into the South Asian country.

"Pakistan is strategically a very important market. We are searching for a right franchise partner there. Some investors have shown interest, [so] we are evaluating the right partner. Post completion of the market research and study, we are looking to open stores across major cities of Pakistan. Though the location is still not decided, we will plan the location based on our research analysis," said Adel Sajan, director of Danube Group.

He pointed out that Danube Home stores usually span an area between 5,000 sqft to 10,000 sqft for boutique concepts and 25,000 sqft to 45,000 sqft for the big box concept, with an investment ranging between $400,000 (Dh1.468 million) to $2.5 million (Dh9.175 million), depending on the size of the store, number of stores and operating cost in the country. In order to tap Pakistani investors, the Dubai-based group recently appointed cricket captain Sarfaraz Ahmed as its ambassador in Dubai.

Atif Rahman, director and partner at Danube Properties, told Khaleej Times in an interview that the group's customer base from Pakistan is expanding fast, therefore, it's important with over 200 million population to focus on the market and reach out to customers there.

"Right now, between seven to eight per cent of investors - and revenues - are from Pakistan. In terms of sale value, we are talking about Dh200 million-plus investments by Pakistani nationals in to Danube's projects. We are also seeing month-on-month increase in investments that motivated us to be associated with a brand ambassador from that market and also start venturing into that market locally. Therefore, you will see a lot of road shows and activities in Karachi and Lahore at the end of October and early November," Rahman revealed during the interview.

Meanwhile, Pakistani nationals are one of the largest investors in Dubai's real estate sector. A recent statement by Dubai Land Department said that Pakistani nationals made 5,398 real estate transactions worth nearly Dh7 billion. Pakistan's Federal Board of Revenue recently told parliament that its nationals had parked $8 billion (Dh29.36 billion) in to the UAE's - mainly in Dubai - real estate sector.

Rahman said: "Without any doubt, our business from Pakistan is going to grow. There is a consistent demand for construction material as well as properties. We have a very traditional, conventional and organic way of expanding business. We go out on a small scale and grow it strength-by-strength. Right now, we have added two cities of Karachi and Lahore; if the response continues to be good and numbers are increasing, we will continue to invest. There is no upper limit - it's purely organic and based on the confidence in the market," he noted.

Comment

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• Next ›
• Page