Real estate development in Pakistan suffers from a bad reputation, both in policy circles, and in the public. Detractors frequently claim that investing in real estate is unproductive and should be discouraged. Officials often put forward unsubstantiated claims that the real estate business is riddled with illegal activity of all sorts. However, when one looks back at Pakistan’s foray into real estate development activity from the date of Independence, we find that the state considered itself responsible for providing housing for the millions of refugees who came to Pakistan to become citizens of the newly minted country. From then on, successive regimes have taken, or tried to take, some initiative to fulfil the promise to provide adequate housing for the poor masses.