Defence Housing Authority is a residential enterprise which was established for the welfare of the serving and retired Armed Forces Officers of Pakistan and civilian officers paid out of the budget of Defence establishment. DHA, planned by a group of naval officers in Karachi, started its journey by the name of Pakistan Defence Officers Cooperative Housing Society Ltd in March 1953. The Housing Society which made a humble beginning with allotment of mere 76.2 acres of land (which constitute current Phase-I of DHA) has come a long way since. Today, DHA comprises of eight phases spread over an area of 8,796 acres of land.