Capital needs rent control laws to protect tenants’ interests

Forced evictions could lead to law and order problems

ISLAMABAD: The business community of the federal capital on Saturday urged the government for promulgating a balanced rent control law to encourage trade and business activities for economic development of the country.

Addressing a press conference Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and  Industry Senior Vice President Muhammad Naveed, Markazi Anjuman-e-Tijran Pakistan President Ajmal Baloch, Tajir  Ittehad head Kashif Chaudhry and Traders Action Committee Secretary Khalid Chaudhry said that traders were feeling insecure due to absence of a balanced rent control act in Islamabad.

They said that when a trader starts business, owner enters into a two-year rent agreement with him, however, when the business runs successfully, the owner demands manifold increase in rent due to which the trader was blackmailed and he had to pay exorbitant rent, which was unjustified. They said MNA Mian Abdul Manan and MNA from Islamabad Asad Umar had presented a private bill of rent control act in the National Assembly, which was approved by the concerned Standing Committee and the ICT Administration, but it has not been passed into a law as yet. They appealed to the Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Federal Law Minister Barister Zafarullah Khan to arrange urgent passage of amended rent control bill from the Parliament.

They also urged the government that till the passage of new rent law for Islamabad, orders should be issued to stop the the evictions of all traders including the 48 traders against whom eviction orders have been issued. They warned that in case of forced evictions, traders would resist such moves and it could lead to law and order problems in the federal capital.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 10^th, 2017.