Tenancy law to be presented before Senate

The Islamabad Rent Restriction (Amendment) Bill 2020, which was passed by the National Assembly in October 2020, would be laid down in the Senate on the coming sitting of the Upper House on Monday.

The bill seeks to amend certain sections of the Islamabad Rent Restriction Ordinance 2001. Once passed, the amendments would resolve longstanding issues of rent control in Islamabad Capital Territory, said Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on CDA Affairs on CDA Affairs Ali Nawaz Awan.

Talking to APP, he said it had been a long-standing demand of tenants and landlords in Islamabad to seek changes in the Islamabad Rent Restriction Ordinance 2001 to introduce regulations that would protect the rights of landlords and tenants alike.

The amendments, he said, introduce a new mechanism under which every agreement between landlord and tenant would be presented before the Rent Controller for record-keeping.

Any payment, related to the tenancy agreement, would be made through cross cheques and/or with an official receipt/acknowledgement, he added.

It would provide umbrella protection to both landlords and tenants, he stated. The SAPM said a mediation council had also been introduced in the amendment bill to resolve issues and rent-related disputes. Awan hoped that the bill would also be passed by the Senate soon and would become an Act of Parliament.

The bill was moved in National Assembly by the SAPM on CDA Affairs Ali Nawaz Awan. It was backed by all three members of Islamabad, namely Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar, Raja Khurram Nawaz and Ali Nawaz Awan himself.

Meanwhile, The Islamabad Capital Territory Food Safety Act 2020, which was also moved by Ali Nawaz Awan and passed by The National Assembly in October 2020, had also been submitted to the Senate for approval.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 30^th, 2021.