Arbitrary hike in rents of ETPB properties criticised

The Evacuee Trust Action Committee (ETAC) has announced a nationwide protest movement against arbitrary increase in rents of properties administered by Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB). The decision in this regard has been taken in consultation with the central representatives of tenants operating their businesses in Evacuee Trust properties in various cities.

The protest particularly calls out the Evacuee Trust Amendment Ordinance 2006, wherein apart from the eight per cent annual increase in the rents of the properties, the department will be authorised to increase the rent at the discretion of its officers and based on the market value.

In a meeting held on Monday by All Karachi Tajir Ittehad, the ordinance was deemed as unjust and cruel.

Atiq Mir, Chairman of the Union, drew the attention of the Chief Justice of Pakistan against the injustice and said that the officials of the department are putting pressure on the tenants by citing the 'controversial order' of the Supreme Court, under which they are empowered to fix different rates of rent for each area under their discretion and authority.

Atiq Mir said that according to the previous amendment in the Act, the Evacuee Trust property's rent was increased by 30 per cent and an equivalent fee equal to 60 months of rent was also imposed, due to which the property rents have already increased exorbitantly. As a result of the current law, it will not be possible to pay the rents of the properties while bribery in the department will increase.

He said that in the presence of businesses of different levels and status in any market, how is it possible to apply the same rates to all tenants. He made it clear that if there is a forced attempt to set the rent arbitrarily, the payment of rents and dues of the properties will be stopped, and inspectors of the department will not be allowed to enter the markets. The protest will be extended nationwide if no corrective action is taken. The tenants will stage a sit-in at Numaish and at the office of Evacuee Trust Board.

The representatives of businessmen and tenants Khawaja Khawar Amin, Hanif Ghanchi, Sharif Memon, Anjum Mosani, Farhan Saeed, Syed Sharafat Ali, and Saeed participated in the meeting. Muhammad Ali, Syed Ghalib Hasan, Tayyab Ali, Amin T, Salman Abdul Khaliq, Nadeem Ahmed, Afzal Malik, Zaid Isa and others also attended the session and appealed to the political parties to raise their voice in their favour.

Atiq Mir said that the department has been imposing an eight per cent annual increase in rents for the past 17 years. Even a few years ago, the attempt to implement this ordinance based on injustice was thwarted after the strong protest of Evacuee Trust property tenants across the country, he said.