Islamabad: A panel of the National Assembly approved a draft of the proposed rent restriction bill on Thursday, according to a news source. This bill aims to remove disputes between tenants and landlords through a mediation council. It will also address the concerns of traders.
This draft of the Rent Restriction Ordinance (Amendment) Bill 2001 was passed by the National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior headed by Khurram Shahzad Nawaz. The mover of the bill stated that these amendments were in response to the demands that tenants and landlords had been making for a long time. Under this bill, all agreements between tenants and landlords shall be presented before a controller for record-keeping. In addition, any payments regarding the agreement shall be made through cross-cheque or with written acknowledgement, such as a receipt.
It also suggests the setting up of a mediation council, which will be headed by the president of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce. The controller will refer cases to this council for arbitration, whose decision will affect the eventual settlement. This judgement will be considered as final.
