ISLAMABAD: A ruling party lawmaker from Islamabad on Monday assured traders that their lingering issues would be resolved.

Addressing the business community at Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), MNA and former finance minister Asad Umar acknowledged that the demand for a ‘balanced rent control act’ in Islamabad was a longstanding issue of traders of the federal capital. He assured them that the National Assembly would soon pass the amended bill of rent restriction act.

Mr Umar said during the previous government the PTI had presented an amended bill of rent control act for Islamabad in the National Assembly but the same was not passed into a law.

“The same amended bill was again presented in the current national assembly which has been passed by its relevant standing committee and it is hoped that the bill would soon be passed by the house as well,” he added.

Ruling party MNA says govt will also resolve CDA-related issues of traders

The PTI legislature said the government had developed an understanding with the opposition according to which efforts would be made to develop consensus on bills that would streamline the process of law-making through parliament.

He also said he would hold a meeting with Ali Nawaz Awan, special assistant to prime minister on CDA affairs, to resolve the CDA-related issues of the business community. He congratulated new ICCI office-bearers for assuming their portfolios.

The Islamabad rent restriction act ordinance was issued in 2001 and in 2014 Islamabad Rent Restriction (amended) Act was presented in the National Assembly by Mian Abdul Mannan of the PML-N.

However, the matter remained in files only. Besides, Mr Asad Umar did not mention if the new law would cover residential tenants and owners too.

ICCI president Mohammad Ahmed Waheed highlighted issues faced by the business community in the hands of CDA.

The MNA was informed that the new industrial estate in Islamabad had been notified but the project was shelved without any logical reasons.

“Based on our proposals the CDA board had approved amendments to industrial building byelaws four years ago but they have not been notified,” said the ICCI president.

He requested the lawmaker to play an active role in resolving the CDA-related issues of the business community.

He also complained that no development work had been carried out in the local markets for many years.

Published in Dawn, November 19th, 2019