WITH the population growing rapidly, the housing issue needs urgent attention. Our society is divided into three main segments — upper class, middle class and lower class. Approximately 24.3 per cent of the population lives below the poverty line.

Constructing or building a house is a long and toilsome process, and it has become a dream even for the middle class, let alone the poor. Thus, nearly 26pc of the population is compelled to live in rental accommodation. The lower class mostly opts to build unauthorised and unsafe houses as they are low-cost compared to the standard houses with legal documentation.

The life of tenants living in rental accommodation is not easy as rules and regulations are not followed. They are exploited by landlords and are forced to pay high rents and utility expenses which are far beyond the actual cost.

As a result, almost all earnings of tenants are spent on rent and utility expenses and they are compelled to live from hand to mouth. These people deserve urgent attention and the government should play its role to make their lives comfortable.

Until the promised housing schemes materialise, the government should ensure implementation of rules and regulation for house rent, rent increment and utility expenses for residential tenants to ease the misery of the masses.

Sayyed Aamir Ali
Karachi

Published in Dawn, November 25th, 2020