Punjab government withdraws notification about rent collection during lockdown

Rawalpindi : The Punjab Government has withdrawn a notification which stops landlords from collecting rent of their properties from tenants during the period of lockdown due to spread of COVID-19 in the province.

The notification has been withdrawn keeping in view difficulties of landlords, who totally depend on rent as their only livelihood.

Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Momin Agha withdrew notification with his signatures, which was issued on April 10.

The notification dated April 10 says that during the period of lockdown, no landlord shall evict any tenant forcefully, illegally or without due process of law on account of non-payment or delay payment of rent.

The order was issued for a period of two months but now it stood withdrawn.

Taking advantage of the notification, majority of tenants had stopped paying monthly rents to their landlords. Such kind of tenants also included those who could afford to pay rents without any difficulty.

However, a large number of tenants, majority of them daily wagers or labourers who have lost their bread and butter are finding it difficult to pay rents of properties in which they are residing.

There is general feeling that the Punjab Government should amend the notification in such a way or take such measures, which should also protect rights of low-income tenants or those who have no work to do in the present circumstances.