ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Housing and Works on Tuesday approved The Islamabad Capital Territory Condominium (Ownership and Management) Bill, 2026 by majority vote amid opposition by its chairman Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri.
Haideri submitted a dissenting note on the bill with regard to the insurance requirement under Section 10. The committee deliberated on “The Islamabad Capital Territory Condominium (Ownership and Management) Bill, 2026” (Government Bill).
Minister for housing and works apprised the committee that the bill sought to address structural deficiencies in Pakistan’s construction sector, particularly the absence of a comprehensive legal framework governing land ownership in high-rise developments and limited access to housing finance for low- and middle-income groups.
The committee examined the provisions of the Bill in detail, including the insurance requirement under Section 10, and expressed reservations on religious, constitutional, and public policy grounds.
The committee observed that conventional insurance entailed elements of Riba (interest) and Maysir (gambling), which were inconsistent with the injunctions of Islam.
In support thereof, reliance was placed on relevant juristic opinions and fatwas, along with reference to the constitutional mandate that no law shall be enacted which was repugnant to the Quran and Sunnah and the state’s policy to eliminate interest-based practices. On these grounds, Haideri preferred to submit a dissenting note. However, the committee, by majority vote, recommended that the bill be passed by the National Assembly.
