The Cabinet has approved a further extension of rent contracts, in some areas, for building premises that are used for non-residential purposes as governed by Law No 4 of 2008.
The extension is for two years starting February 15, according to the official Qatar News Agency (QNA).
The decision was taken at the Cabinet’s regular meeting in Doha on Wednesday.
Law No 4 of 2008 – popularly known as the ‘Lease Law’ – was issued as part of the government’s rent control strategy to prevent economic instability caused by high or frequent rent increases that may be imposed by landlords.
The law is aimed at keeping shop rents under check and providing stability to the retail market, thereby helping curb price rise and inflation, according to earlier reports.
Similar extensions have been granted over the past years in the month of February, with the last one taking place in 2017 for a period of one year. Now, it has been extended for another two years.
After HE the Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani chaired the Cabinet’s regular weekly meeting at the Emiri Diwan on Wednesday, HE the Minister of Justice and Acting Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Dr Hassan bin Lahdan al-Hassan al-Mohannadi said it was also decided to take the necessary measures to issue several draft laws proposed by the Ministry of Justice, Supreme Judiciary Council and the Public Prosecution to enhance the justice system. 
The Cabinet also examined the recommendations of the Advisory Council on a total of seven draft laws. 
The first draft law amends some provisions of the law on judicial authority, No 10 for 2003; the second one amends some provisions of Law No 13 of 1990, known as the Civil and Commercial Procedure Law; the third one amends some provisions of Law No 12 of 2005 on Non-Penal Cassation Appeals; the fourth one amends some provisions of Law No 19 of 2008 on determining ‘diya’ in manslaughter; the fifth one amends some provisions of Law No 10 of 2002 regarding the Public Prosecution; the sixth one amends some provisions pertaining to criminal procedures; and the seventh draft law is concerned with conciliation in civil and commercial disputes, the QNA report states.
The Cabinet, meanwhile, also decided to approve four agreements. These are as follows: a draft agreement signed with the government of Paraguay on encouraging and protecting investments, a draft agreement for cultural co-operation signed with Hungary, a draft agreement on aerial services, signed with Lesotho, and a memorandum of understanding on financial investigation between the Qatar Financial Information Unit and its counterpart in South Africa.
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