March 30, 2026
Hafiz Ullah Storai Sherani
ISLAMABAD
In a meeting held on Sunday, March 29, civil society came together to demand an end to the demolition of the katchi abadis (informal settlements) in the capital city. The All Party Alliance for Katchi Abadis, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP), Awami Workers Party (AWP), and Aurat March Islamabad all strongly condemned the imminent threat of demolition facing the residents of various settlement areas across the city, including Allama Iqbal Colony and Rimsha Colony. These 25-year-old communities, with Rimsha Colony home to predominantly Christian working-class families, are currently at risk of being razed by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) in the coming week — a reflection of a wider pattern of evictions targeting low-income residents.
Voices from the settlements
The press conference was held at National Press Club. On Sunday, the press conference became a space where the families of Islamabad’s katchi abadis shared their struggles and fears. Many women and children attended, speaking about the anxiety and uncertainty that now looms over their homes.
Residents said they were living in constant distress as the CDA continues to announce sudden eviction orders. For them, these threats are not just limited to being legal notices, but attacks on their dignity and livelihoods. Participants emphasized that women and children are especially vulnerable, facing the real risk of displacement and losing access to basic services.
Legal and minority rights advocacy
The coalition stressed that ignoring the 2015 Supreme Court stay-order reflects a worrying erosion of legal protections for citizens in informal settlements. Shoaib Suddle, acting as the One-Man Commission on Minorities Rights for the Supreme Court of Pakistan also joined the call to protect these marginalized residents.
Meanwhile Advocate Muhammad Raheem Awan said, “CDA and other government departments do not have the legal rights to harass the people of katchi abadis, or to order them to be removed or harassed in this manner.”
Rejection of forced evictions
The HRCP and allied organizations firmly rejected the ongoing evictions carried out by the CDA without due process, adequate notice, or lawful rehabilitation. They argued that these actions disproportionately target low-income communities who have lived and worked in these areas for decades.
The alliance reminded the CDA that it is bound by previous Supreme Court orders to develop and submit comprehensive policies for all informal settlements a task the provinces have already completed but which remains unaddressed in the federal capital.
The demands for justice
To ensure a rights-based approach to urban development for all affected residents, the civil society coalition and legal experts called for an immediate halt to the ongoing eviction operations, including in Allama Iqbal Colony and Rimsha Colony with immediate effect. They said that the government must urgently implement a national framework that guarantees malikana huqooq (ownership rights) and ensures prior consultation with all affected communities.
If displacement is unavoidable, the state must provide fair resettlement within a reasonable distance along with adequate compensation. There must be meaningful engagement with representatives of katchi abadi communities and accountability for arbitrary actions taken in the name of development, they said.