The All Party Alliance for Katchi Abadis, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), National Commission for Justice and Peace, Awami Workers Party, Aurat March Islamabad, and allied civil society organizations, strongly condemn the imminent threat of demolition and forced eviction facing residents of Allama Iqbal Colony, a 25-year-old, predominantly Christian working-class settlement reportedly slated for clearance in the coming week.
We unequivocally reject the ongoing pattern of evictions carried out by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) without due process, adequate notice or lawful rehabilitation. These actions are not isolated incidents but part of a broader and deeply unjust approach that disproportionately targets low-income communities across Islamabad’s katchi abadis—affecting families who have lived and worked in these areas for decades. Moreover, the continued disregard for the 2015 Supreme Court stay-order and the absence of a coherent and rights-based policy reflects the troubling erosion of legal protections for marginalized citizens.
This issue transcends any single religious or social group. The demolition of katchi abadis represents a systemic assault on the housing, dignity and livelihoods of working-class communities. Women and children are particularly vulnerable, facing heightened risks of displacement, insecurity and loss of access to basic services. The climate of fear surrounding these evictions further suppresses the ability of affected residents to organize and assert their rights.
We call on the authorities to immediately halt all planned and ongoing eviction operations, including in Allama Iqbal Colony and Rimsha Colony, and to fully comply with existing judicial directives. We would remind the CDA that it is bound by prior Supreme Court orders to all the provinces—as well as the CDA—to develop and submit comprehensive policies for all informal settlements, which the provinces have already completed.
Additionally, the government must urgently develop and implement a national transparent, inclusive and rights-compliant framework that guarantees security of tenure (malikana huqooq), ensures prior consultation with affected communities, and provides fair resettlement within a reasonable radius along with adequate compensation where displacement is unavoidable.
We further demand meaningful engagement with representatives of katchi abadi communities, as well as accountability for arbitrary and unlawful actions undertaken in the name of urban development.
