Islamabad, March 30 – Human rights activists and civil society organizations have strongly condemned the planned demolition and forced eviction of residents in Allama Iqbal Colony, a 25-year-old predominantly Christian working-class settlement in Islamabad. The community now faces an imminent threat of clearance in the coming days, raising serious concerns over minority rights and displacement.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), along with the All Party Alliance for Katchi Abadis, the National Commission for Justice and Peace, the Awami Workers Party, Aurat March Islamabad, and allied civil society organizations, unequivocally rejected the ongoing pattern of evictions carried out by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) in Islamabad, citing a lack of due process, adequate notice, and lawful rehabilitation.
According to the organizations, these "actions are not isolated incidents but part of a broader and deeply unjust approach" by Pakistani authorities that disproportionately targets low-income communities across Islamabad's katchi abadis (informal settlements) – "affecting families who have lived and worked in these areas for decades."
Expressing concern, they said that the continued disregard for Pakistan's 2015 Supreme Court stay order and the absence of a coherent and rights-based policy reflect a disturbing 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," the groups mentioned.
The organizations called on the Pakistani 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," the groups stated.
"Additionally, the government must urgently develop and implement a national transparent, inclusive, and rights-compliant framework that guarantees security of tenure, ensures prior consultation with affected communities, and provides fair resettlement within a reasonable radius, along with adequate compensation where displacement is unavoidable," it added.
The organizations demanded meaningful engagement with representatives of katchi abadi communities, as well as accountability for "arbitrary and unlawful actions" undertaken in the name of urban development by the Pakistani authorities.