Civil society organisations in Islamabad have called for an immediate stop to planned demolitions affecting katchi abadis, warning that forced evictions are imminent in Allama Iqbal Colony and other informal settlements. The All Party Alliance for Katchi Abadis, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, the National Commission for Justice and Peace, Awami Workers Party, Aurat March Islamabad and allied groups jointly condemned the proposed clearance operations and urged authorities to halt action pending proper legal safeguards.
The groups say Allama Iqbal Colony is a 25 year old working class settlement, predominantly Christian, that faces clearance in the coming days. Rimsha Colony was also named among communities at risk. Civil society representatives emphasised that these neighbourhoods house families who have lived and worked locally for decades and that sudden displacement would deepen economic and social hardship for already vulnerable residents.
Criticism was levelled at the Capital Development Authority for pursuing evictions without due process, adequate notice or lawful rehabilitation measures. Observers noted a broader pattern of such operations across Islamabad that appears to ignore the 2015 Supreme Court stay order and lacks a coherent, rights based policy framework. The groups warned this approach undermines legal protections for marginalised citizens and sets a troubling precedent for urban governance.
Women and children were highlighted as particularly exposed to harm from sudden displacement, with loss of shelter, livelihoods and access to basic services creating long term insecurity. Civil society said the prevailing climate of fear is preventing communities from organising or asserting their rights, and stressed that evictions should not be carried out in ways that compound social exclusion.
Demands include an immediate halt to all planned and ongoing eviction operations, full compliance with existing judicial directives and the development of a transparent national framework that secures tenure rights. The statement called for guarantees of security of tenure, known locally as malikana huqooq, meaningful prior consultation with affected communities, fair resettlement within a reasonable radius and adequate compensation where relocation is unavoidable. The groups also urged accountability for arbitrary or unlawful actions undertaken in the name of urban development.
Civil society reiterated that provinces have already completed comprehensive policies for informal settlements and reminded the CDA of its obligation under prior Supreme Court orders to develop and submit similar measures. The organisations said meaningful engagement with community representatives must precede any further enforcement steps and appealed to federal and municipal authorities to resolve the matter in a rights respecting manner.
