A coalition of prominent civil society organizations has strongly condemned the planned demolition of Allama Iqbal Colony, a 25-year-old settlement predominantly inhabited by Christians, demanding that the demolition be halted.
In a joint statement today, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and the Awami Workers Party, among other groups, have severely criticized the Capital Development Authority (CDA) for continuing a series of evictions without due legal process, adequate prior notice, or legal rehabilitation of the affected residents.
The organizations maintain that these actions are not isolated incidents but reflect a broader, unjust policy that particularly affects low-income groups in the city’s informal settlements, or katchi abadis. They emphasized that many of these families have been living and working in the area for decades.
The statement highlighted the “dangerous erosion of legal protections,” pointing to the consistent disregard for a 2015 Supreme Court stay order concerning such evictions and the authorities’ failure to establish a clear, rights-based policy for these communities.
The activists described the demolitions as a “systematic assault on the housing, dignity, and employment of the working class.” The groups noted that women and children are particularly vulnerable, facing severe risks such as homelessness, insecurity, and the loss of access to essential services. A prevailing atmosphere of fear is also reportedly hindering the ability of affected individuals to organize and voice their rights.
The coalition has demanded an immediate halt to all planned and ongoing eviction operations, specifically naming Allama Iqbal Colony and Rimsha Colony, and full compliance with existing court orders. They reminded the CDA that it is bound by a Supreme Court directive to formulate a comprehensive policy for informal settlements, a task they say provincial authorities have already completed.
Furthermore, the civil society bodies urged the government to urgently develop and implement a national framework that guarantees housing and property rights. They insisted that this framework must ensure prior consultation with communities and the provision of fair resettlement and adequate compensation in cases where eviction is unavoidable.
The statement concluded with a call for meaningful consultation with the representative leadership of the katchi abadis and for accountability for the “arbitrary and illegal actions” carried out in the name of urban development.
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