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The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, along with the All Party Alliance for Katchi Abadis, National Commission for Justice and Peace, Awami Workers Party, Aurat March Islamabad, and other civil society organisations, have strongly condemned the looming threat of demolition and forced eviction faced by residents of Allama Iqbal Colony in Islamabad.
According to an official statement from HRCP, Allama Iqbal Colony is a 25-year-old predominantly Christian working-class settlement that is reportedly set to be cleared in the coming week. The organisations expressed serious concern over what they described as a continued pattern of evictions carried out by the Capital Development Authority without due process, adequate notice, or lawful rehabilitation. As cited by the HRCP post on X, the groups stated that such actions are not isolated incidents but part of a broader approach that disproportionately affects low-income communities living in Islamabad's katchi abadis. They noted that many of these families have lived and worked in these areas for decades, yet continue to face displacement. The statement further highlighted that the ongoing actions disregard the 2015 stay order issued by the Supreme Court of Pakistan, and pointed to the absence of a comprehensive, rights-based policy for informal settlements. The organisations described this as an erosion of legal protections for marginalised citizens. The HRCP post emphasised that the issue extends beyond any single religious or social group, terming the demolition of katchi abadis a systemic challenge impacting housing, dignity, and livelihoods of working-class communities. It added that women and children are particularly vulnerable, facing increased risks of displacement, insecurity, and loss of access to essential services. The groups also noted that the prevailing climate of fear surrounding evictions restricts residents from organising and asserting their rights. Calling for urgent action, the organisations urged authorities to immediately halt all planned and ongoing eviction drives, including those in Allama Iqbal Colony and Rimsha Colony, and to comply fully with existing judicial directives, as mentioned in the HRCP post. They further reminded the CDA of its obligation under previous Supreme Court orders to develop and submit comprehensive policies for informal settlements, noting that similar frameworks have already been prepared by provincial governments. Additionally, the HRCP and allied groups called on the government to establish a transparent, inclusive, and rights-compliant national framework. This, they said, should ensure security of tenure (malikana huqooq), prior consultation with affected communities, and fair resettlement within a reasonable distance, along with adequate compensation where displacement cannot be avoided. The organisations also demanded meaningful engagement with representatives of katchi abadi communities and accountability for what they termed arbitrary and unlawful actions carried out in the name of urban development, as cited by the HRCP post on X. (ANI)
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