People in Islamabad are waking up to bulldozers again. It’s a recurring nightmare for the city’s poorest residents. Recently, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) and several civil society groups stepped up to demand an immediate halt to evictions in the capital’s informal settlements, known as Katchi Abadis. They aren't just asking for a pause. They're calling out a systemic failure that treats the working class as disposable clutter in a "model city."
If you think this is just about illegal land grabbing, you’re missing the bigger picture. These settlements aren't just clusters of mud and brick. They’re the backbone of Islamabad’s economy. The people living there are the ones who clean the offices, cook the food, and build the luxury high-rises that eventually replace their own homes. When the Capital Development Authority (CDA) rolls in with heavy machinery, they aren't just clearing land. They’re destroying lives without offering a single viable alternative.
The Myth of the Illegal Squatter
Most people look at a Katchi Abadi and see a legal violation. That’s the easy way out. The harder truth is that these settlements exist because the state failed to provide affordable housing for the people it needs to keep the city running. Islamabad was designed as a grid of privilege. It didn't account for the thousands of laborers required to maintain it.
HRCP and other activists argue that the right to housing is a fundamental human right, not a luxury reserved for those who can afford a plot in Phase 8. When the government forcibly removes people, it violates Article 9 and Article 14 of the Constitution of Pakistan. These aren't just numbers on a page. They represent the right to life and dignity. You can't have dignity when your roof is ripped off at 6:00 AM while your kids are sleeping.
The irony is thick. While the CDA targets the poor, palatial mansions and commercial plazas often bypass zoning laws with a slap on the wrist or a "regularization" fee. The law seems to be a flexible tool for the rich and a hammer for the poor. Civil society groups are rightly pointing out this double standard. They want the government to recognize these settlements under the 2001 Katchi Abadi Policy, which actually suggests improvement and regularization rather than blunt destruction.
Why Forced Evictions Never Work
Evictions are a short-term "fix" that creates long-term chaos. You kick a family out of Sector G-7, and where do they go? They don't disappear. They move to another vacant lot, likely further away from their jobs, or they squeeze into an even more overcrowded slum. It’s a cycle of displacement that keeps people in a state of permanent poverty.
- Loss of Livelihood: Most residents live near their workplaces to save on transport. Eviction pushes them to the fringes, making their jobs unsustainable.
- Education Interruption: Every time a settlement is razed, hundreds of children drop out of school. You can't do homework under a tarp in a rainstorm.
- Health Risks: Forced displacement without relocation plans leads to outbreaks of waterborne diseases and severe mental trauma.
Civil society organizations like the Awami Workers Party (AWP) and various student unions have been on the ground for years. They've seen the "clearing" operations firsthand. It’s usually violent. It’s always messy. And it never solves the housing shortage. Honestly, it’s exhausting to watch the same script play out every few years with no progress on low-cost housing schemes.
The Demand for a Permanent Solution
The HRCP isn't just screaming into the void. They’ve laid out clear demands that the government usually ignores. First, they want a total moratorium on evictions until a comprehensive resettlement plan is in place. That seems like common sense, right? Don't throw people on the street if you have nowhere else for them to go.
Secondly, they’re pushing for the "right to the city." This concept means that every resident, regardless of income, has a claim to urban space and services. It’s about social justice. Islamabad shouldn't just be a playground for the elite and the bureaucracy. It needs to be a functional home for everyone.
What Real Resettlement Looks Like
If the government actually cared about urban planning, they’d stop the bulldozers and start the blueprints. Real resettlement involves:
- On-site Upgrading: Improving infrastructure like water, sewage, and electricity where the people already live.
- Land Titling: Giving residents legal ownership of small plots so they have the incentive to invest in better housing.
- Cross-Subsidization: Using profits from high-end real estate to fund low-income apartments.
Instead of these proven methods, we see a rush to "beautify" the city by hiding the poor. It’s a cosmetic approach to a structural problem. Activists are demanding that the CDA and the federal government sit down with community leaders from the Katchi Abadis. You can’t plan for people without talking to them. That’s not governance; that’s dictates.
The Legal Battle for the Right to Shelter
The courts have been a mixed bag on this. There have been stay orders in the past, but they're often temporary. The Supreme Court of Pakistan has previously remarked on the state's duty to provide shelter, yet the execution on the ground remains brutal. Civil society groups are calling for a definitive judicial intervention that aligns with international human rights standards.
We’re talking about thousands of households. In some areas, these communities have lived in the same spot for forty years. They have voter registration cards, utility bills (sometimes), and deep social ties. To treat them as "encroachers" is a massive oversimplification of a complex social reality. It’s time to stop looking at Islamabad as a map and start looking at it as a community.
Stop the Bulldozers Now
The call for an immediate halt to evictions is about more than just stopping a machine. It's about changing how we value people in Pakistan. If the state continues to prioritize "green belts" and "clean vistas" over the lives of its most vulnerable citizens, it fails its most basic test.
The HRCP and civil society groups are right to stand in the way. They’re holding up a mirror to a society that often prefers to look away. We need a housing policy that starts with the word "inclusive" and ends with the word "permanent."
If you want to support this cause, start by challenging the narrative that Katchi Abadis are the problem. They are a symptom of the problem. The real issue is a housing market that only serves the top 1%. Join the conversation, support local NGOs working on land rights, and demand that your local representatives prioritize low-income housing over another luxury shopping mall. The bulldozers might be quiet today, but they’ll be back unless the law changes. Keep the pressure on the CDA and the Ministry of Interior. Housing is a right, not a privilege for the few.
