ISLAMABAD: Slum dwellers of Rimsha Colony and G-7 Shapar Colony on Wednesday staged a protest demonstration against expected eviction by the Capital Development Authority (CDA).

A large number of dwellers of H-9 Rimsha Colony staged a protest against the CDA, saying the civic body had directed them to vacate the area otherwise an operation would be conducted there.

“Issuing directive to slum dwellers to vacate area without offering them any alternative shelters is a great injustice,” the slum dwellers said.

The CDA had itself set up Rimsha Colony some 15 years ago, while Shapar Colony had been established in 2002-3.

HRCP alarmed by CDA’s attempt to evict working-class families living in Rimsha, Akram Gill colonies in sector H-9

“Now, people are settled here and have no other options,” said a participant of the protest and minorities leaderWilliamPervaiz.

He said residents of Rimsha Colony held a protest rally while a grand meeting of dwellers was held at Shapar Colony against the CDA’s directive.

Mr Pervaiz said if the CDA wanted to get the said areas vacated, it should offer alternative place to these poor people in the nearby areas, as they are doing menial jobs in the city while females work in houses.

He said Christian leader J. Salik attended both events and vowed to protect the rights of slum dwellers.

Meanwhile, Human Right Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), in a post on X, said it was alarmed by the CDA’s recent attempt to evict working-class families living in Rimsha and Akram Gill colonies in Sector H-9.

“These neighbourhoods have long been home to approximately 25,000 people, primarily Christians, who were relocated here by the CDA in the early 2010s, following false blasphemy allegations against 14-year-old Rimsha Masih and the ensuing risk to these communities”.

The statement said issuing eviction notices despite a 2015 Supreme Court stay order under which katchi abadis is both unjust and unlawful. We urgently call on the prime minister, law minister, interior minister and religious affairs minister to take notice of these imminent evictions,” the HRCP stated, adding that the CDA must halt all eviction plans until guaranteed resettlement is ensured in line with national law and international human rights obligations.

Meanwhile, a statement issued by the HRCP stated that in recent weeks, CDA had conducted massive eviction operations across Islamabad, bulldozing decades-old homes in historic katchi abadis like Muslim Colony, Bari Imam.

“Now they are threatening the same in Rimsha and Akram Gill colonies in H-9 sector of the capital, home to approximately 25,000 residents of primarily Christian faith,” the statement said.

The HRCP further stated that the “cruel irony is that the CDA itself shifted hundreds of Christian families here in the early 2010s after the infamous Rimsha case when a young Christian girl in Islamabad’s F-12 sector was falsely accused of blasphemy. This is why the emergent katchi abadi in H-9 took the name Rimsha Colony, with an adjacent settlement becoming known as Akram Gill Colony.

“Today, both are being issued verbal notices by CDA enforcement crew on the pretext they are ‘illegal’ despite the fact that katchi abadis in Islamabad are protected by the 2015 stay order issued by then chief justice of the Supreme Court, Jawwad Khawaja,” the HRCP statement said.

“This is an urgent appeal to mobilise support for Rimsha and Akram Gill colonies, and to prevent the CDA from undertaking any summary eviction, at least until it guarantees resettlement of all 25,000 residents as mandated by the 2015 Supreme Court order, alongwith various domestic and international human rights covenants,” the HRCP statement said.

Meanwhile, a press release issued by slum dwellers stated that on the pretext of reducing flood disaster risks during the upcoming monsoon season, the CDA appears to be initiating a policy that may trigger a serious humanitarian crisis in the capital city.

They said the CDA could demolish hundreds of dwellings - labelled as encroachments - located along several streams (nullahs), without prior consultation with the affected communities and without providing any viable plan for alternative accommodation or rehabilitation.

Our communities have long been acknowledged by multiple state institutions as bona fide residents of these areas. The National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) officially recognise these settlements as permanent residential addresses. Electricity and gas supply companies have installed infrastructure in our neighborhoods, and even the CDA itself has constructed parks, roads, and commercial facilities in the nearby areas. These facts clearly demonstrate that our presence has been formally recognised and administratively facilitated for many years,” they added.

Meanwhile, an officer of the CDA said G-7 Shapar Colony is a totally illegal settlement in G-7 Markaz between Khadda and Sitara markets.

“A few days ago, we conducted an operation to remove their illegal commercial areas set up on a greenbelt and public park. No one has any right to do business on park and right of way of road after illegally encroaching upon state land,” the official said, adding the CDA’s policy is very clear against encroachment particularly regarding, bank of nullah, green belt and public parks.

To a query about Rimsha Colony, the official said only commercial areas such as depot and other such settlement were removed.

Asked about claims of residents that they were settled in this area by CDA itself, the official said: “ We will check their record and if any such agreement exist, CDA will honour it, but this is not fair that illegal settlements on state land continues to grow and CDA kept ignoring it. Otherwise, same people in future say that why CDA did not act on time,” the official said.

Published in Dawn, March 12th, 2026