ISLAMABAD: Political parties, civil society organisations, intellectuals, members of the legal fraternity and ordinary citizens on Wednesday expressed solidarity with slums’ residents facing imminent eviction and demanded that the Capital Development Authority (CDA) immediately halt all ongoing demolition drives and honour the constitutional right to housing of all citizens.

The ‘Haq-i-Rehaish’ conference, organised by the Awami Workers Party (AWP) at the National Press Club where representatives of katchi abadis both recently demolished, like Muslim Colony Bari Imam, as well as those under threat, like Rimsha Colony H9 and Allama Iqbal Colony G7 were also present.

Conference speakers also appealed to the superior courts to intervene to protect the rights of the poor in accordance with a Supreme Court stay order which has been in effect since 2015.

The AWP leaders noted that the Supreme Court ratified their position in 2015 after the mass eviction of I-11 katchi abadi, and not only instructed the CDA to change its planning priorities but also ordered a moratorium on summary evictions that the CDA continues to violate.

Umer Bangash from Muslim Colony Bari Imam described the hellish demolition of the settlement in December 2025, featuring the complete disregard of CDA crew and ICT police crews for the Supreme Court stay order.

He said that 25,000 residents of Muslim Colony, whose forefathers built Islamabad’s building with their own hands, are now living from hand to mouth, waiting for some kind of justice.

Fayyaz James from Allama Iqbal Colony G7 said that the 4,000 residents of the katchi abadi have the sword of eviction hanging over their heads for many weeks, with bulldozers standing ready next to their homes.

Waris Lal from H9 Rimsha Colony said that the biggest katchi abadi in Islamabad is home to persecuted Christians who the CDA itself settled in 2012, but whose rights are now considered secondary to the imperative of building 10th Avenue highway.

Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2026