Threatened Evictions of thousands of poor families in Islamabad
As the Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Pakistani Minorities, I want to raise my voice about something deeply unjust happening in Islamabad.
Thousands of poor families, many Christian —peaceful, hardworking families—are facing eviction from their homes by the Islamabad Capital Development Authority.
Families with children.
Families with nowhere else to go.
Families who may soon lose the only shelter they have.
And let me say this plainly:
This should not be happening.
In 2019, we visited these communities ourselves.
We walked through the settlements.
We met the residents.
We sat with the families.
We listened to their stories.
And what we found were not criminals.
Not troublemakers.
Not lawbreakers.
We found peaceful and hardworking citizens.
Men and women doing honest jobs every single day.
People trying to provide for their children.
People trying to survive with dignity.
People trying to build a better future.
These are decent human beings.
And they deserve better than to be thrown onto the streets.
What makes this even more shocking is that these residents had previously been granted permission to remain by the Islamabad High Court.
And when we met Chief Justice Saqib Nisar, he made it clear that he too wanted these families to stay.
So I ask again—
Why is this happening?
Why are people who were told they could remain now living in fear of bulldozers and demolition?
Pakistan has obligations.
Legal obligations.
Moral obligations.
National obligations.
International obligations.
A country cannot simply remove vulnerable citizens from their homes and abandon them without providing alternative accommodation.
That is not justice.
That is not leadership.
And that is not humanity.
But there is another reason this matters.
Pakistan has, in recent days, earned praise across the world for hosting peace talks between the United States and Iran here in Islamabad. The country’s mediation efforts and diplomatic role have received international attention and commendation. (Reuters)
The Prime Minister and the Field Marshal have earned goodwill and respect for presenting Pakistan as a force for peace, diplomacy, and responsible leadership.
And rightly so.
But all of that goodwill—
All of that praise—
All of that respect—
Could be lost in an instant if these evictions go ahead.
Because what will the world think if, on one hand, Pakistan presents itself as a champion of peace abroad—
while on the other hand vulnerable Christian families are being thrown out of their homes in its own capital?
What message does that send?
What image does that create?
What headlines will that produce around the world?
The same international community praising Pakistan today will condemn Pakistan tomorrow if images emerge of women, children, and Christian families made homeless in Islamabad.
And rightly so.
Because no nation can claim greatness abroad while showing cruelty at home.
No nation can ask for international respect while mistreating its weakest citizens.
And no government can build progress by bulldozing the poor.
Let me say that again:
You do not build a great city by destroying the homes of the vulnerable.
You do not build a modern nation by making minorities homeless.
And you do not earn honour by punishing the poor.
Pakistan’s Christian minority already faces enough hardship.
They already face discrimination.
They already face marginalisation.
To now threaten them with homelessness is not just wrong—
It is shameful.
So today I call upon the authorities:
Stop these evictions.
Respect the ruling of the courts.
Honour the commitments made before.
Protect these families.
Protect Pakistan’s reputation.
Build a Pakistan in accordance with the vision of Jinnah
And do what is right.
Because these people are not asking for luxury.
They are not asking for privilege.
They are simply asking for fairness.
For dignity.
For compassion.
For the right to keep a roof over their heads.
We stand with them.
And we call on everyone of conscience to stand with them too.
Thank you.
In one of the minority colonies with co-chair Jim Shannon MP & Marie Rimmer MP
