FCC Directs CDA to Formulate Rules for Regularizing Islamabad’s Informal Settlements
The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) in Islamabad has directed the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to finalize regulations for regularizing informal settlements within four weeks. This order follows petitions challenging recent demolition drives targeting slums and historic villages in the federal capital. During the hearing, Chief Justice Aminuddin Khan questioned delays in rule formulation, while the Additional Attorney General cited leadership changes as the cause. Petitioner counsel Faisal Siddiqui argued that evictions violate legitimate housing rights, noting that 400,000 residents, or half of Islamabad's population, live in these settlements. He emphasized that no one should be evicted without alternative accommodation. Conversely, CDA representatives claimed land misuse and mafia control hindered clearance efforts, stating the Master Plan does not account for slums. The court adjourned to allow the CDA time to draft the necessary rules. This legal development occurs amidst broader criticism from human rights groups, including the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, which condemned the CDA's approach as anti-poor and urged adherence to previous Supreme Court stay orders against summary evictions.
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FCC Directs CDA to Formulate Rules for Regularizing Islamabad’s Informal Settlements
The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) in Islamabad has directed the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to finalize regulations for regularizing informal settlements within four weeks. This order follows petitions challenging recent demolition drives targeting slums and historic villages in the federal capital. During the hearing, Chief Justice Aminuddin Khan questioned delays in rule formulation, while the Additional Attorney General cited leadership changes as the cause. Petitioner counsel Faisal Siddiqui argued that evictions violate legitimate housing rights, noting that 400,000 residents, or half of Islamabad's population, live in these settlements. He emphasized that no one should be evicted without alternative accommodation. Conversely, CDA representatives claimed land misuse and mafia control hindered clearance efforts, stating the Master Plan does not account for slums. The court adjourned to allow the CDA time to draft the necessary rules. This legal development occurs amidst broader criticism from human rights groups, including the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, which condemned the CDA's approach as anti-poor and urged adherence to previous Supreme Court stay orders against summary evictions.
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