The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) on Thursday instructed the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to develop and finalise a policy for the regularisation of informal settlements, commonly known as katchi abadis, within a four-week timeframe. This directive came during the hearing of a case addressing the status of slums in Islamabad.
Chief Justice Ameenuddin Khan, presiding over the bench along with Justice Arshad Hussain Shah, emphasized that this was the CDA’s “final opportunity” to submit a comprehensive policy framework on the matter.
During proceedings, lawyer Faisal Siddiqi, representing the residents of these informal settlements, expressed his readiness to present arguments and also respond to the CDA’s report. The chief justice inquired about the specific relief sought by the petitioners and whether any land had been officially designated for such settlements within Islamabad.
Siddiqi highlighted that housing policies dating back to 1995 had acknowledged informal settlements. He clarified that the petition was not a call for sympathy but a demand for legal recognition and rights. Despite the introduction of policies in 2001 and 2016, residents of katchi abadis continued to face eviction threats.
An additional attorney general informed the court that informal settlements were not part of Islamabad’s original master plan but had been subsequently recognised in policy documents and judicial decisions. The court noted that the core issue seemed to be the lack of effective implementation of these existing policies.
A CDA representative pointed out that challenges such as misuse of allocated land and rapid population growth within these settlements complicated the regularisation process. He added that over 400,000 people currently reside in informal settlements across the capital. The official mentioned that the policy could be approved during the CDA’s upcoming board meeting and attributed previous delays to administrative transitions.
In a significant development, the court adjourned the hearing for four weeks, mandating the CDA to finalise and present a detailed policy for the regularisation of katchi abadis within this period.
