CDA razes nearly 200 Noorpur Shahan houses amid anti-encroachment drive; residents dispute claims

Islamabad authorities have launched a forceful anti-encroachment operation in Noorpur Shahan, razing nearly 200 homes. This action follows a violent confrontation where residents reportedly clashed with the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and police. The police have registered a case against 350 individuals, invoking charges under the Anti-Terrorism Act, alleging the use of petrol bombs and firearms by the residents.

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The CDA deployed nearly 10 excavators on Wednesday and demolished the entire Noori Bagh Mohallah, comprising over 200 houses.

The CDA, after facing resistance on Tuesday, carried out the large-scale demolition on Wednesday with heavy machinery and police presence, reportedly without opposition. However, residents present a starkly different narrative. They claim the entire Noori Bagh Mohallah was demolished and that their belongings were thrown out before their homes were destroyed.

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The villagers claimed that the Islamabad High Court through a ruling on a petition filed by Tanvir Husain, had directed the CDA to rehabilitate the affected families through a model village scheme.

Adding another layer to the dispute, residents point to a supposed Islamabad High Court ruling that directed the CDA to rehabilitate affected families. They allege that despite land acquisition decades ago and a CDA proposal for model villages, the authority has failed to uphold its commitments. This situation highlights a deep-seated conflict between development goals and the rights and livelihoods of residents in Islamabad.

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According to the contents of the FIR, the villagers allegedly attacked the CDA staff and police personnel using petrol bombs and firearms.