Islamabad (April 16, 2026) — The Capital Development Authority (CDA) successfully demolished approximately 200 houses and buildings in the Noorpur Shahan area on Wednesday, despite a day of intense and violent resistance. The operation, which targets what the authority calls illegal encroachments in Sector F-4, was supported by a massive contingent of nearly 1,000 police personnel.
Key Highlights
- Approximately 200 houses in Noori Bagh Mohallah were leveled using heavy machinery.
- Police have booked 350 individuals under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) for allegedly attacking officials with petrol bombs and firearms.
- Eight policemen were injured during Tuesday’s clashes, four of whom sustained gunshot wounds.
- Residents claim the demolition violates court orders regarding a “Model Village” rehabilitation scheme, while the CDA asserts all legal stay orders have been lifted.
🚨🚨 Shameful
Police using heavy shelling succeeded in pushing back the villagers. Some of the protesters, majority of them women and children, took shelter inside their houses. During the operation, Noori Bagh Mohallah was completely demolished. https://t.co/eVajEgrq8j— Asad Ali Toor (@AsadAToor) April 15, 2026
A tale of two narratives: State vs. Residents
The operation turned the Noorpur Shahan locality into a virtual “war zone” on Tuesday. According to the police FIR, a mob of hundreds attacked CDA staff and law enforcement with SMGs, pistols, and petrol bombs, setting two official vehicles on fire. In response, police utilized tear gas and baton charges to disperse the crowd. By Wednesday, however, the resistance had faded as the CDA moved in with 10 excavators to complete the demolition under heavy guard.
Residents present a starkly different view, accusing the CDA of “anti-poor” tactics. Families in Noori Bagh Mohallah alleged that their belongings were thrown into the streets before their homes were razed. They argue that the land, acquired by the state in the 1960s, was supposed to be part of a rehabilitation project that the CDA has failed to implement for over three decades.
The “Model Village” dispute
The core of the legal battle lies in a decades-old plan to develop seven “Model Villages,” including Noorpur Shahan, to resettle displaced populations.
Residents’ Argument: They cite a historical policy from 1977 and subsequent court rulings that directed the CDA to rehabilitate affected families rather than evict them.
CDA’s Position: The authority maintains that the area is designated as Sector F-4 in Islamabad’s Master Plan and that recent Islamabad High Court (IHC) decisions have cleared the way for the removal of illegal occupants.
Human rights and civil society reaction
The demolition has sparked a backlash from civil society groups, including the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) and the Awami Workers Party. Activists argue that the summary evictions violate the constitutional right to housing under Article 9. They have called on the superior courts to uphold a 2015 Supreme Court stay order that was intended to protect informal settlements (katchi abadis) from forced displacement without viable alternatives.
Current situation on the ground
As of Thursday, the area remains under heavy police deployment to prevent a resurgence of violence. While the CDA celebrates the reclamation of state land worth billions, hundreds of residents are left homeless, seeking refuge with relatives or in the ruins of their former neighborhood.
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