In a startling reply submitted to the Supreme Court of Pakistan the Capital Development Authority (CDA) claimed that the influx of Christians in the Islamabad slums could lead to serious demographic problems and may affect the Muslim majority of the capital. The reply was submitted to the Supreme Court with regard to the apex court’s inquiry in the recent operation against the Katchi Abadis (slums).
The reply further states that Katchi Abadis distort the image of many sectors of the federal capital, making them resemble ugly villages, whereas Islamabad was once considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world. CDA argues that it is necessary to remove Katchi Abadis to provide a better environment to the citizens of Islamabad and protect the capital’s beauty, while also preventing state land from being stolen. The authorities reply is not only bigoted but also flawed. In the Constitution of 1973, the state of Pakistan recognises fundamental rights to every citizen irrespective of race, creed, colour and religion.
The National Assembly also recently adopted a resolution that demanded Quaid-e-Azam’s vision about the status of religious minorities in Pakistan to be adopted as the country’s roadmap for the future. Jinnah in his famous speech to Pakistan’s first Constituent Assembly on Aug 11, 1947 had said. ‘You may belong to any religion or caste or creed – that has nothing to do with the business of the state.’ The CDA’s logic that it is due to the slums that many sectors of Islamabad ugly villages is also bizarre. A brief visit of the city makes it clear that most of the capital’s sectors (that are far from slums) are in a diabolical state. Blaming it all on slums is the easy way out.
CDA’s bizarre stance on the Katchi Abadi’s issue is not only flawed but also bigoted.