Islamabad, Pakistan: Thousands of Christian residents in Pakistan’s capital are facing the threat of sudden eviction after authorities ordered two long-standing settlements to be vacated within days, sparking protests and renewed concerns over the treatment of religious minorities in the country.

Residents of Rimsha Colony and Akram Gill Colony, located in Islamabad’s Sector H-9, say officials from the Capital Development Authority (CDA) announced through loudspeakers that the settlements were illegal encroachments and must be cleared within three days. The directive has placed nearly 25,000 people—most of them sanitation workers and daily wage laborers—in a state of fear and uncertainty about their future.

The order triggered widespread panic across the communities. Many residents reportedly stayed home from work, worried that demolition squads could arrive at any moment.

On March 11, thousands of residents staged a peaceful march through the narrow streets of their neighborhoods in protest. Carrying a large wooden cross and chanting psalms and “Hallelujah,” demonstrators walked through the settlements before gathering for prayers and appeals for justice.

Community leaders argue that the residents are not illegal occupants, insisting that many families were relocated to the area more than a decade ago for their safety following tensions linked to the controversial blasphemy case of Rimsha Masih.

Masih, a Christian girl who was just 14 years old at the time, was arrested in 2012 after being accused of burning pages of the Quran—an allegation that carries the death penalty under Pakistan’s blasphemy laws. The case drew international condemnation when a local cleric was accused of planting the pages in her bag. The charges were later dismissed, and Masih eventually left Pakistan with her family in 2013.

According to local advocates, many Christian families were moved to the current settlements during that period of unrest as a protective measure. What was once presented as a temporary refuge has since evolved into a permanent community, where thousands have lived and worked in the capital for years.

Church leaders and human-rights advocates say the sudden eviction order fails to acknowledge this history and places vulnerable families at risk of homelessness.

Pastor Imran Amanat, a community leader associated with LEAD Ministries, urged authorities to handle the situation with compassion and fairness.

“Thousands of Christian families suddenly face eviction without any clear plan for resettlement,” Amanat said. “These individuals have served the city for years as sanitation workers and municipal laborers, yet they continue to live without even the most basic facilities such as schools, hospitals, and proper roads.”

Sardar Mushtaq Gill, founder of LEAD Ministries, warned that the eviction order may also violate legal protections.

In 2015, the Supreme Court of Pakistan issued a landmark ruling placing restrictions on summary evictions and directing authorities to protect the rights and dignity of religious minorities. The ruling followed the demolition of one of Islamabad’s largest informal settlements, which left more than 20,000 working-class residents homeless.

“Issuing eviction notices now, despite a 2015 Supreme Court stay order, is both unjust and unlawful,” Gill said.

The settlements themselves trace their origins back to the mid-1980s, when migrant laborers moved to the area near Islamabad’s main vegetable market in search of employment. Over time, the communities expanded and became home to thousands of working-class families, many of whom now serve in essential municipal roles.

Observers note that economic pressures may also play a role in such disputes. Informal settlements located on valuable urban land often face eviction as cities expand and property values rise, leaving marginalized communities vulnerable to displacement.

For residents of Rimsha and Akram Gill colonies, however, the issue is immediate and deeply personal. With the deadline looming, families say they have nowhere else to go if the eviction proceeds.

“We are not demanding anything extraordinary,” said one resident during the protest. “We only want the right to live peacefully.”

As tensions continue to rise, community leaders are calling on authorities to suspend the eviction order and initiate dialogue aimed at ensuring safe relocation and legal protections for the affected families. For now, thousands of Christian residents in Islamabad remain uncertain about what the coming days will bring.