Over 8,000 residents have been evicted from informal settlements across Karachi’s korangi, Gujjar, and Mehmoodabad nullahs this summer, as part of urban clearance linked to flood mitigation and development efforts.
The Sindh government says the demolitions follow Supreme Court orders to remove encroachments along stormwater drains. But human rights groups argue that affected communities were given little notice, no alternative housing, and minimal financial compensation.
Amnesty International and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) have both issued condemnations, calling the evictions “cruel” and demanding urgent remedial action.
Many families, displaced during monsoon season, now live in makeshift tents or under flyovers, without access to clean water or electricity. “They demolished our homes in two hours,” said one affected mother of three. “Now we sleep on concrete.”
Urban planners say Pakistan’s cities need climate resilience — but argue that human displacement shouldn’t be the price. “There are ways to modernize without marginalizing,” said architect Huma Jatoi.
Legal aid organizations are mobilizing support, and temporary relief camps have been proposed by Karachi’s mayor, though progress remains limited. Affected citizens continue to protest outside the Karachi Press Club.
The conflict highlights Pakistan’s urgent need to balance infrastructure upgrades with human dignity — ensuring that resilience doesn’t come at the cost of the rights of the most vulnerable.
