KARACHI – Pakistani authorities have demolished hundreds of homes in an Afghan refugee settlement in Karachi, citing a crackdown on illegal land encroachment. The move has sparked outcry from residents who insist they legally purchased their plots decades ago and from human rights groups who condemn it as a brutal escalation in a ongoing campaign of pressure against Afghan refugees.
The demolitions, which began Wednesday in the Gulshan-e-Maymar neighborhood, are being carried out by the National Development Authority, which has now taken control of the land. Bulldozers razed structures as police stood guard, reducing homes and shops to rubble and leaving many families without shelter.
A Clash of Narratives: Encroachment vs. Ownership
The operation highlights a deep-seated dispute over land and legitimacy. Pakistani officials, like West Karachi Police Chief Irfan Baloch, frame the action as a necessary measure against “illegal land occupation.” Baloch told Bol News that over 300 houses and several shops were demolished on the first day, with the operation expected to continue for several more. He confirmed several detentions of individuals who resisted the demolition teams.
However, for the Afghan residents, the narrative is one of betrayal and injustice. Many claim their families have lived on this land since the 1980s, having fled the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. They assert they purchased the plots through informal yet widely recognized community agreements and have invested their life savings into building permanent homes.
“We have all our documents, the receipts from when our fathers bought this land 30 years ago,” said one distraught resident, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisals. “Where do they expect us to go now? Our lives are here.”
A Community in Limbo
The Gulshan-e-Maymar settlement is one of the largest Afghan refugee colonies in Karachi, historically hosting around 3,000 houses and an estimated 15,000 people. However, local reports indicate that a massive exodus has already occurred in recent months due to a government directive for all undocumented migrants to leave Pakistan by November 2023. It is believed only about 1,500 people remain in the area, with most having already made the difficult journey back to an uncertain future in Afghanistan.
This demolition drive is the latest and most physical manifestation of a broader crackdown. In recent months, Afghan refugees across Pakistan—many of whom have lived in the country for their entire lives—have reported increased harassment, evictions, and arbitrary arrests. Rights activists accuse the Pakistani government of using coercive tactics to force a mass repatriation.
“This is not about land encroachment; this is about making life so unbearable for Afghans that they have no choice but to leave,” said Zainab Malik, a spokesperson for the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. “To demolish homes with such force, without due process or providing any alternative shelter, is a clear violation of basic human rights and international principles regarding the treatment of refugees.”
Broader Implications for Regional Relations
The situation in Gulshan-e-Maymar has significant implications beyond the immediate humanitarian crisis. Observers warn that such actions risk further straining the already tense relationship between Islamabad and the Taliban-led government in Kabul.
The Taliban administration has repeatedly criticized Pakistan’s treatment of Afghan refugees, and a large-scale, visibly destructive operation like the one in Karachi is likely to draw strong condemnation from Afghan leaders. This comes at a time when cross-border security issues, particularly the presence of the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) in Afghanistan, remain a major point of contention between the two neighbors.
As the demolition machinery is set to resume, the remaining residents of Gulshan-e-Maymar face a bleak and immediate future. The rubble of their homes symbolizes a decades-long refugee crisis that remains unresolved, now compounded by a new chapter of displacement and deepening distrust between Pakistan and its Afghan refugee population.
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