Muhammad Daud Khan

I rent at One Constitution Avenue. Last night, at around 1 AM, I was jolted awake by aggressive banging on my door. My heart raced — I initially feared thieves or intruders had broken in. When I stepped out, I was confronted by nearly 50 heavily armored police officers, rude and visibly ready to beat us up if we resisted. They did not deny it was a forced eviction. The security staff and police showed no court order, no legal documents, and offered no explanation. They merely barked instructions: vacate the premises by 12 noon today. Only in the morning did I learn that this midnight raid was supposedly backed by a court order. Why am I not surprised? This is precisely what we have come to expect from Pakistan’s “protocol courts.” The building has been in legal dispute for over 20 years. During all this time, the courts allowed people to buy apartments, invest their hard-earned money, and rent them out lawfully. Tenants like me exercised our individual property rights and tenancy rights in good faith. Now, all of a sudden, without any prior notice, hearing, or reason, they want us to vacate overnight. What court in the world issues such an order — authorizing 50 armed policemen to raid a residential building at 1 AM, treating law-abiding citizens like criminals? I called several journalists, but none showed interest. There should have been TV crews and radio teams here to document this injustice. Our judges appear to be uneducated protocol seekers rather than guardians of justice and the Constitution. Is this judgment lawful in any manner? Even if an eviction were technically legal after 20 years of disputes, should it ever be executed in such a brutal, inhumane, and overnight fashion — without basic dignity, due process, or time for residents to arrange alternatives? This sets a terrifying precedent for every tenant and property owner in the country. Property rights are being trampled, and ordinary citizens are left helpless. What is it about judges hate for buildings. ?