Law enforcement agencies conducted a sudden late-night raid at One Constitution Avenue in Islamabad. Officials went door-to-door and ordered occupants to vacate one of the capital’s most expensive residential buildings. This high-profile operation occurred in the highly secure Red Zone, an area housing key government buildings and diplomatic offices.
The operation happened immediately after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) upheld a critical decision by the Capital Development Authority (CDA). Specifically, the CDA canceled the land lease for the high-rise project. A massive multibillion-rupee default directly triggered this strict lease cancellation. Moreover, this project has faced severe legal scrutiny for several years. Previously, the IHC also upheld the CDA’s move to cancel the multi-storey building’s land lease back in 2017.
During the late-night operation in One Constitution Avenue, police officials entered the apartment complex and gave residents a strict 12-hour deadline. They told occupants they must leave the property by the following evening. Consequently, the sudden action created immense fear and uncertainty among the families living there. Furthermore, residents claimed officials cited an “order from above” to justify the timeline. Some occupants even alleged that police forcibly broke the doors and locks of certain apartments during the raid.
The reported evacuation attempt quickly gained traction on social media platforms. Several users took to X to highlight the heavy police presence at the site. For instance, journalist Hamza Azhar Salam posted about the Islamabad Police moving into the building to vacate residents due to ongoing legal issues. Similarly, former federal minister Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari posted that police and other forces entered the building at night and ordered residents out by morning.
Scenes inside the premises of One Constitution Avenue. Heavy contingent of police to take over the building and vacate it.
Question: Who will invest in Pakistan when government’s mind can change any time and it can throw you out no matter you have made the payment. pic.twitter.com/Ent5bYCN8C
— Umar Cheema (@UmarCheema1) April 30, 2026
