On Tuesday last week, a heavy police contingent in full riot lined up in front of Islamabad’s National Press Club (NPC).

The deployment followed rumours that victims of the Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) anti-encroachment drive would protest there. The crowd never came. But the barricades, batons, and silence said plenty. The National Press Club has become a symbolic battleground. Since the recent regime change, it has hosted protests by Baloch activists, journalists, women’s groups, Afghan refugees, and political supporters. While mostly peaceful, some faced violent crackdowns—particularly ethnic protests and political clashes with media workers.

Tuesday’s non-event wasn’t a one-off. It reflected a deeper paralysis gripping Islamabad: a city where repression has become routine, and where the architecture of governance is falling apart. The CDA is........

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