Islamabad may get its own government under proposed new administrative plan
ISLAMABAD: A high-level special committee has presented Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif with a proposed new administrative model for Islamabad, including the establishment of a 27-member Islamabad Assembly.
Under the proposed plan, Islamabad would have its own assembly, chief executive and 27 administrative departments. The draft suggests that 21 members of the proposed assembly would be directly elected by the public, with seven members elected from each of the capital’s three National Assembly constituencies.
The proposed assembly would also include five reserved seats for women and one seat for minorities, bringing the total strength to 27 members.
According to the proposed model, the chief executive of Islamabad could hold the position of chief minister or mayor. The 27 administrative departments would function under the Islamabad government and oversee a range of matters currently managed through federal institutions.
Health, education, environment and municipal services would be transferred to the local government under the proposed arrangement. However, law and order and master planning would remain under the control of the federal government.
The draft also proposes a review of the powers and responsibilities of various institutions operating in the federal capital, including the Capital Development Authority (CDA).
Under the proposed system, the Election Commission of Pakistan would conduct elections for the Islamabad Assembly. Matters related to law and order and master planning would continue to be handled by the federal government or the governor.
The proposed Islamabad Assembly would enjoy administrative and financial autonomy similar to provincial governments, giving the capital greater control over its administrative and financial affairs.
The committee has also recommended transferring the powers and functions of the CDA to the proposed Islamabad local government. Other institutions currently operating under the Local Government Act would also be transferred to the new local government setup.
The proposed Islamabad government would formulate its own rules of business. A chief secretary and four secretaries would oversee administrative affairs, with the secretaries responsible for different administrative groups and departments.
However, federal institutions established to serve the entire country would continue to operate in Islamabad despite the proposed administrative changes.
The special committee involved in preparing the proposed model included Federal Ministers Ahsan Iqbal and Mohsin Naqvi. Former federal minister Rana Sanaullah and Federal Minister Musadik Malik also contributed to the preparation of the proposed administrative framework.
The proposal is part of the wider debate over administrative restructuring and the creation of new provinces and administrative units in Pakistan. If approved and implemented, the proposed model could significantly change the governance structure of the federal capital.
