The federal cabinet on Wednesday endorsed a revamped local government structure for Islamabad, introducing a division of the federal capital into three distinct councils, each governed by its own mayor. This new framework envisions each council consisting of 21 members, including representatives from general councillors, women, and minorities to ensure inclusive governance.
In a significant development, the Islamabad Local Government Bill is scheduled to be presented to the National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior on Thursday for review and approval. Following committee clearance, the bill will proceed to both the Senate and National Assembly for final passage.
The initiative aims to overhaul local governance in Islamabad by establishing elected councils responsible for municipal and local affairs. This restructuring follows amendments made earlier in the year to the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government Act, which replaced the previous Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad model with three town corporations aligned broadly with Islamabad’s three National Assembly constituencies.
Notably, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had suspended the local government election schedule announced in January after the government altered the local government system and election methodology through an ordinance. This adjustment reverted the election process to the legislative domain, compelling the ECP to request detailed information necessary for fresh delimitation.
By June, the ECP instructed the Ministry of Interior and Islamabad’s chief commissioner to submit outstanding documents, including official notifications defining town corporation boundaries, the number of union councils per corporation, and updated, authenticated maps essential for delimitation. However, by July, the commission was still awaiting these critical notifications and legislative measures to advance the election process.
The proposed system has encountered political resistance, with the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) declaring its intention to oppose the federal government’s bill during the parliamentary standing committee session. Concurrently, discussions between the PPP and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were ongoing regarding a potential joint opposition to the legislation.
Consequently, the bill must navigate the parliamentary process before the new local government structure can be formally implemented. Upon legislative approval and completion of the necessary notifications and delimitation, the ECP will be positioned to announce a fresh schedule for Islamabad’s local government elections.
Islamabad has experienced repeated postponements of local government elections due to ongoing adjustments in its legal and administrative frameworks. The cabinet’s recent approval marks a critical step toward replacing the current system with the newly proposed three-council, three-mayor model.
