Islamabad: A new administrative blueprint for the federal capital has been presented to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, proposing a 27-member Islamabad assembly, a chief executive and 27 administrative departments.
According to sources, the proposed draft was prepared by a high-level special committee headed by Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal and has now been submitted to the prime minister.
The draft recommends a 27-member Islamabad assembly, with 21 members to be directly elected by the public. It proposes seven assembly seats from each of Islamabad’s National Assembly constituencies.
Five seats have been proposed for women and one for minorities.
The draft also proposes the position of either a chief minister or mayor as Islamabad’s chief executive, who would be accountable to the elected assembly. Twenty-seven administrative departments would operate under the proposed Islamabad government.
Under the proposed arrangement, health, education, environmental affairs and civic services would be the responsibility of local governments.
Sources said Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution would apply to every member of the proposed Islamabad Capital Territory Assembly, while elections would be conducted under the Election Commission of Pakistan.
Law and order and master planning would remain under federal control and would be managed through the relevant ministry or a governor, according to the proposed framework.
The Islamabad Capital Territory Assembly would also be granted administrative and financial autonomy similar to that enjoyed by provincial governments.
The proposed structure will require approval from the federal cabinet, after which the necessary legislation will be introduced in the Senate and National Assembly.
Sources said the government has decided to establish the Islamabad assembly through an Act of Parliament rather than a constitutional amendment.
The high-level committee headed by Ahsan Iqbal included federal ministers Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Musadik Malik, Rana Sanaullah and Talal Chaudhry, along with Islamabad’s two National Assembly members and the interior secretary.
