Islamabad: A major change in the administrative structure of the federal capital has been proposed. A high-level special committee has submitted a draft of a new governance model for Islamabad to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, which recommends an elected assembly, a chief executive and extensive administrative and financial powers. The final decision will be at the level of the prime minister.
Under the proposed system, a 27-member assembly has been proposed for the Islamabad Capital Territory. Of these, 21 members will be directly elected by the people, while five seats have been recommended to be reserved for women and one seat for minorities.
The draft has proposed to have seven seats from three constituencies of the National Assembly of Islamabad. Thus, the total number of directly elected members becomes 21.
The proposed structure recommends having an elected chief executive for Islamabad. Two options for naming this position as Chief Minister or Mayor are under consideration.
The Chief Executive will be accountable to the Assembly and will oversee local administrative affairs. It is proposed to have 27 administrative departments.
According to the government, the aim of this model is to establish a more representative and accountable administrative system for urban affairs. Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal has already said that the proposed model is considering giving the Islamabad government administrative and financial autonomy equal to that of the provincial government.
The proposed division of powers proposes to hand over sectors such as health, education, environment and civic services to the elected Islamabad government. The aim is to make a single administrative center accountable for providing basic amenities to the citizens.
In contrast, it has been recommended to keep law and order and the master planning of Islamabad under the federal jurisdiction. It has been proposed to run these matters through a federal ministry or a proposed governor.
The draft also includes a redistribution of powers and duties of the Capital Development Authority (CDA). As per the recommendation, all relevant powers of the CDA can be transferred to the local government of Islamabad.
The powers of other institutions functioning under the Local Government Act are also proposed to be transferred to the local government. The main objective of this change is to make the distribution of powers among different institutions in the capital clearer.
The proposed system for Islamabad also recommends giving the local government the power to formulate rules of procedure to run its administrative affairs.
Under the proposed model, it is proposed to appoint a Chief Secretary for the administrative affairs of Islamabad. In addition, four secretaries will oversee different administrative groups and departments.
It is recommended to hold assembly elections through the Election Commission of Pakistan. It is also proposed to apply relevant constitutional eligibility and disqualification requirements to members of the assembly.
On the other hand, the institutions established at the federal level for the whole country will continue to function in Islamabad. Thus, the proposed system seems to be an attempt to organize local administrative authority at a separate level, rather than abolishing the status of the federal capital.
There is already a 2015 law for the establishment of local government in Islamabad. According to the Pakistan Code, the purpose of this law was to transfer political, administrative and financial responsibilities in the federal capital to elected local representatives. An ordinance amending this law in 2026 is also part of the existing legal record.
The new proposed model has a much broader scope than the current local government framework. It seeks to reorganize the capital’s governance system through an elected assembly, chief executive and a separate administrative structure, not just civil services.
The proposal comes at a time when the debate in Islamabad is on the need for more direct political representation for citizens and an effective institutional system for resolving local issues. According to a recent report by the state-run news agency, residents of the capital have long been demanding an elected system that would bring civic affairs under an accountable political platform.
The proposed draft is not yet a final law. It will undergo further legal and administrative consideration before being enacted. Issues such as the transfer of powers, financial resources, institutions and the demarcation of responsibilities with the federal government will be important during this time.
If this model is approved and implemented, the current way of monitoring civic services, local legislation and administrative accountability in Islamabad could change significantly. However, its success will depend on a clear division of powers, adequate financial resources and effective communication between federal and local institutions.
In addition to federal ministers Ahsan Iqbal and Mohsin Naqvi, Rana Sanaullah and Mosaddeq Malik also played a role in preparing the model in the special committee. Now the future of the proposed structure depends on the government’s review and future legal and political steps.
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