Report proposes autonomous ICT government with elected assembly structure
Monitoring Desk
ISLAMABAD: The government has prepared a major reform blueprint for sweeping changes to the governance system of Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), including the creation of an elected territorial government led by chief minister or mayor, consolidation of fragmented institutions, and a shift towards an integrated “Smart City” model aimed at improving service delivery and long-term urban planning in the federal capital.
The 138-page report on “ICT Governance Model” was prepared by a high-powered committee under Planning Commission Minister Ahsan Iqbal, amid concerns that Islamabad’s rapid transformation from a planned administrative capital into a metropolitan city of more than 2.42 million people has not been matched by institutional evolution. The report has been presented to PM Shehbaz Sharif.
At the centre of the proposal is the creation of a representative Islamabad Capital Territory Government (ICTG) with administrative and financial autonomy comparable to provincial governments, while preserving Islamabad’s special federal character.
The proposed structure includes an elected Islamabad Capital Territory Assembly comprising 27 members: 21 directly elected members, five reserved seats for women and one reserved seat for minorities. The assembly would elect its chief executive, to be designated either as chief minister or mayor, as determined by the federal government.
Under the plan, all subjects would be devolved to the ICT government except law and order and master planning, which would remain under the federation due to Islamabad’s capital status. Operational responsibilities currently handled by federal ministries and organisations, including the CDA, would be transferred to ICT government to eliminate duplication and institutional overlap.
The reform package also proposes a unified Islamabad Capital Territory Government Act, consolidating existing local government and development laws into a single legislative framework. The ICT government would operate under its own Rules of Business, with defined departmental structures, administrative hierarchy and financial authority.
