Islamabad Governance Plan
ISLAMABAD: A sub-committee working on administrative reforms has proposed the establishment of the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Government, modeled after New Delhi’s governance system.
According to a report, the recommendation was made in the interim report of the committee formed under the chairmanship of Barrister Zafarullah. The report emphasizes the need for a representative government and democratic control in Islamabad, advocating for a transfer of certain powers from the federal government to a newly structured ICT government.
The report suggests that instead of the existing scattered administrative departments, a coordinated system should be developed. It proposes a suitable administrative structure that functions as a unit of the Federation, similar to the governance model of Gilgit-Baltistan.
The sub-committee is expected to meet next week to finalize its recommendations before presenting them to the ministerial committee led by Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal.
As part of the proposed governance framework, Islamabad would have an elected assembly whose representatives would be directly elected by the people. However, this assembly would not have authority over subjects such as home affairs, police, and master planning.
The leader of the elected assembly would hold the title of mayor, who would be accountable to the assembly. The ICT government would be structured similarly to a provincial setup, with departments categorized into four main groups: Social, Economic, Development, and General.
Under this plan, all departments except for home, police, and master planning would be placed under the authority of the mayor. The federal government would retain control over the Home Department, police, and master planning, ensuring that these critical sectors remain under its jurisdiction. Additionally, all institutions, including the Capital Development Authority (CDA), would operate under the ICT government.
Instead of the current chief commissioner system, the proposal calls for appointing a chief secretary to oversee the administrative framework. An Inspector General (IG) of police would also be designated, and all departments would be led by secretaries who would be responsible for their respective domains.
While the home, police, and master planning departments would be answerable to the federal government through the chief secretary, all other ICT departments would have full administrative and financial autonomy, similar to the governance structure in Gilgit-Baltistan. The ICT government would have the authority to formulate rules and regulations for its own governance.
To implement these changes, the Islamabad Capital Territory Act 2025 will be introduced. In the interim period, the president may issue an executive order under Article 258 of the Constitution on the advice of the federal government, similar to the GB Order 2018.
Additionally, amendments will be made to the Rules of Business 1973 to align with the proposed administrative framework. The legal draft for these changes is expected to be prepared within a month.
The committee’s report clarifies that no additional financial arrangements will be required for the transition, as most existing ICT institutions will simply be restructured rather than replaced.
The ICT government will operate under two schedules: Schedule A will include the home, police, and master planning departments, which will remain under federal control, while Schedule B will encompass 26 other departments that will function under the newly proposed ICT government.
