Draft Maps Out 21 Elected Seats for Proposed Islamabad Assembly
The proposed Islamabad Capital Territory governance framework envisages seven assembly constituencies within each of the capital’s three National Assembly constituencies, while reserving law and order and master planning for federal control.
ISLAMABAD: A proposed governance framework for the federal capital would divide each of Islamabad’s three National Assembly constituencies into seven constituencies for a new Islamabad Capital Territory Assembly, creating 21 directly elected seats under a major restructuring of the capital’s administrative system.
The proposal is part of a broader plan to establish an elected ICT Assembly and a locally accountable chief executive, potentially transforming how Islamabad’s civic and administrative affairs are governed. The National Assembly currently lists three constituencies for Islamabad NA-46, NA-47 and NA-48.
Under the proposed model, seven ICT Assembly constituencies would be carved out of each National Assembly constituency. This would produce 21 general seats. The wider framework proposes a 27-member assembly, consisting of the 21 directly elected members, five seats reserved for women and one for minorities. The Planning Ministry has previously confirmed these numbers as part of the governance proposal.
Assembly to Elect Chief Executive
The draft also proposes that elections to the ICT Assembly be conducted under the supervision of the Election Commission of Pakistan, while members of the proposed assembly would be subject to the eligibility and disqualification provisions contained in Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution. Reporting on the detailed proposal similarly states that each National Assembly constituency would be divided into seven ICT constituencies and that Articles 62 and 63 would apply to assembly members.
Another significant feature concerns Islamabad’s future political leadership. The elected assembly would choose a leader who would serve as chief executive of the ICT government and would be accountable to the assembly. The office could be designated either Chief Minister or Mayor, with the final nomenclature yet to be decided.
The proposed ICT government would receive administrative and financial powers broadly comparable to those exercised by a provincial government. The official Planning Ministry framework says responsibilities in areas including health, education, environment and public services would be transferred to the elected setup.
However, two strategically important areas law and order and master planning would remain under federal control. Under the detailed proposal, these functions could be exercised through the relevant federal ministry or potentially through a governor appointed for the ICT.
The governance proposal is not yet the capital’s operative system. It forms part of a reform process initiated after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif constituted a high-level committee to examine Islamabad’s governance arrangements. The government has also held public consultations before taking final decisions.
If ultimately approved and given the necessary legal framework, the model would represent one of the most significant changes to Islamabad’s governance structure, replacing much of its bureaucratically administered system with an elected capital government while preserving federal authority over selected functions.
