27-Member Islamabad Assembly Proposed with Chief Executive and 27 Departments

ISLAMABAD: A proposed draft for establishing a separate assembly for Islamabad has been presented to the prime minister, with recommendations for a 27-member Islamabad assembly, a chief executive and 27 administrative departments, according to sources.

Sources said the draft was prepared by a high-level special committee headed by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal. The committee included Federal Ministers Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Musadik Malik, Rana Sanaullah and Talal Chaudhry, both members of the National Assembly from Islamabad, and the interior secretary.

Under the proposed structure, 21 members of the Islamabad Assembly would be directly elected by the public. Seven seats have been proposed for the Islamabad Assembly from each National Assembly constituency. The draft also proposes five seats reserved for women and one seat for minorities, bringing the total strength of the assembly to 27 members.

According to sources, local governments would be responsible for health, education, environment and civic facilities. The 27 departments of Islamabad would be placed under the proposed Islamabad government.

The draft proposes that the chief executive of Islamabad would hold the office of either chief minister or mayor and would be accountable to the elected assembly.

Article 62 and 63 of the Constitution would apply to every member of the proposed Islamabad Capital Territory Assembly. Elections to the assembly would be conducted under the supervision of the Election Commission of Pakistan.

Under the proposed draft, law and order and master planning would remain under the federal government and would be managed through the relevant ministry or the governor.

Sources said the Islamabad Capital Territory Assembly would have administrative and financial autonomy on the pattern of a province.

The new structure would first require approval from the federal cabinet. After cabinet approval, legislation would be introduced in the Senate and National Assembly for passage.

According to sources, it has been decided that the Islamabad Assembly would be established through an Act of Parliament rather than a constitutional amendment. The proposed draft for a separate assembly for the federal capital has already been submitted to the prime minister, while final approval remains subject to cabinet approval and subsequent legislation by Parliament.