ISLAMABAD – The federal government decided to completely overhaul Islamabad’s local government system by dividing the capital into three separate town corporations. The decision marks the end of the existing Metropolitan Corporation system, signaling a major shift in city governance.
Under the new Punjab-model local government system, the country’s federal capital will now have 3 mayors and 6 deputy mayors. Public will not directly elect these leaders. Instead, the union council chairmen will elect mayors and deputy mayors indirectly, giving local representatives a crucial role in shaping the capital’s future.
Each of three town corporations will have one mayor and two deputy mayors, and the city is proposed to be divided based on Islamabad’s three National Assembly constituencies. These town corporations will enjoy administrative and financial autonomy, taking over many powers previously held by the Capital Development Authority (CDA).
The mayors will wield major authority, including finance, water drainage, and development project powers, making them key players in Islamabad’s transformation. The term of office for mayors and deputy mayors will be 4 years, and after necessary amendments, the Election Commission will release new delimitation boundaries and election schedules.
This bold restructuring promises to reshape the political and administrative landscape of Pakistan’s capital – and the coming elections could become a high-stakes battleground for local power.
