A draft of the Islamabad Local Government Act 2021 has been prepared under which the federal capital will be split into two zones.
Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Asad Umar Tuesday presided over a meeting to review the Islamabad Local Government System Act 2021. Special Assistant to Prime Minister for Capital Development Authority (CDA) Affairs Ali Nawaz Awan, and Federal Minister Raja Khurram Nawaz, law secretary, and several other officials also attended the meeting.
Asad Umar told the participants that a vibrant and powerful local government system, meeting the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan, will be introduced in Islamabad. Under the new LG system, facilities for the residents of the capital will be provided at the grassroots level.
Recommendations of Local Government Act 2021
According to the draft of Local Government Act 2021:
- Islamabad will be split into two sections. One section will be Metropolitan Islamabad while the other one will be Neighborhood Councils
- 100 neighbourhood councils will be part of Islamabad
- The metropolitan corporation will have a total of 70 members, including directly elected mayor
- There will be a direct election for four councilors besides the chairperson.
- There will be 45 general seats and 10 for women
- Youth, Minority, Traders, Laborers, Farmers and Senior citizens all will have three seats each
- The draft said that 25 special seats will be given to the elected mayor while the remaining 45 will be given in proportion to the votes every mayor candidate will get.
- There will be five reserved seats: two for women, and one each for youth, minority, and senior citizens
- Elected chairperson will choose candidates on reserved seats.
CDA to act as regulator
The participants were informed that local governments oversee the planning and implementation of all future development schemes of Islamabad, while CDA will act as a regulator. Implementation of the Islamabad master plan will also be overseen by the local government.
56 out of CDA’s 67 directorates will be shifted from metropolitan Islamabad to the local government. 11 of 17 departments of Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) will also be shifted to the local government.
The local government in Islamabad completed its five-year term in February 2021. New elections of the local body were supposed to be held within 120 days. However, it has been eight months and elections are yet to be held as the federal government is formulating new local government law.
A powerful and authoritative local government system will help serve the citizens at their doorsteps, said Asad Umar. A draft act has been sent to the Ministry of Law and Justice for vetting.