- Government sources say a plan to give Islamabad special administrative status is ready.
- The mayor would be administrative head, with 25 to 30 elected members proposed.
- Areas of Rawalpindi, Haripur and Murree's NA-51 are being considered for inclusion.
- An earlier idea to bring Gwadar or other ports under Islamabad has been abandoned.
Preparations to grant Islamabad the status of a special administrative unit have been finalised, according to government sources. Under the plan, the capital's mayor would serve as the administrative head of the new structure.
The proposal would change both the administrative and the geographical shape of the federal capital. The sources said Islamabad could either be given a special status or be developed as a model administrative unit.
| Element | Status |
|---|---|
| Special or model administrative unit for Islamabad | Prepared |
| Mayor as administrative head | Proposed |
| 25 to 30 elected members | Proposed |
| Parts of Rawalpindi added to the capital | Under consideration |
| Areas of Haripur added to the capital | Under consideration |
| Areas within NA-51, Murree district, added to the capital | Under consideration |
| Gwadar or other ports under Islamabad's structure | Dropped |
What the proposed model involves
At the centre of the plan is a new administrative arrangement in which the mayor is the administrative head. The sources said the number of elected representatives in the new unit is proposed to be between 25 and 30.
They described the aim as turning Islamabad into an ideal administrative unit. No further detail about the powers of the mayor or of the elected members has been shared in the information available so far.
Boundaries could be extended
The plan also covers an expansion of the capital's geographical limits. Sources said the government is considering adding certain areas of Rawalpindi to the federal territory.
Areas of Haripur district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are also part of the proposal. In addition, some areas falling within NA-51 in Murree district are under consideration for inclusion in Islamabad.
These are proposals under consideration, and no final list of areas has been given.
Ports no longer part of the plan
Government sources said authorities have given up an earlier proposal to bring Gwadar or other ports under Islamabad's administrative structure. The latest version therefore concentrates on restructuring the federal capital and possibly widening its territorial limits.
Link to local government elections
According to the sources, the next local government elections in Islamabad will be held under the new system.
The reports do not say when the plan will be formally announced or what legal steps would be needed to put it into effect. All of the information so far comes from unnamed government sources rather than an official statement.
The next local government elections in Islamabad are expected to be held under the new system, according to the sources. No timeline for a formal announcement has been given.
Questions and answers
What is being proposed for Islamabad?
Government sources say a plan is ready to give Islamabad special administrative status or to develop it as a model administrative unit, with the mayor as administrative head.
How many elected members would the new unit have?
The proposal puts the number of elected representatives at between 25 and 30.
Which areas could be added to Islamabad?
Parts of Rawalpindi, areas of Haripur district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and some areas within NA-51 in Murree district are under consideration.
Image: Zeeshanhkofficial / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
