Islamabad Local Government System Overhauled Under New Ordinance

Islamabad – President Asif Ali Zardari has promulgated the Islamabad Local Government Ordinance, introducing major changes to the local government system in the federal capital.

Under the new ordinance, the Metropolitan Corporation has been abolished and replaced with Town Corporations. Islamabad will be divided into three Town Corporations in line with the boundaries of National Assembly constituencies.

According to the ordinance, each Town Corporation will comprise a number of Union Councils as notified by the government. Amendments to the boundaries of Town Corporations and Union Councils may be made after public objections and recommendations; however, no changes will be allowed once the election schedule is announced.

The ordinance defines local government as consisting of Union Councils and Town Corporations. The government will have the authority to appoint an administrator where a local government is not functional.

Each Town Corporation will have one Mayor and two Deputy Mayors. Union Council chairpersons will serve as general members of the Town Corporation. Additionally, each Town Corporation will include four women members, one farmer or worker, one trader or businessman, one youth representative, and one non-Muslim member.

General members of Union Councils will be elected through secret ballot. Union Councils have been declared multi-member wards, where each voter will cast a vote for one general member candidate. The nine candidates securing the highest votes will be elected as general members. Successful candidates may join any political party within 30 days.

General members will elect members on reserved seats through a show of hands. Subsequently, both general and reserved members will elect the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Union Council through a show of hands, with the option to join a political party within 30 days.

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General members of Town Corporations will elect members on reserved seats through a show of hands, while Town Corporation members will jointly elect the Mayor and Deputy Mayors by majority vote. Only Town Corporation members will be eligible to contest for the positions of Mayor and Deputy Mayor.

Under the ordinance, local governments or administrators will have the authority to impose taxes, fees, rents, tolls, and other charges, subject to prior approval by the government. Any tax proposals by administrators will require government approval and will be presented before the National Assembly.

The ordinance also empowers local governments or administrators to increase, reduce, abolish, or exempt taxes, in accordance with government directives. The new law is being viewed as a significant step toward restructuring Islamabad’s local government system and strengthening governmental oversight.