Key Points
- A 31-member Islamabad Capital Territory Assembly will bring elected representation to the capital
- The shift aims to end bureaucratic gridlock and establish a transparent governance system
ISLAMABAD: In a ruling set to redefine the governance of Pakistan’s capital, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ordered the dissolution of the Capital Development Authority (CDA), the decades-old civic body that once served as Islamabad’s administrative linchpin.
The decision marks a dramatic shift in how the city will be managed, heralding the rise of a new structure — the Islamabad Capital Territory Government (ICTG).
The federal planning ministry, already steps ahead, has finalised a governance blueprint for Islamabad that envisions a more democratic and accountable system. At the heart of this transformation is the proposed Islamabad Capital Territory Assembly (ICTA), a 31-member legislative body, offering elected representation to the capital’s two million residents, many of whom have long lived under bureaucratic command with no political voice.
A city in transition
Islamabad’s civic governance has historically been a tangled web, stitched together by three bodies — the CDA, the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration, and the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI). Their overlapping mandates created bureaucratic gridlock, frustrating residents and stalling development.
Now, the IHC has cut through the tangle with a single, bold stroke.
The verdict delivered by Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani ruled that the CDA’s authority to levy taxes — particularly the controversial “direct access” and “right of way” charges — is illegal. The court ordered refunds for affected people and housing societies, and also cancelled the CDA’s SRO issued on June 9, 2015.
Justice Kayani emphasised that the CDA Ordinance had outlived its purpose and must be replaced by an elected, transparent local government system.
“This is not merely an administrative decision; it is a return of governance to the people,” the verdict reads. “A capital without representation is a contradiction in terms.”
Federal push for reform
Enter the ICTG — a bold federal initiative to finally place Islamabad’s governance on a democratic foundation. The new model envisions elevating the current chief commissioner to the status of chief secretary, aligning Islamabad with the administrative framework of Pakistan’s provinces.
The proposed Islamabad Capital Territory Assembly will include 15 directly elected members, four women on reserved seats, and 12 nominees from the federal government, drawn from sectors such as education, civil society, environment, and law.
The aim is to bring together political representation and technical expertise — an experiment in hybrid governance.
A high-level committee under Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has been tasked with leading the transition. Following a key meeting, Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal confirmed that two governance models are currently under review. “The goal is clear to streamline administration and bring democratic representation closer to the people of Islamabad.”
Once finalised, the proposal will go before the federal cabinet. Government sources indicate the ICTG model has strong backing, and its rollout could begin within months.
Democracy long denied
Islamabad’s residents have long suffered from governance without participation. Since the capital’s inception in the 1960s — dreamt up by Greek architect Constantinos Doxiadis as a model of modernity and order — it has remained politically underdeveloped. Despite being the seat of national power, the city lacks the political agency afforded to smaller towns across the country.
The 2015 local government elections led to the formation of the MCI, Islamabad’s first taste of democracy. But the MCI found itself hamstrung by limited authority and clashing mandates. Its term expired in 2021, and since then, Islamabad has had no elected local government. Multiple election schedules have come and gone, but polling has been endlessly delayed.
In May this year, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issued a rare and sharply worded reprimand to the federal government for failing to pass the legal framework needed for elections in the capital.
Critics argue that Islamabad has remained under centralised control not due to administrative necessity, but due to political reluctance. “The delays are not just bureaucratic, they’re ideological. Islamabad was never allowed to grow politically,” said an urban planner who wished not be named.
A turning point ahead
The IHC has ordered all functions, assets, and powers of the CDA to be transferred to the appropriate local bodies, in line with the Local Government Act. Only sensitive portfolios like policing and master planning are expected to remain under federal purview.
As the capital awaits this seismic transition, a fundamental question remains: Will Islamabad finally become a city for its people, governed not from above, but from within?
The city built as a symbol of modern governance may now be on the verge of living up to that promise.
