Federal Govt Plans Special Administrative Status for Islamabad

News Desk

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has finalized preparations for granting Islamabad a special administrative status and introducing a new governance model that would transform the federal capital into a distinct administrative unit headed by a Mayor.

According to sources, the proposed plan envisages restructuring Islamabad’s existing local government system, expanding its geographical boundaries and incorporating selected areas from neighbouring districts into the federal capital.

Under the proposed arrangement, Islamabad would be governed by a Mayor, supported by an elected body comprising 25 to 30 members. The new administrative framework is expected to introduce changes to the capital’s existing governance and local government structure while retaining its status as the federal capital.

The proposal also includes expanding Islamabad’s territorial limits by incorporating selected areas from Haripur district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Rawalpindi district in Punjab.

Additionally, authorities are considering the inclusion of certain areas of Murree, particularly those falling within National Assembly constituency NA-51, in Islamabad’s proposed administrative boundaries.

The proposed expansion would require redefining the federal capital’s geographical and administrative limits as part of the planned restructuring.

Meanwhile, the earlier proposal to bring Gwadar and other ports under Islamabad’s administrative structure has reportedly been dropped.

If implemented, the plan would establish Islamabad as a special administrative unit with a Mayor-led governance system, a new elected representative body and expanded territorial boundaries, while maintaining its existing constitutional and administrative role as Pakistan’s federal capital.