A new proposed administrative map and governance structure for the federal capital has been presented to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, according to sources.
The proposed draft, prepared by a high-level special committee, recommends the establishment of a 27-member Islamabad Assembly, along with a separate chief executive and 27 administrative departments.
Under the proposal, 21 members of the Islamabad Assembly would be elected directly by the public, while seven seats have been proposed from each National Assembly constituency in Islamabad. The draft also recommends reserving five seats for women and one seat for minorities.
Sources said health, education, environmental affairs and civic services would be placed under local governments, while the chief executive of Islamabad could hold the position of chief minister or mayor and remain accountable to the elected assembly.
The proposed Islamabad government would oversee 27 administrative departments. Article 62 and 63 would apply to members of the Islamabad Capital Territory Assembly, while elections would be conducted under the supervision of the Election Commission of Pakistan.
According to the draft, law and order and master planning would remain under the federal government, to be administered through the relevant ministry or governor. The proposed Islamabad Capital Territory Assembly would also have administrative and financial autonomy on the lines of a province, according to the sources.
The proposal is currently a draft and outlines a possible future administrative structure for the federal capital.
Earlier, Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said that the decision to create new provinces should be left to the people, emphasizing that public opinion must guide any future administrative changes.
Speaking in an interview with Azad Digital, Naqvi stated that major decisions about provincial restructuring cannot be made unilaterally and should reflect the aspirations of citizens in the affected regions.
“Let the people decide about new provinces. Let them say what they want,” Naqvi said.
He also spoke about leadership and representation, expressing hope for more leaders emerging from diverse backgrounds.
“My wish is that many Sadiq Khans, many Mamdanis and many Erdogans come forward,” he added, referring to London Mayor Sadiq Khan, New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as examples of leaders who rose through public service.
Naqvi’s remarks come amid renewed debate over administrative reforms and demands for new provinces in Punjab, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Analysts say his comments signal support for a consultative, bottom-up approach rather than a top-down decision.
The Interior Minister did not give a timeline but stressed that any such move would require national consensus and constitutional process