ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet has approved a new local government system for Islamabad, paving the way for the revival of the long-delayed local government electoral process in the capital.
According to sources, the Islamabad Local Government Bill will be presented before the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Interior tomorrow for approval.
Under the proposed system, Islamabad will be divided into three constituencies, with a separate council established for each constituency. Each council will have its own mayor.
Each council will comprise 21 members, including general councillors as well as reserved representation for women and minorities.
Sources said that after approval by the Standing Committee on Interior, the bill will be placed before both the Senate and National Assembly for parliamentary approval. Once the legislative process is completed, the new legal framework will pave the way for local government elections in Islamabad.
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Background
The issue of local government elections in Islamabad has remained entangled in legal and administrative hurdles for several years.
In January 2026, the federal government issued a presidential ordinance to amend the Local Government Act, paving the way for changes to the existing local government structure in the capital. Following the ordinance, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) withdrew the previously announced schedule for local government elections.
The ECP subsequently sought information from the Ministry of Interior regarding the proposed boundaries of town corporations, the number of union councils and relevant maps required for the conduct of fresh local government elections.
In June 2026, a proposed draft comprising 130 union councils was also prepared by the Ministry of Interior. The approval of the proposed structure was to be followed by the delimitation process.
In July, the ECP granted the federal government additional time to approve the proposed administrative changes.
Following parliamentary approval of the new legislation, issuance of the relevant notifications and completion of the delimitation process, the Election Commission is expected to announce the schedule for local government elections in Islamabad.
