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Expired Ordinance Stalls Islamabad Local Government Elections as New Assembly Plan Emerges
Islamabad's local government elections have encountered another delay after the ordinance regulating the capital's local government system lapsed on September 6. In a related development, a high-level committee has presented Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif with a separate proposal to establish an ICT Assembly, complete with its own chief executive and 27 administrative departments. According to the proposal, the assembly would consist of 27 members, including 21 directly elected representatives, five reserved seats for women, and one seat reserved for minorities. The plan also recommends placing health, education, environmental, and civic services under the jurisdiction of the local government.