No immediate administrative overhaul planned for Islamabad, Says PM Adviser

ISLAMABAD: Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs, Rana Sanaullah, has clarified that no legislation is currently being introduced to alter Islamabad’s administrative structure, despite ongoing discussions about how the federal capital should be governed in the future.

Speaking on the issue, Rana Sanaullah said a committee had been formed to examine various options for improving Islamabad’s governance. The committee held several meetings and considered multiple proposals, including the possibility of dividing Islamabad into three towns.

He emphasized that while changes to the administrative framework remain under consideration, there is no immediate plan for implementation. He added that discussions are also underway on empowering the local government system to improve governance and service delivery.

Rana Sanaullah said local government elections in Islamabad could be held in August or September, noting that different governance models had been debated during the committee’s deliberations.

Highlighting the challenges faced by major urban centers, he said Pakistan must either introduce a truly empowered local government system or consider administrative restructuring of provinces. Without devolving authority and resources to the local level, he argued, large cities cannot be managed effectively.

“Across the world, major cities are governed through structured systems that provide local authorities with the powers and resources they need,” he said, stressing that local government institutions require constitutional protection rather than merely periodic elections.

Commenting on the political situation in Gilgit-Baltistan, Rana Sanaullah dismissed claims of a clean sweep by any party. He said the Pakistan Muslim League (N) was in a strong position in 15 of the 22 constituencies and aimed to emerge as the leading party in those seats.

He also noted that the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party was competitive in three to four constituencies. Criticizing the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, he claimed the party was effectively out of the political system in Gilgit-Baltistan and was relying on independent candidates to maintain its presence in the electoral arena.