Govt forms Local Government Commission for ICT

ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Tuesday formed Local Government Commission for Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), ARY News reported.

The interior ministry issued a notification for the formation of a Local Government Commission following the approval of the federal cabinet.

According to the notification, the commission will be comprised of nine members with Special Assistant to Prime Minister on CDA Affairs MNA Ali Nawaz Awan as head of the body. All the members will assume charge for five years.

The commission will include two MNAs and senators from the ruling party and the opposition, including MNA Khurram Nawaz and Senator Seemi Ezdi from the PTI and former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf.

Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed from the opposition and technocrats Ali Bokhari and Tayyaba Ibrahim along with a 19-Grade Officer will be a part of the commission. The district’s Finance Committee Director has also been commissioned as the secretary.

The commission is a requirement under the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government Act 2015 and it will prepare plans for the local government of Islamabad.

Back in December 2019, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan announced constitution of LGC in a post-cabinet briefing.

It must be noted that the constitution of forms Local Government Commission comes after a growing dispute between the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) and the Capital Development Authority (CDA)

The MCI was formed after the local government elections in November 2015. Mayor Sheikh Anser Aziz was nominated by the then ruling PML-N and elected the first mayor of Islamabad.