Proposed amendments to Islamabad law cast doubt on elections — Dawn

In Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, the parliamentary committee on interior presented a report on amendments to the local government law the day after the Election Commission of Pakistan scheduled local elections for December 20. The proposed amendments could affect the already announced election schedule, Dawn reports.

Three municipal corporations

The report on the bill amending the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government Act was presented by committee chair Raja Khurram Shahzad Nawaz of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz. The government introduced the bill in March 2026.

The document provides for replacing the metropolitan corporation with three municipal corporations. Each of them is to be headed by a mayor and two deputy mayors. The corporations will also include chairpersons of local councils within their jurisdiction, four women, and one representative each of peasants or workers, trade or business, youth, and non-Muslims.

The boundaries of local councils are proposed to be determined taking into account equality of population, the latest official census, and administrative convenience.

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Objections and election delays

The bill also provides for expanding the powers of administrators, including the right to impose taxes, and abolishing the current six-month limit on their tenure. After the term of a local government body ends, the government will also be able to appoint an administrator to perform its functions.

Committee members from the Pakistan Peoples Party and the Pashtunkhwa National Awami Party submitted separate objections to the bill.

The term of Islamabad’s local government ended in February 2021, and the Election Commission was to hold voting within 120 days. Since then, the boundaries of electoral districts and local councils have been revised six times, while the election schedule has been announced four times. The previous programme, released on October 9, provided for voting in February 2026.