The much-awaited and belated notification about the transfer of powers from the various departments and authorities to the Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC) has been issued by the Interior Ministry, notifying June 15 as the date for Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government Act, 2015 to come into force.
The notification will complete the transfer of powers from the various departments, authorities to the IMC whose hundreds of elected members hailing from various political parties have been desperately waiting for the past many months.
The first-ever local bodies election in Islamabad were held in November, 2015. The citizens of Islamabad showed genuine interest in electing their local representatives. The rural-urban divide became stark as the Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) bagged most seats from rural Islamabad while Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) stood its ground in urban Islamabad where it has Asad Umer as Member National Assembly.
Immediately after the local bodies election, the rumours started making rounds about bureaucracy and other entities that have vested interests in keeping CDA under their beck and call are employing delaying tactics to postpone the transfer of power. However, the oath ceremony of elected members and then election of mayor and deputy mayors and transfer of machinery from CDA to IMC finally cumulated in the issuance of a notification that will make IMC come to life in fullest.
A general member from PTI elected from an urban Union Council of Islamabad, when contacted for comment, said, “As we all know that presently PML-N holds power in Punjab and federal, PTI won major seats from urban Islamabad and also have an MNA from the constituency, NA-48. The PML-N did everything in its hand to delay the transfer. However, finally the notification has been issued and all the representatives of local bodies are all set to serve their voters and people of constituency.”
The issuance of notification will not only put an end to rumours and clear away apprehension in the minds of citizens of capital but will also actualise the transfer of power from government employees to elected members of Islamabad’s citizens.
“I myself took part in canvassing and campaign for weeks. Our candidate won the election but then there was silence everywhere. Everyone was asking him to do this and do that but he had nothing in his hands as no power was transferred to him. The unrest among people was palpable and increasing with every passing day. Now that the notification has been issued and our representative will get power, I hope he will do his bit to improve our area,” said Muhammad Arsalan, a student and resident of Sector G-7.
