ISLAMABAD( WNAM REPORT ): Former President of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), President of the Federation of Realtors Pakistan and Member of the Prime Minister’s Task Force on Housing, Sardar Tahir Mahmood, has called for a new governance structure for Islamabad that is financially autonomous, administratively empowered and accountable to the people.
He said a strong and effective local government system was essential for sustainable urban development, but Islamabad had been without a functioning elected local government for more than four years. The prolonged absence of a mayor and elected local representatives, he added, was a clear indication of weaknesses in the existing governance structure.
Sardar Tahir Mahmood said Islamabad, with a population of more than 2.4 million and rapidly expanding business, industrial, IT and educational sectors, could no longer be managed through an outdated administrative framework.
He said citizens often remained confused about which institution was responsible for providing basic municipal services, as powers were distributed among various authorities while accountability remained unclear.
He stressed that citizens should have a meaningful role in determining the system under which their city is governed. All relevant stakeholders, he said, must be involved in decision-making to bridge the gap between public expectations and government policymaking.
Sardar Tahir Mahmood further called for a governance model that clearly defines institutional responsibilities, ensures financial and administrative autonomy, and establishes an effective mechanism of accountability so that Islamabad can meet the needs of its rapidly growing population.
