Islamabad’s status as federal unit to be discussed in parliament: Talal Ch

State Minister for Interior, Talal Chaudhry, has said the issue of granting Islamabad the status of a federal unit will be discussed during the parliamentary session in October.
Addressing a dialogue on the provinces at the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Talal Chaudhry said the residents of Islamabad would ultimately decide whether the capital should be made a federal unit. 
He said work was underway on a draft for Islamabad’s administrative structure, with consultations being held with all stakeholders. The draft would subsequently be presented to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and then Parliament, he added. 
Talal Chaudhry said the proposed system would have an empowered assembly and government. However, the police would remain outside the control of the new administration due to Islamabad’s status as the federal capital. 
He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had done significant work regarding Islamabad’s status and restructuring its administration, adding that the public and the business community were now also united on the issue. 
Speaking about Islamabad’s civic challenges, Talal Chaudhry said encroachments worth Rs1,100 billion had been removed from the capital. He said traffic-related problems had been resolved and Islamabad was being developed as Pakistan’s first smart city. 
He noted that 70 percent of the existing Islamabad Police force was above the age of 50, adding that new recruitment was currently underway. 
Talal Chaudhry said Islamabad also faced serious issues concerning taxation, legislation, and development. Despite taxes being collected in the capital, he said, developmental challenges remained unresolved. 
He commented on how even a resident of Islamabad’s F-6 sector paid a water bill of only Rs260, and that amount was not even fully recovered. 
The minister said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi would provide three new dams for Islamabad. 
Talal Chaudhry also pointed out the absence of an effective solid waste management system in the capital. He said areas surrounding Islamabad still resembled the outskirts of towns in Punjab, despite the capital’s status and tax collection.
Moreover, Talal Chaudhry said bureaucrats were reluctant to relinquish their powers, which had also contributed to administrative difficulties in Islamabad. 
The dialogue also featured an address by Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry on the issue of Islamabad’s administrative and constitutional status. 
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi was scheduled to attend the event as chief guest but could not participate due to a death in his family. He sent a special message expressing apology for his absence.