Rawalpindi city has been divided into two parts under the new local government system. The towns will be Rawal Town One and Rawal Town Two, or other names may be assigned later.
The city will now comprise two towns, each having its own mayor, while a total of four deputy mayors will be appointed. Under this system, the district council and the municipal corporation framework will be completely abolished.
Moreover, according to the sources, Rawalpindi District has been divided into seven towns under the new local government structure.
The division has been made along Murree Road, with all union councils on one side of Murree Road, included in Town One, while union councils on the other side will fall under Town Two.
A separate Potohar Town will be formed, comprising rural union councils. Similarly, other tehsils of District Rawalpindi will be designated as towns, including Kallar Syedan Town, Kahuta Town, Gujar Khan Town, and Taxila Town.
Under the new system, the district council will be permanently abolished, while the Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation will also cease to exist. As soon as the schedule for local government elections in Punjab is announced, the new town-based system will become operational.
Across Punjab, local government elections are being seriously considered on a non-party basis during the first half of the new year, likely in April or May. Under this system, union councils will also be reorganised.
The ward system within union councils has been abolished, and each councillor will now represent the entire union council constituency. After being elected, all councillors-including labour councillors-will elect their chairman and vice chairman through a majority vote.
Former mayor of Rawalpindi Sardar Naseem Khan welcomed the new local government system featuring two mayors and four deputy mayors for the city. He said the system would facilitate public service delivery, lead to record development projects, and ensure that public issues are resolved at people’s doorsteps.
He added that the new year would be the year of local government, and once local bodies are formed, new development initiatives would begin.