By virtue of Presidential Ordinance No-18 of 1980, the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) had administratively attained provincial status but following 18th amendment to the constitution the federal capital got three parallel systems being run by separate authorities.

As a result, the executioners of the systems are somehow confused on some specific functions they all are performing at a time.

The Capital Development Authority (CDA), the oldest authority, was formed in 1960 with the establishment of Islamabad by former president Ayub Khan.

The CDA, which comes under administrative control of the cabinet division, mainly deals with the development and maintenance of urban area in the city including five model villages which are located in the outskirt of Islamabad. Financially it has an autonomous status as it mostly depends on its own resources including its precious land. Except for electricity, gas and telephone, the CDA provides all municipal services to the residents of Islamabad.

The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration, headed by chief commissioner, deals with the development of rural areas of the federal capital, maintains law and order, handles judicial matters and cooperative departments.

Recently established Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) is the third body handling the affairs and function of the leftover departments of devolved federal ministries that deal with Islamabad matters including health, education, environment, culture, etc.

A number of people question the establishment of CADD saying that like devolved ministries, why the departments dealing with Islamabad affairs were not handed over to the ICT administration, which also enjoys the status of a province under presidential order No-18 of 1980.

A senior official of the local administration said the CADD was a stopgap arrangement as many of its functions were being given to some newly established federal ministries.

The establishment of Islamabad High Court (IHC) is an evidence of the fact that Islamabad has a status of a province.

Now, there are many functions being overlapped by the three authorities in Islamabad, ICT administration, CDA and CADD, causing problem to the people.

Interestingly, the health and education are simultaneously run by the three organisations as ICT is handling health issues in rural area by running Basic Health Units and Rural Health Centres, CDA has its own hospital called Capital Hospital and rescue service and two major hospitals of Islamabad, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) and Federal Government Services Hospital (polyclinic) are under the control of CADD.

Similarly, all schools and colleges of federal board of education have gone under CADD's control while ICT is controlling education institutions in rural areas and CDA has its own school.

It has been learnt that a cold war has started between these three authorities over control of some departments.

A senior official of the CADD desires that the CDA will also be given under administrative control of the CADD. “I am hopeful that the CDA will come under CADD,” the official said in condition anonymity. On the other hand the CDA high ups are of the view that because of some legal and constitutional constraints the CDA will continue to work under the present setup.

The capital police have major role in running the affairs of the federal capital, but it has a separate entity. Constitutionally it has to work under chief commissioner of Islamabad. As a result of which police usually put deaf ears to the instructions and guideline of the local administration.

A couple of months ago, the ICT administration prepared a plan to revisit traffic plan so that the new emerging flaws and deficiencies could be overcome.

Thanks to the city mangers who for the first time in the history of Islamabad have realized the problem and finally decided to conduct traffic survey to address each aspect of traffic system right from the launch of much awaited bus service to removal of unnecessary bottlenecks in the road network. But nothing was done practically by the police.

Those who visit Islamabad after many years find it a totally different city in terms of infrastructure and rapid road networks that has taken place in last five years. On the other side no attention has been given to traffic engineering as a result the rate of fatal and nonfatal accidents has gone up sharply and commuters feel uncomfortable while moving on city tracks.