Islamabad

Islamabad is the capital city of Pakistan. It is the country's tenth-most populous city with over 1.1 million people.

The city is part of the Islamabad Capital Territory, which has over 2.3 million people in the areas around it.

Islamabad was built as a planned city in the 1960s. It became Pakistan’s capital in 1967, replacing Karachi. The city is near Rawalpindi. It is famous for its green spaces, such as the Margalla Hills National Park. One well-known landmark is the beautiful Faisal Mosque.

Islamabad is an important place for education and government. It has many universities, such as Bahria University, Quaid-e-Azam University, and NUST. The city is known for being safe and well-organized, with many parks and modern buildings.

Toponymy

The name Islamabad means "City of Islam." It comes from two words: Islam, the name of a religion meaning "submission to God," and abad, a Persian word meaning "cultivated place" or city. The name was used during the Mughal era by Emperor Aurangzeb. A teacher and poet named Qazi Abdur Rehman Amritsari is said to have proposed this name for the city.

The city was named to show Pakistan’s state religion, Islam, and to show it as a planned, developed place.

History

Main article: History of Islamabad

The Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metrobus was built in 2015 to connect Islamabad with neighbouring Rawalpindi.

Islamabad Capital Territory is located on the Pothohar Plateau in the northern Punjab region. The area has a very long history. People have lived there for hundreds of thousands of years. Archaeologists have found very old Stone Age artefacts there. The area was also home to people from the Indus Valley civilisation. Many armies passed through, including those of famous leaders like Zahiruddin Babur and Genghis Khan.

Islamabad became Pakistan’s capital in the 1960s, replacing Karachi. Architects led by Konstantinos Apostolos Doxiadis carefully planned the city. It has wide streets and green spaces. The city officially became the capital in 1967. It separated from Punjab to form its own territory in 1981.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Islamabad

Islamabad is about 540 metres above sea level at the foot of the Margalla Hills. It is part of the Islamabad Capital Territory and is next to the city of Rawalpindi. Together, they are often called the Twin Cities. The city covers 906 square kilometres and has lots of green space around it.

Islamabad has a humid subtropical climate with five seasons: winter, spring, summer, rainy monsoon, and autumn. June is the warmest month, and January is the coolest. The city has reservoirs like Rawal, Simli, and Khanpur Dam that help manage the weather. Heavy rains can sometimes bring thunderstorms and flooding, but snow is rare and only falls in nearby hills.

Cityscape

The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration helps manage the city. The Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC) and the Capital Development Authority (CDA) plan and run the city. Islamabad has different areas for homes, shops, and schools.

The city has many sections with letters and numbers, like A-1 or D-12. Some sections are new and being built, while others, like F-5 and G-5, have important buildings and parks. The city has parks, universities, and large buildings that mix new styles with old designs. Notable places include the Pakistan Monument, Faisal Mosque, and The Centaurus.

Main article: Sectors of Islamabad

Islamabad’s buildings mix new styles with old Islamic and local traditions. For example, the Saudi-Pak Tower uses blue tiles in an Islamic style, and the Faisal Mosque has a special design without a dome. Other important buildings include the Secretariat Complex and the National Assembly.

Zones in Islamabad
Zone	Area
Zone	acres	km²

I	54,958.25	222.4081
II	9,804.92	39.6791
III	50,393.01	203.9333
IV	69,814.35	282.5287
V	39,029.45	157.9466

Source:	Lahore Real Estate

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Islamabad

Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan, has many different languages and cultures. The most common language is Punjabi. Other languages spoken there include Pashto, Urdu, Hindko, and Kashmiri.

Most people in Islamabad can read and write. Many have finished high school, and many have college degrees. The main religion in Islamabad is Islam. There are also some Christians and a few Hindus.

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1972	77,000	—
1981	204,000	+164.9%
1998	529,180	+159.4%
2017	1,009,003	+90.7%
2023	1,108,872	+9.9%
Source:

Economy

Main article: Economy of Islamabad

Islamabad is important to Pakistan’s economy. Even though only a few people live there, the city helps make a lot of the country’s money. The city has a big stock exchange, one of the largest in Pakistan.

Islamabad is also a good place to start businesses and technology companies. It has special areas for computers and communication, with many local and international companies there. These areas help make the city a center for modern industries and services.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Islamabad

Islamabad is a city with a rich culture, shaped by people from many parts of Pakistan. Near the city, you can find old forts like Pharwala Fort and Rawat Fort.

There are also important places for different religions. For example, Saidpur village has a small Hindu temple, and Golra Sharif is home to the shrine of a famous Sufi teacher, Pir Meher Ali Shah. The Lok Virsa Museum shows many beautiful traditional items from Pakistan, such as clothes, jewellery, and music instruments.

Tourism

Main article: Tourism in Islamabad

The Faisal Mosque is one of Islamabad’s most famous landmarks. Built in 1986, it has a special design based on Islamic architecture. The mosque can hold many people and has beautiful Islamic art inside.

Another popular place is the Pakistan Monument, built in 2007. Its shape looks like a dome with walls that show images of important places in Pakistan. The city has many museums, such as the Lok Virsa Museum and the Islamabad Museum, where visitors can see old artifacts and learn about the region’s history.

Islamabad is surrounded by nature, including the Margalla Hills National Park. This park has hiking trails and a chance to see animals like the Himalayan goral and barking deer. There are also historic sites, such as the ancient Shah Allah Ditta caves, which share stories of past cultures and traditions.

Transport

Main article: Transport in Islamabad

Islamabad is linked to the world and to Pakistan through Islamabad International Airport (IIAP). This airport is the largest in Pakistan and opened in 2018. It has many modern features for travelers.

The city has a busy bus rapid transit system called the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metrobus. It helps people travel quickly between Islamabad and nearby areas. There are also railways, taxis, and motorways like the M-2 Motorway that connect Islamabad to other cities such as Lahore.

Education

Islamabad has some of the best schools and universities in Pakistan. It has many public and private schools and colleges. Most of these schools are recognized by important education boards.

The city is home to 16 recognized universities. Well-known ones include the National University of Sciences and Technology, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, and the Allama Iqbal Open University. These schools help make Islamabad an important place for education in Pakistan.

Healthcare

Islamabad has many places where people can get medical help, both run by the government and private groups. The biggest hospital is the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS). It opened in 1985 and has many different medical departments. PIMS also includes Islamabad Hospital, which has many beds and different kinds of medical care.

Other important hospitals include the Children's Hospital, which opened in 1985, and Shifa International Hospital, started in 1987. In 2008, Islamabad had 12 hospitals, 76 dispensaries, and five centers to help mothers and children. These places provide care for the people living there.

Sports

Islamabad has a large sports complex near Aabpara. It includes the Liaquat Gymnasium for indoor games, the Mushaf Squash Complex, and Jinnah Sports Stadium for outdoor events. The stadium has hosted national and international games.

Other sports spots in the city include Diamond Club Ground, Shalimar Cricket Ground, and Islamabad Golf Club.

Another sports area in F6 Markaz offers tennis, basketball, and futsal. Popular sports in Islamabad include cricket, football, squash, hockey, table tennis, rugby, and boxing. The city is home to Islamabad United, which has won the Pakistan Super League, and Islamabad All Stars, who play in the Super Kabaddi League. The Margalla Hills also provide great spots for rock climbing. The Pakistan Sports Complex has three swimming pools that are popular on weekends.