Islamabad

Islamabad is the capital city of Pakistan. It is the country's tenth-most populous city with a population of over 1.1 million people. The city is part of the Islamabad Capital Territory, which has a total of over 2.3 million people living in its surrounding areas.

Built as a planned city in the 1960s, Islamabad replaced Karachi as Pakistan’s capital in 1967. It is located near the city of Rawalpindi and is known for its beautiful green spaces, such as the Margalla Hills National Park. One of its most famous landmarks is the large and beautiful Faisal Mosque.

Islamabad is an important center for education and government. It is home to many universities, including Bahria University, Quaid-e-Azam University, and NUST. The city is also 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, which is 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, who named many towns after it. A teacher and poet named Qazi Abdur Rehman Amritsari is said to have proposed this name for the city.

The city was named to reflect Pakistan’s state religion, Islam, and to signify 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 and has a long history. Archaeologists have found some of the earliest Stone Age artefacts in the world there, dating back hundreds of thousands of years. The area was also home to people from the Indus Valley civilisation and later saw many armies pass through, including those of famous leaders like Zahiruddin Babur and Genghis Khan.

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

Geography

Main article: Geography of Islamabad

Islamabad is located about 540 metres above sea level at the foot of the Margalla Hills. It lies within the Islamabad Capital Territory and forms a large area together with the nearby city of Rawalpindi, often called the Twin Cities. The city covers 906 square kilometres, with even more green space in the surrounding Specified Area.

Islamabad has a humid subtropical climate with five seasons: winter, spring, summer, rainy monsoon, and autumn. June is the warmest month, while January is the coolest. The city has artificial reservoirs like Rawal, Simli, and Khanpur Dam that help control its climate. Heavy rains sometimes bring thunderstorms and flooding, but snowfall is rare and only happens in nearby hill stations.

Cityscape

The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration manages the city and keeps order. The Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC) and the Capital Development Authority (CDA) help plan and run the city. Islamabad is split into different zones like residential areas, commercial districts, and educational sectors.

The city has many sectors with letters and numbers, like A-1 or D-12. Some sectors are still being built, while others, like F-5 and G-5, have important buildings and parks. The city also includes parks, universities, and big buildings that mix modern styles with traditional designs. Notable structures include the Pakistan Monument, Faisal Mosque, and The Centaurus.

Main article: Sectors of Islamabad

Islamabad’s buildings mix modern styles with old Islamic and local traditions. For example, the Saudi-Pak Tower uses blue tiles in an Islamic style, and the Faisal Mosque mixes different designs 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 a rich mix of languages and cultures. The most commonly spoken language is Punjabi, followed by Pashto and Urdu. The city also has people who speak Hindko, Kashmiri, Saraiki, and several other languages.

Islamabad has a high literacy rate, with most people aged between 15 and 64 years. Many residents have completed intermediate education, and a good number have bachelor’s or master’s degrees. The main religion in Islamabad is Islam, followed by a smaller Christian community and a very small Hindu community.

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 plays an important role in Pakistan’s economy. Even though it is home to only a small part of the country’s population, it helps create a good amount of the nation’s wealth. The city has a major stock exchange, which is one of the largest in Pakistan.

Islamabad is also a great place for starting businesses and technology companies. It has special areas for computer and communication technology, with many local and international firms located there. These areas help make the city a hub for modern industries and services.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Islamabad

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

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 is known for its unique design inspired by Islamic architecture. The mosque can welcome up to 74,000 people at once and features beautiful Islamic art inside.

Another popular spot is the Pakistan Monument, built in 2007. Its shape resembles a dome with walls that show images of important places in Pakistan. The city is also home to 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 natural beauty, including the Margalla Hills National Park. This park offers 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 tell stories of past cultures and traditions.

Transport

Main article: Transport in Islamabad

Islamabad is connected to the world and within Pakistan through Islamabad International Airport (IIAP). This airport, the largest in Pakistan, opened in 2018 and 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 link Islamabad to other cities such as Lahore.

Education

Islamabad has some of the best schools and universities in Pakistan. In 2010, it had the highest literacy rate in the country at 98%. There are many public and private schools and colleges, most of which are recognized by important education boards.

The city is home to 16 recognized universities, including well-known ones like the National University of Sciences and Technology, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, and the Allama Iqbal Open University, which is one of the largest universities in the world for distance learning. These institutions help make Islamabad an important place for education in Pakistan.

Healthcare

Islamabad has many healthcare centers, both public and private. The largest hospital is the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), established in 1985. It has 30 major medical departments and offers specialized services. PIMS includes Islamabad Hospital, a 592-bed facility with many medical specialties.

There are also other important hospitals, like the Children's Hospital, completed in 1985, and Shifa International Hospital, founded in 1987. In 2008, Islamabad had 12 hospitals, 76 dispensaries, and five maternity and child welfare centers, providing care for its residents.

Sports

Islamabad has a large sports complex near Aabpara, featuring 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, including the 2004 SAF 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 very popular on weekends.