Islamabad

For the steamship, see SS Islamabad.

Islamabad اسلام آباد
Capital City
Clockwise from top: Faisal Mosque, Serena Hotel, Parliament House, Pakistan Monument, Night view of Islamabad city, and Prime Minister's Secretariat.
Flag
Sovereign state	Pakistan
Territory	Islamabad Capital Territory
Constructed	1960s
Government
• Governing body	Capital Development Authority (CDA)
• Chief Commissioner	Fazeel Asghar
• Chairman CDA	Imtiaz Inayat Elahi
Area
• Capital City	120.00 km2 (46.33 sq mi)
• Metro	233.00 km2 (89.96 sq mi)
• Specified area	3,626.00 km2 (1,400.01 sq mi)
• Rural area	466.00 km2 (179.92 sq mi)
Highest elevation	1,604 m (5,263 ft)
Lowest elevation	457 m (1,499 ft)
Population  (2009)
• Capital City	1,875,000
• Density	1,243/km2 (3,220/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+5 (PST)
Postcode	44000
Area code	051
Website	www.islamabad.gov.pk

(Urdu: اسلام آباد) Islām ābād (Meaning "Abode of Islam") is the capital of Pakistan, and is the tenth largest city in Pakistan with an estimated population of over 673,766 in 2009. The Rawalpindi/Islamabad Metropolitan Area is the third largest in Pakistan, with a population of over 4.5 million inhabitants.

Islamabad is located in the Pothohar Plateau in the north of the country, within the Islamabad Capital Territory. The region has historically been a part of the crossroads of Punjab and North-West Frontier Province, Margalla pass being a gateway to the North-West Frontier Province. The city was built during the 1960s to replace Karachi as Pakistan's capital. However, the capital was not moved directly from Karachi to Islamabad. It was first shifted to Rawalpindi and then to Islamabad after all the developmental works were finished.

Islamabad is one of the greenest and most well-planned cities of South Asia. According to a survey, Islamabad is considered the cleanest city in Pakistan. The city is well-organized and divided into different sectors and zones. Islamabad was ranked as a Gamma world city in 2008. The city is home to Faisal Mosque, the largest mosque in South Asia and the sixth largest mosque in the World. Islamabad has the highest literacy rate in Pakistan. The top ranked university in Pakistan, Quaid-i-Azam University, is located in Islamabad. The top two engineering universities in Pakistan, Pakistan Institute of Engineering & Applied Sciences and National University of Science and Technology are also located here. Allama Iqbal Open University in Islamabad is the world's second largest university by enrollment.

History

Early History

Panoramic view of 15th century Pharwala Fort near Islamabad beside the Swaan River

The region is preceded by thousands of years of history. Islamabad Capital Territory, located in the Pothohar Plateau, is regarded to be one of the earliest sites of human settlement in Asia. The plateau has revealed evidence of a prehistoric culture. It is known that a Buddhist town once existed in the region. Relics and human skulls have been found dating back to 5000 B.C. that show this region was home to Stone Age people who used the banks of Swaan River as their settlement. The Stone Age people developed small communities in the region at around 3000 BC, leading to the early roots of civilization here. Situated at one end of the Indus Valley Civilization, this area was the first habitation of the Aryan community from Central Asia. The civilization flourished here between the 23rd and 18th centuries BC. Some of the earliest Stone Age artifacts in the world have been found on the plateau, dating from 500,000 to 100,000 years. The crude stones recovered from the terraces of the Soan carry the account of human grind and endeavors in this part of the world from the inter-glacial period.

Islamabad was one of the routes though which the armies from the north and northwest passed to invade the Indian Subcontinent. Many great armies such as those of Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, Timur and Ahmad Shah Durrani have used this route on their way to Indian Subcontinent. Modern Islamabad is based on the old settlement known as Saidpur. The region later became a Sikh town and became an important trading center. The British seized the region from the Sikhs in 1849 and built Asia’s largest cantonment in the region.

Construction and Development

In 1958, a commission was constituted to select a suitable site for the national capital with particular emphasis on location, climate, logistics and defence requirements along with other attributes. After extensive study, research, and thorough review of various sites, the commission recommended the area northeast of Rawalpindi. A Greek firm of architects Konstantinos Apostolos Doxiadis designed the master plan of the city which was triangular in shape, based on a Grid plan, with its apex towards the Margalla Hills.The major role in developing this city was based on the newly migrated people (Mohajir) from partition who got the skills for the design and planning as well as expertise in civil engineering to accomplish it in an organised way.17 major changes have been made in the Master Plan of Islamabad since the Greek architects Doxiadis Associates prepared it in 1960.

As Capital of Pakistan

When Pakistan came into being in 1947, Karachi was its first capital. However, in 1960 Islamabad was constructed as a forward capital due to the following reasons:

• Traditionally, the development was focused on the colonial centre of Karachi and President Ayub Khan wanted it to be equally distributed.
• Karachi was located at one end of the country and a capital which was easily accessible from all parts of the country was needed.
• Karachi was vulnerable to attacks from the sea while Islamabad, by contrast, is 750 miles (1,210 km) inland and surrounded by mountains.
• A statement was needed to be made regarding Kashmir territories in the North, which were disputed with India.
• It was also closer to the GHQ which was, and still is, in Rawalpindi.
• The climate in Islamabad is favorable compared to Lahore.

Geography and Climate

Islamabad
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D     56     18 3     74     19 5     90     24 10     62     30 15     39     35 20     62     39 24     267     35 24     310     33 24     98     34 21     29     31 14     18     25 8     37     20 3 █ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C █ Precipitation totals in mm Source: Climate-Charts.com
Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D     2.2     64 37     2.9     66 41     3.5     75 50     2.4     86 59     1.5     95 68     2.4     102 75     11     95 75     12     91 75     3.9     93 70     1.1     88 57     0.7     77 46     1.5     68 37 █ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F █ Precipitation totals in inches

File:Isb trees.jpg

Islamabad is considered to be the cleanest citiy of Pakistan.

A view of Margalla Hills

Islamabad is located at 33.43°N 73.04°E / 33.43; 73.04 at the edge of the Pothohar Plateau on the foot of the Margalla Hills in Islamabad Capital Territory. It is situated at an elevation of 507 metres (1,663 ft). The modern capital and the ancient Gakhar city of Rawalpindi stand side by side and are therefore commonly referred to as the Twin Cities. On the East of the city lies Murree and Kotli Sattian. Kahuta lies on the North East, Taxila, Wah Cantt, and Attock District on the North West, Gujar Khan, Kallar Syedian, Rawat, and Mandrah on the North East, Rawalpindi on the South West, and NWFP on the West.

The capital area of the Islamabad city is 906 square kilometres (350 sq mi). A further 2,717 square kilometres (1,049 sq mi) area is known as the Specified Area, with the Margala Hills in the north and northeast. The southern portion of the city is an undulating plain. It is drained by the Kurang River, on which the Rawal Dam is located.

Islamabad's micro-climate is regulated by three artificial reservoirs; Rawal, Simli, and Khanpur Dam. Khanpur Dam is located on the Haro River near the town of Khanpur (NWFP), about 40 kilometres (25 mi) from Islamabad. Simli Dam is located around 30 kilometres (19 mi)) north of Islamabad. 220 acres (89 ha) of the city is covered with Margalla Hill National Park. Along the Islamabad Highway, Loi Bher Forest is situated, covering an area of 1,087 acres (440 ha).

The city overall has an extreme climate. The hottest months are from May to July. The monsoon season occurs during July and August, with heavy rainfalls. Winters occur from October to March and are and fairly cold with sparse snowfall over the hills. The weather ranges from a minimum of −3.9 °C (25.0 °F) in January to a maximum of 46.1 °C (115.0 °F) in June. The average low is 2 °C (35.6 °F) in January, while the average high is 40 °C (104.0 °F) in June. The highest temperature recorded was 46.6 °C (115.9 °F) in June 2005, while the lowest temperature was −0.6 °C (30.9 °F) in March 1967. On 23 July 2001, Islamabad received a record breaking 620 mm of rainfall in 10 hours. It was the heaviest rainfall in Islamabad in 100 years.

Cityscape

Zones in Islamabad
Zone	Area
	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

Islamabad Zones

File:Islamabad night.jpeg

A night view of the city from Margalla Hills (Faisal Mosque is visible in the bottom right).

Civic Administration

Islamabad Capital territory is divided into eight zones; Administrative Zone, Commercial District, Educational Sector, Industrial Sector, Diplomatic Enclave, Residential Areas, and Rural Areas and Green Area. Islamabad city is divided into five major zones, Zone I, Zone II, Zone III, Zone IV, and Zone V. Out of these, Zone IV is the largest in area. Zone I comprises mainly of all the developed residential sectors in Islamabad while Zone II comprises the under-developed residential sectors. Each residential sector is identified by an alphabet and a number, and covers an area of approximately 2 km × 2 km (1+1⁄4 mi × 11+1⁄4 mi). The sectors are named from A to I, and each sector is divided into four sub-sectors, named numerically.

Series A, B, and C are still underdevloped. D series have 7 sectors (D-11 to D-17) in which only sector D-12 is complete. This series is located right under the foot of Margalla Hills. The E Sectors are named from E-7 to E-17 and many foreigners and diplomatic personnels are housed in these sectors. In the revised Master Plan of the city, CDA has decided to develop a park on the patterns of F-9 park in sector E-14. Sectors E-8 and E-9 contain the campuses of three Defense universities; Bahria University, Air University, and National Defence University. The F and G series contains the most developed sectors. F series contains sectors F-5 to F-17 where the later sectors are still under-developed. F-5 is an important sector for the software industry in Islamabad, as both of the two software technology parks are located here. The entire F-9 sector is covered with Fatima Jinnah Park. The Centaurus complex will be one of the major landmarks of the F-8 sector. G sectors are numbered G-5 through G-17. Some important places include the Jinnah Convention Center and Serena Hotel in G-5, the Red Mosque in G-6, and Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in G-8 which is the largest medical complex in the capital. The H sectors are numbered H-8 through H-17. The H sectors are mostly dedicated to educational and health institutions. National University of Science and Technology covers a major portion of sector H-12. The I sectors are numbered I-8 through I-18. Except for I-8 which is a well developed residential area, these sectors are primarily a part of the industrial zone. Currently, only two sub-sectors of I-9 and one sub-sector of I-10 is used as industrial areas. CDA is planning to set up Islamabad Railway Station in Sector I-18 and Industrial City in sector I-17.

Zone III constitutes primarily of the Margalla Hills and Margalla Hills National Park. Rawal Lake is also present in this zone. Zone IV and V comprises Islamabad Park and rural areas of the city. Soan River flows into the city through Zone V. The main administrative authority of the city is Capital Development Authority (CDA) which oversees the planning, development, construction, and administration of the city.

Islamabad/Rawalpindi Metropolitan Area

See also: List of places in Islamabad

Aerial view of relative locations of Islamabad and Rawalpindi

In 1960, when the master plan for Islamabad was designed, it was planned that Islamabad and Rawalpindi along with the adjoining areas will be integrated to form a large metropolitan area called Islamabad/Rawalpindi Metropolitan Area. The area would consist of the developing Islamabad, the old city of Rawalpindi, and the Islamabad National Park. Initially, it was proposed that the three areas will be connected by four major highways; Murree Highway, Islamabad Highway, Soan Highway, and Capital Highway. However, to date only two highways have been constructed; Murree Highway (now called Kashmir Highway) and Islamabad Highway.

Presently, the area comprises Islamabad Capital Territory (Islamabad, Islamabad National Park, and Islamabad Rural Area) and Rawalpindi. Islamabad is the hub all the governmental activities while Rawalpindi is the center of all industrial, commercial, and military activities. The two cities are considered sister cities and are highly dependent for the development of the metropolitan.

Islamabad/Rawalpindi Metropolitan Area is the third largest in Pakistan, with a population of over 4.5 million. The area is drained by two major rivers; Kurang River and Soan River. Three dams; Rawal Lake, Simly Dam, and Khanpur Dam are located in the region, providing water to the local population.

Architecture

File:King Faisal Masque Islamabad.jpg

Architecture of Faisal Mosque

Islamabad's architecture walks a tightrope between modernity and old Islamic and regional traditions. The Saudi-Pak Tower is a good example of the integration of modern architecture with traditional styles. The beige-colored edifice is trimmed with blue tile works in Islamic tradition, and is one of Islamabad's tallest buildings. Other examples of intertwined Islamic and modern architecture include Pakistan Monument and Faisal Mosque.

The murals on the inside of large petals of Pakistan Monument are based on Islamic architecture. The design of Shah Faisal Mosque is a fusion of contemporary lines with the more traditional look of an Arab Bedouin's tent with large triangular prayer hall and four minarets. The mosque's architecture is a departure from the long history of South Asian Muslim architecture with a lack of dome structure in Faisal Mosque. However, in some ways it makes a bridge between Arabic, Turkish, and Mughal architectural traditions.

The Centaurus is one of the examples of modern architecture under construction in Islamabad. The seven star hotel is designed by WS Atkins PLC. The building of under construction Islamabad Stock Exchange is also an example of modern architecture in the city.

Demographics

Population through decades
Census	Population	Urban
1951	95,940	0
1961	117,669	0
1972	237,549	76,641
1981	340,286	204,364
1998	805,235	529,180
2009 (est.)	1,740,000	-
Sources:	1998 Census of Pakistan

According to the 1998 census, the total population of the city was 805,235; 434,239 for males and 370,996 for females.The average annual population growth rate from 1981 to 1998 was 5.19. The urban population of the city was 529,180; with 209,717 males and 238,463 females. The total rural population in 1998 was 276,055; 143,522 males and 132,533 females.

The main language spoken in Islamabad is Urdu which is predominantly used within the city due to an ethnic mix of populations. English, being the official language of Pakistan is also commonly understood. Other languages include Punjabi, Pashto and Pothohari. The mother tongue of majority of the population is Punjabi, with 71.66%. Urdu is the mother tongue of 10.11% of the population, followed by Pashto with 9.52%, Saraiki with 1.11%, Sindhi with 0.56 percent and other languages accounting for 7.04%. The total migrant population of the city is 397,731, with the majority from Punjab (241,977). Around 76,614 of the migrated population belongs to NWFP, 26,143 from Sindh, 24,438 from Azad Kashmir, and 21,372 from other countries. Smaller population belongs to FATA, Baluchistan, and Northern Areas.

Islam is the largest religion in the city, with 95.53% of the population Muslim. In rural areas this percentage is 98.80%, while in urban areas the percentage of Muslims is 93.83%. The second largest religion is Christianity, with 4.07% of the population; 0.94% in Rural areas and 5.70% in the urban city. Hindus account for 0.02% of the population, Ahmadis 0.34%, and other minorities 0.03%.

The majority of the population lies in the age group of 15–64 years, around 59.38%. Only 2.73% of the population is above 65 years of age and 37.90 below the age of 15. Islamabad has the highest literacy ratio in Pakistan, at 72.88%. 9.8% of the population has done intermediate (equivalent to 11 and 12 grades). 10.26% have a bachelor or equivalent degree while 5.2% have a master or equivalent degree. The labor force of Islamabad is 185,213 and the unemployment rate is 15.70.

Economy

Statue of a bull outside the newly constructed Islamabad Stock Exchange

Islamabad Stock Exchange is Pakistan's third largest stock exchange after Karachi Stock Exchange and Lahore Stock Exchange, founded in 1989. The exchange has 118 members with 104 corporate bodies and 18 individual members. The average daily turnover of the stock exchange is over 1 million shares.

Islamabad has seen an expansion in information and communications technology with the addition two Software Technology Parks which house numerous national and foreign technological and IT companies. The tech parks are located in Evacuee Trust Complex and Awami Markaz. Awami Markaz houses 36 IT companies while Evacuee Trust house 29 companies. Call centers for foreign companies have been targeted as another significant area of growth, with the government making efforts to reduce taxes by as much as 10% in order to encourage foreign investments in the IT sector.

Most of Pakistan's state-owned companies like PIA, PTV, PTCL, OGDCL, Zarai Taraqiati Bank Ltd. etc. are based in Islamabad. The city is also home to many branches of Karachi-based companies, banks, TV channels etc. Headquarters of all major telecommunication operators; PTCL, Mobilink, Telenor, Ufone, China Mobile and others are located in Islamabad.

Culture

Rawat Fort was built by the Gakhars in the 16th Century. It lies near Islamabad on the Grand Trunk Road

The silver mirrored shrine of Bari Imam

Islamabad is home to many migrants from other regions of Pakistan and has a surprising cultural and religious diversity of considerable antiquity. Due to its location in the Pothohar Plateau, remnants of ancient cultures and civilizations such as Aryan, Soanian, and Indus Valley civilization can still be found in the region. A 15th century Gakhar fort, Pharwala Fort, is located near Islamabad which was built on the remains of a 10th century Hindu fort. Rawat Fort in the region was built by the Gakhars in 16th century where the grave of Gakhar chief, Sultan Sarang Khan, is located.

Saidpur Village in Islamabad is named after Said Khan, the son of Sultan Sarang Khan who was a Gakhar chief. The 500 year old village was converted into the a place of Hindu worship by a Mughal Commander, Raja Man Singh. He constructed a number of small ponds; Rama kunda, Sita kunda, Lakshaman kunda, and Hanuman kunda in the area. The region hosts many Hindu temples that are still preserved showing the remains of Hindu civilization and architecture in the region.

The shrine of Sufi Mystic, Pir Meher Ali Shah, is located at Golra Sharif which has a rich cultural heritage of pre-Islamic period. Archaeological remains of the Buddhist era can still be found in the region. The shrine of Bari Imam was built by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. Thousands of devotees from across Pakistan attend the annual Urs of Bari Imam. The event is one of the largest religious gatherings in Islamabad. In 2004, the Urs was attended by more than 1.2 million people.

The Lok Virsa in Islamabad preserves the living folk and traditional culture of Pakistan. The Folk Heritage Museum, located near Shakarparian hills, has a large display of embroidered costumes, jewellery, woodwork, black printing, ivory, and bone work from the region and other parts of Pakistan.

Education

See also: List of educational institutes in Islamabad/Rawalpindi

File:NDU (2).jpg

National Defence University

File:FBAS IIUI.jpg

International Islamic University

Islamabad boasts the Highest Literacy Rate in Pakistan at 72.88%. A large number of public and private sector educational institutes are present here. The higher education institutes in the capital are either federally chartered or administered by private organizations and almost all of them are recognized by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan. High schools and colleges are either affiliated with the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education or with the UK universities education boards (O/A Levels, IGCSE etc.). According to Academy of Educational Planning And Management's report, in 2006 there were a total of 904 recognized institutions in Islamabad (30 pre-primary, 2 religious, 384 primary, 157 middle, 291 high, 15 intermediate, and 25 degree colleges). 7 teacher training institutes are also running in Islamabad with a total enrollment of 581,068 students and 491 teaching faculty.

The Gender Parity Index in Islamabad is 0.93 compared to 0.95 for Pakistan. There are 178 boys only institutes, 175 girls, and 551 mixed institutes in the capital territory. Total enrollment of students in all categories is 273,583; 139,961 for boys and 133,622 for girls.

There are 17 recognized universities in Islamabad with a total enrollment of 279,820 students and 25,653 teachers. The world's second largest university by enrollment Allama Iqbal Open University is located in Islamabad. The two top engineering universities in Pakistan, Pakistan Institute of Engineering & Applied Sciences and National University of Science and Technology also have their headquarters in the capital. Quaid-i-Azam University in Islamabad is the top ranked university in Pakistan in general category. Other notable universities include National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences, COMSATS, Hamdard University, National Defence University, Shifa College of Medicine, National University of Modern Languages, International Islamic University, and Center for Advanced Studies in Engineering.

In 2006-2007, the Federal Government spent a total of 54,523.637 million Rs. on the education sector out of which 25,830.670 million was developmental fund. This amount is 25.18% of the total educational budget spend in that year, which was 216,518.059 million Rs. The public expenditure on education as percentage of total government expenditure that year was 14.09%.

Health care

Islamabad has a list of public and private medical centers. The largest hospital in Islamabad is Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences hospital. It was established in 1985 as a teaching and doctor training institute. PIMS also functions as a National Reference Center and provides specialized diagnostic and curative services. The hospital has 30 major medical departments. PIMS is divided into five administrative branches. Islamabad Hospital is the major component with 592 bed facility and 22 medical and surgical specialties. Children Hospital is a 230 bedded hospital completed in 1985. It contains six major facilities; Surgical and Allied Specialties, Medical and Allied Specialties, Diagnostic Facilities, Operation Theater, Critical Care (NICU, PICU, Isolation & Accident Emergency), and a Blood Bank. The Maternal and Child Health Care Center is a training institute with an attached hospital of 125 beds offering different clinical and operational services. PIMS consists of five academic institutes; Quaid-e-Azam Postgraduate Medical College, College of Nursing, College of Medical Technology, School of Nursing, and Mother and Child Health Centr.

PAEC General Hospital and teaching institute is affiliated with Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission and was established in 2006. The hospital consists of a 100 bed facility and 10 major departments; Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatric, General Medicine, General Surgery, Intensive Care Unit/Coronary Care Unit, Orthopedics, Ophthalmology, Pathology, Radiology, and Dental Department. Shifa International Hospital is also a teaching hospital in Islamabad that was founded in 1987 and publicized in 1989. The hospital has 70 qualified consultants in almost all specialties, 150 IPD beds and OPD facilities in 35 different specializations.

According to Federal Bureau of Statistics, Government of Pakistan, in 2008 there were 12 hospitals, 76 dispensaries, and 5 Maternity and Child Welfare Centers in the city with total 5,158 beds.

Transport

Benazir Bhutto International Airport airside.

File:Faizabad Interchange.jpeg

Aerial view of Faizabad Interchange that joins Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Islamabad is connected to the major destinations around the world through "Benazir Bhutto International Airport". All major cities and towns are accessible through regular trains and bus services running mostly from the neighboring city of Rawalpindi which is considered a gateway town between north and south. Lahore and Peshawar are linked to Islamabad through a network of motorways which has resulted in a significant reduction in traveling times between these cities. Rawalpindi and Islamabad are also connected through a network of local buses and mini vans.

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has intended to carry out a feasibility and reference design for a rapid mass transit system for the twin-cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. On April 5, 2007, Federal Minister for Railways, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, said that a railway station would be built near the planned Islamabad Airport at Fateh Jang to facilitate passengers called "New Islamabad International Airport". The New Islamabad International Airport is a 3,600-acre (15 km²) international airport that is being built to serve the city of Islamabad, Pakistan. The airport is located in Fateh Jang, which is 30 km south-west of the city. Construction of the airport began in April 2007, after a decade long postponement. It is expected to be completed and operational in approximately three years. It will then take all the commercial flights that are currently operating out of the Islamabad International Airport. The Airport will be named as "Gandhara International Airport" after the ancient Buddhist kingdom.Estimated to cost about $400 million, the new Airport facility, which is the first green-field airport in Pakistan.

See also

• Margalla Hills
• Daman-e-Koh - a view point above Islamabad
• Pir Sohawa - a small hamlet on the Margalla Hills
• Margalla Hills National Park
• Birds of Islamabad

External links

• Template:Wikitravel
• Islamabad Official Site
• Islamabad: Capital Development Authority
• Islamabad at Curlie
• Islamabad Master Plan