Fatima Jinnah Park

Fatima Jinnah Park
Template:Lang-ur
A gazebo at Fatima Jinnah Park
Type	Public
Location	Islamabad, Pakistan
Coordinates	33°42′07″N 73°01′22″E
Area	304 hectares (750 acres)
Opened	1992 (1992)
Designer	Michael Japero
Etymology	From the name of Mādar-e Millat Fatima Jinnah, sister of Muhammad Ali Jinnah
Administered by	Capital Development Authority (CDA)
Open	Year-round; 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Status	Operating
Parking	Available

Fatima Jinnah Park (Template:Lang-ur), also known as Capital Park or F-9 Park, is a public recreational park that spans the whole of Sector F-9 of Islamabad, Pakistan. It is named after Mādar-e Millat Fatima Jinnah, the younger sister of the founder of Pakistan Muhammad Ali Jinnah. At 304 hectares (750 acres), it is just smaller than New York's Central Park. It was designed by Michael Japero, and it was inaugurated in 1992.

Fatima Jinnah Park's vast acreage is mostly covered by greenery, with a few man-made structures dotting the landscape. Most of the park area is effectively a wildlife sanctuary, except for a few areas of the park that are close to residential districts. The park is bounded by a steel fence with entrance doors placed at regular intervals, although only a few are routinely open and used. A further strip of land outside of the fence is lined with a footpath. A well laid network of footpaths lies inside the park, with neat grass and a few statues. The park is known for its wildlife, and the question of further development there divides people in the surrounding communities, many of whom worry that development would jeopardize its untamed feel.

Guide map

Public uses

The park's open spaces are commonly used for recreational walking and outdoor sports. Occasionally, they are used for driving lessons. The roads in the park are useful in teaching young drivers how to negotiate a few tight turns.

Only a few areas of Fatima Jinnah Park are well developed, containing busy clusters of buildings, while other areas rarely see human activity. One of the more developed areas is the Megazone complex, which includes a sports zone with a standard-length swimming pool and tables for table tennis and snooker. The complex also includes facilities for bowling, arcade games, laser tag, and other games; areas for a fast food and dining; and an assortment of shops for clothes, DVDs, and other items.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered a McDonald's fast-food restaurant and several clubs, such as an Aeromodelling Club, that had been operating inside F-9 Park to close down. Yet, as of March 2011, the McDonald's had reopened.

Solar power

Pakistan's largest public park goes solar with 3,400 solar panels installed on an area of around five acres inside the 750-acre (300 ha) park at a cost of $4.8 million. These panels would generate about 0.85 megawatts (850KW) of power and have a back-up facility to provide energy to street lights. Funds for the project were provided by the Chinese government as a grant.

Future plans

The Capital Development Authority (CDA), which manages the park, has grand plans for the space, which is sometimes called the "sleeping heart" of Islamabad. The issue of the park's development is more pressing now that the people of Islamabad have taken a keen interest in recreational activities. The CDA's proposed future design for the park will include lakes, rock gardens, aquariums, and fountains.

Gallery

• 
  Islamabad di Daat
• 
  Aiwan e Quaid
• 
  Fatima Jinnah Park walkway, Marghalla Hills in background
• 
  Early morning view in winters
• 
  Foundation stone
• 
  Foundation stone

See also

• List of parks and gardens in Pakistan
• List of parks and gardens in Lahore
• List of parks and gardens in Karachi