Islamabad

INTRO
Islamabad is the capital city of Pakistan. The first impression is that it is rather clean and modern city, especially compared to other city in Pakistan. Islamabad was built in the 1960s and has replaced Karachi as the capital of the country. Today, it consists mainly of Federal Government offices, Diplomatic Enclave (an area dedicated to foreign missions and embassies appointed in Pakistan) along with the Parliament House which is the official residence of both the Prime Minister and the President of Pakistan. Islamabad has become a very important business and financial hub with lots of local and international banks and quickly growing private businesses.

City Profile
City: Islamabad
Country: Pakistan
Area: 906, 00 km²
Population: 805, 000
Districts: 6
Governor: Mayor - K. Lsahari
Language: English, Urdu


LOCATION
Islamabad encompasses a territory of 906 km2. It is located south of the Margalla hills, at the edge of the Pothohar plateau. The modern Islamabad stands side by side with the ancient Gakhar city of Rawalpindi thus displaying Pakistan's past and present. There are three man-made lakes in the area of Islamabad - Khanpur, Rawal and Simli.

TIME TO VISIT
Islamabad features a rather extreme climate. Summers are very hot with monsoon rains in July and August. Winters are cold but not severe - minimum temperatures vary around -4°C. The absolute maximum was recorded in June 1988 - 45°C. The microclimate in the Islamabad area is regulated by the man-made lakes. Ramadan - the ninth month of the calendar - is characterized by a 30-day daytime feasting. It is followed by Eid ul-Fitr - a festival thet marks the end of Ramadan.

POPULATION
The population of Islamabad is around 805, 000 people. It is quite small compared to the population of Pakistan which is more than 165, 000, 000 - sixt largest in the world. Punjabis are the prevailing ethnic group - more than 65% of the whole population of the city. Pashtun and Muhajir Urdu are the other major inhabitants of the capital of Pakistan - they comprise around 20% of the population - roughly, 10% each. English is the official language of Pakistan and Islamabad - it is used in the Constitution of the country. Urdu is tha national language of Pakistan - despite being a native language of a relatively small minority, it is lingua franca of the country. 96% of the Pakistanis are Muslims.

DISTRICTS
Islamabad is divided into several sectors - each of them is identified by a letter of the Roman alphabet.

• D-Sector - there is only one D sector - D-12. Currently, the sector is underdeveloped but there is a developpment program which is due to be completed in 2008. Because of its location near the Margalla Hills it will be considered as one of Islamabad's most beautiful sectors.
• E-Sector - numbered from E-6 to E-18. Many diplomatic personnel and foreigners are housed in the E sectors. The campuses of three Defence universities are located in E-8 and E-9 - Bahria University, Air University and National Defence University.
• F-Sector - numbered from F-5 through F-12. The two software technology parks of Islamabad are located in F-5. One of the major landmareks of F-8 will be the Centaurus Complex that will feature a 7-star plaza and a 5-star hotel.
• G-Sector - from G-5 through G-16. Some of the major landmarks are Serena Hotel and the Convention Center - both located in G-5. The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences hospital - the largest medical complex in Islamabad - is located in G-8.
• H-Sector - numbered from H-7 through H-12. They house lots of educational and health institutions. In H-8 are located Shifa International Hospitals Ltd. and the Shifa College of Medicine. The National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences is located in sector H-10.
• I-Sector - from I-8 through I-18. The I sectors are the main part of the industrial zone of Islamabad.

SIGHTS & ATTRACTIONS

• Faisal Masjid - probably the best recognizable landmark of Islamabad. This is a large mosque gifted to the city by King faisal of Saudi Arabia. The building features marvellous architecture. However, this is more a place of worship than a tourist site - make sure you dress and act respectfully while visiting the mosque.
• Caravan park - located very close to the Shakarparian Hills. The park is extremely safe - as it is acessible only for foreigners. The comfort of the visitors is provided by adequate facilities - modern and well maintained.
• The National Monument - a monument representing Pakistan's four provinces and three territories. The monument has a shape of a blooming flower - representing the country's progress. It is made of reddish granite marbel - very expensive but the strongest and most beautiful stone that could be used for the construction.
• Saudi-Park Tower - an office building that houses lots of businesses as well as offices of the United Nations. The tower is one of Islamabad's tallest buildings and serves as an important landmark of the city. It is the only ISO 9000 certified building in Islamabad.
• Blue Area - the financial, commercial and business hub of Islamabad. It is called like that because in the original design of the planned city it was represented in blue colour.

AIRPORT

• Islamabad International Airport- this is planned to be one of the largest, busiest and finest airports in Asia after the development program is completed - in 2010. Currently, it is the third largest civil airport located in Rawalpindi. The facility is shared with the Pakistan Air Force. The new location of the airport is at Fateh Jang - only 5 km away from Islamabad. Construction is underway - started in 2007 and planned to take less than 3 years. http://www.islamabadairport.com.pk/
  http://www.paktribune.com/news/index.shtml?133509

LOCAL TRANSPORTATION

• Taxi - cabs in islamabad are very popular as means of local transportation. Generally, they are abundant, comfortable and safe. Cost is around Rs20 - Rs30 per sector travelled, although it significantly depends on your bargaining skills. Prices are higher at night. It is always good to agree on price before travelling.
• Car Hire - a convenient way to get around Islamabad. Road signs and directions are available only on main roads - which might be rather uncomfortable for a western visitor that is used to the excellent sign posting in his country. However, Islamabad is relatively small and it is not so hard to find your way around. Cars can be hired with drivers - which saves you the hasle of finding the way. Most good hotels offer their own car-hire service - at very affordable prices.

HISTORY
The city of Islamabad was built in the 1960s - its purpose was to replace Pakistan's former capital - Karachi. The master plan of Islamabad was designed by Doxiadis Associates - a Greek firm of architects. It is triangular in shape and based on a grid system with an appex towards the Margalla Hills. Since 2003, there is a re-development phase going on in Islamabad. Most of the main roads and highways are being expanded, parks are being renovated and lots of modern buildings are under construction.



CITY LINKS

• Capital Development Authority website - http://www.cda.gov.pk/cda-latest/default.asp
• Treavel guide - http://wikitravel.org/en/Islamabad
• UNESCO Islamabad - http://www.un.org.pk/unesco/
• Islamabad Stock Exchange - http://www.ise.com.pk/
• Guide maps of Islamabad - http://www.islamabad.net/guide_maps.htm

UNIVERSITY LINKS

• Air University - http://www.au.edu.pk/
• Bahria University - http://www.bahria.edu.pk/
• Shifa College of Medicine - http://www.shifacollege.edu/
• Riphah International University - http://www.riphah.edu.pk/
• University of Lahore - http://www.uol.edu.pk/
• Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences - http://www.pieas.edu.pk/
• Hamdard University - http://www.hamdard.edu.pk/