Islamabad

How’s Islamabad?
If you ask this question from a person who grew up or lived some years here the most obvious answers would be “Aaaallaaa”, “Awesome”, “Cool town”.

Islamabad was the brain child of General Ayub Khan who wanted to shift the capital of Pakistan from Karachi to a strategically safer place. So the work was started in 1960’s (the foundation stone can be found at shakerparian). The city is par excellence when compared to any other city in the region.

For me growing up in Islamabad a.k.a Isloo was a privilege. Back then the city was less populated. Sectors G-11 and F-11 were not developed. The roads used to be empty and by maximum 2100hrs it was rare to find traffic on the roads. It used to be so quiet. No noise of the traffic. On Eid’s Isloo was almost deserted as most of the population used to travel to there ancestral homes. Thus Isloo got titled as “the city of living dead” by the Karachi walla’s and the Lahori’s.

Now I just laugh at the people who say that Isloo is a dead city. They are just misinformed and living in an illusion that they have created. I mean calling a city dead where a 7 star hotel is under construction is just so lame. That’s not all, it’s the city which is the hub of the political activities of the nation and still they call it dead. Amazing! I ask these people to please come and visit this place for a change and then make up there minds.

Islamabad as I recall it has always been like a dream place to live in. Sometimes I imagine as if it’s a place described in a romantic novel and we are just mere characters of that epic saga. the stunning margalla hills and the lovely Faisal mosque on one side, the mist that overtakes in winters, the sunsets in summers, the blooming flowers across the town in spring, ground covered by fallen leaves due to autumn and finally the thunderous rains in monsoon. Which place on earth will have weather like this?

To conclude the article a sad note, the dove monument at zero point which was the original monument of Islamabad has been removed due to the on going flyover construction over there has been removed.P.S
As it was the symbol of peace I wonder if they’ll put it back when it peace will be restored in the country.