Islamabad is the capital city of Pakistan located within the Islamabad Capital Territory. It has a
population of 2 million and together with its neighbouring twin city of Rawalpindi, the greater Islamabad-Rawalpindi
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 northeastern part of the country, within the Islamabad Capital
Territory. The region has historically been a part of the crossroads of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with the Margalla
Pass acting as the gateway between the two regions. The city was built during the 1960s to replace Karachi as
Pakistan's capital. Islamabad is a well-organised international city divided into several different sectors and zones.
It is regarded as the most developed city in Pakistan and is ranked as a Gamma+ world city.
In 2015, Islamabad was ranked as the second most beautiful capital in the World The city is home to the Faisal Mosque,
the largest mosque in South Asia and the fourth largest mosque in the world. Islamabad has one of the highest
literacy rates in Pakistan. There are 16 recognized universities in Islamabad, including Air University
(Pakistan Air Force), Quaid-i-Azam University and the National University of Sciences and Technology.
Allama Iqbal Open University in Islamabad is one of the world's largest universities by enrollment.
History
Islamabad Capital Territory, located on the Pothohar Plateau of the Punjab region, is considered one of the earliest sites of human settlement in Asia. Some of the earliest Stone Age artefacts in the world have been found on the plateau, dating from 100,000 to 500,000 years ago. Rudimentary stones recovered from the terraces of the Soan River testify to the endeavours of early man in the inter-glacial period. Items of pottery and utensils dating back to prehistory have been found.
Rawat Fort, built by the Gakhars in the 16th century
Excavations have revealed evidence of a prehistoric culture. Relics and human skulls have been found dating back to 5000 BC that show this region was home to Neolithic people who settled on the banks of the Swaan River, who developed small communities in the region at around 3000 BC. One end of the Indus Valley Civilization flourished here between the 23rd and 18th centuries BC. Later the area was an early settlement of the Aryan community. A Buddhist town once existed in the region. Many great armies such as those of Zahiruddin Babur, Genghis Khan, Timur and Ahmad Shah Durrani used the corridor through Islamabad on their way to invade the rest of the Indian Subcontinent. Modern Islamabad is based on the old settlement known as Saidpur. The British took control of the region from the Sikhs in 1849 and built South Asia's largest cantonment in the region.
Culture
Islamabad is home to many migrants from other regions of Pakistan and has a cultural and
religious diversity of considerable antiquity. Due to its location on the Pothohar Plateau,
remnants of ancient cultures and civilisations such as Aryan, Soanian, and Indus Valley civilisation
can still be found in the region. A 15th-century Gakhar fort, Pharwala Fort, which was built on the
remains of a 10th-century Hindu fort, is located near Islamabad. Rawat Fort in the region was
built by the Gakhars in 16th century and contains the grave of the Gakhar chief, Sultan Sarang Khan.
Long Exposure of Blue Area Islamabad
Saidpur village is supposedly named after Said Khan, the son of Sultan Sarang Khan. 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. The region is home to many Hindu temples that are preserved, showing the history of Hindu civilisation 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 the pre-Islamic period. Archaeological remains of the Buddhist era can also 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 Museum in Islamabad preserves a wide variety of expressions of folk and traditional cultural legacy of Pakistan. It is located near the Shakarparian hills and boasts a large display of embroidered costumes, jewellery, musical instruments, woodwork, utensils and folkloristic objects from the region and other parts of Pakistan.
Education
Islamabad boasts the highest literacy rate in Pakistan at 88%, and has some of the most advanced educational
institutes in the country. A large number of public and private sector educational institutes are present here.
Quaid-i-Azam University
The higher education institutes in the capital are either federally chartered or administered by private organisations and almost all of them are recognised 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, or IGCSE. According to Academy of Educational Planning and Management's report, in 2009 there were a total of 913 recognised institutions in Islamabad (31 pre-primary, 2 religious, 367 primary, 162 middle, 250 high, 75 higher secondary and intermediate colleges, and 26 degree colleges). There are seven teacher training institutes in Islamabad with a total enrolment of 604,633 students and 499 faculty.
Sports
Islamabad has a multi-purpose Sports Complex opposite Aabpara.
The complex includes Liaquat Gymnasium for indoor games, Mushaf Squash Complex and Jinnah Stadium for outdoor games,
which is a venue for regular national and international events.
2004 SAF Games were held in the stadium. Major sports in the city include Cricket, Football, Squash, Hockey, Table Tennis and Boxing. The city is home to Islamabad United which won the first ever Pakistan Super League in 2016. Islamabad also has various rock climbing spots in the Margalla Hills.