Pictures from cities | Islamabad
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sensenreason
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Very pretty pictures indeed. Islamabad has to be the prettiest South Asian city!
fawwaxs
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pakistanguide
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hmmmmmmmm nice Pic
pakistanheritage
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Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan since 1963. A relatively quiet city, it consists of mainly Federal Government offices, Parliment House, the official residence of the President and Prime Minister along with the Diplomatic Enclave, an area next to the Parliament House dedicated to foreign embassies and missions appointed in Pakistan.
Islamabad Business districtAlthough the majority of the population in Islamabad traditionally have been employees of the Federal Government, in recent years Islamabad has become a very important financial and business city with a lot of local and foreign banks and ever expanding private businesses. In the last decade there has been vast changes in the citys traditional reputation. From it being a typical 9 to 5 city, Islamabad has become more lively with a lot of international food chains opening businesses, and generally a great improvement in night life with increasing shopping areas opening till late. However during winter season streets are considerably quiet after dark.
Even now, Islamabad remains a city where people come from all over the country to enjoy its peaceful, noise-free atmosphere with a lot of greenery and nice surrounding scenery. It also serves as a base camp for people from the south and coastal areas like Karachi visiting valleys like Swat and Kaghan and northern areas like Gilgit, Skardu & Chitral located in the Hindu Kush mountains.
Understand
English Local Newspaper The Dawn, The News, The Nation & The Daily Times are national newspapers in English supplemented with local news sections. Business Recorder is the only newpaper providing national and international business news. However, newspapers are like New York Times, Los Angles Times, International Herald Tribune, Financial Times, Khaleej Times, Gulf News, Sunday Times and etc., are also available. These international newspapers usually arrive in Islamabad a day after publishing. All newspapers (international, national and local) are available at book stores in leading hotels like Serena & Marriot. They can also be purchased from leading book stores like London Book House (Kohsar Market in sector F-6/3), Saeed Book Bank (Jinnah Super Market in sector F-7), and Mr. Books (Super Market in sector F-6).
By bus
Faizabad FlyoverSkyways and Daewoo are 2 of the nicer long-haul operators. Skyways offer some direct services to/from Islamabad and Lahore, Peshawar and Karachi. Daewoo has its own terminal on the road from Islamabad just outside Rawalpindi. The majority of buses arrive and depart from Rawalpindi, a few kilometres and a 45 minute taxi ride from Islamabad.You can call the Daewoo Station in advance for booking. They shall confirm a seat for you. The number is 051 111 007 008. You can travel to Peshawar, Lahore, D I Khan, Murree, Sialkot, Abottabad, Bahawalpur, Faisalabad, Multan, and recently they have started service between Karachi and Hyderabad.
Get around
Streets of IslamabadStreets of IslamabadTaxis in Islamabad are abundant, popular and generally safe. Cost is around Rs20 Rs30 per sector traveled, depending on your bargaining skills. Prices will be higher at night, especially departing from places like Jinnah Super (F-7). It is always advisable to agree the fare before travelling.
Car Hire is also a good way of getting around. Although road signs and directions are only available on main roads, Due to Islamabad being a relatively small city, It is easy to find your way around. There are various car hire companies in Blue Area F-6 and also in G-8 Markaz where cars can be hired with drivers to avoid paying large sums for security and also, to avoid having to find your way. All 5* and major hotels have their own car hire services and are relatively cheap. A tip to the driver at the end of the booking period is appreciated and advisable however, not an obligation.
Faisal Mosque
The Faisal Mosque in Islamabad is the largest mosque in Pakistan and South Asia and the sixth largest mosque in the world.Faisal Mosque is conceived as the National Mosque of Pakistan. It has a covered area of 5,000 m2 (54,000 sq ft)and has a capacity to accommodate approximately 300,000 worshipers (100,000 in its main prayer hall, courtyard and porticoes and another 200,000 in its adjoining grounds)The Faisal Mosque is named after the late King Faisal bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia, who supported and financed the project.
History
The impetus for the mosque began in 1966 when the late King Faisal bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia supported the initiative of the Pakistani Government to build a national mosque in Islamabad during an official visit to Pakistan. In 1969, an international competition was held in which architects from 17 countries submitted 43 proposals. After four days of deliberation, Turkish architect Vedat Dalokays design was chosen. Construction of the mosque began in 1976 by National Construction of Pakistan, led by Azim Borujerdi, and was funded by the government of Saudi Arabia, at a cost of over 130 million Saudi riyals (approximately 120 million USD today). King Faisal bin Abdul Aziz was instrumental in the funding, and both the mosque and the road leading to it were named after him after his assassination in 1975. The mosque was completed in 1986, and used to house the International Islamic University. Many conservative Muslims criticised the design at first for its non-conventional design and lack of the traditional dome structure, but virtually all criticism was eventually silenced by the mosques scale, form, and setting against the Margalla Hills upon completion.
Location
King_Faisal_Masque_IslamabadThe mosque is located in the capital of Pakistan, Islamabad. It is situated at the north end of Faisal Avenue, putting it at the northernmost end of the city and at the foot of Margalla Hills, the westernmost foothills of the Himalayas.
Design
The Faisal Mosque is the work of famous Turkish architect, Vedat Dalokay who won the Agha Khan Architectural Award with this project. The mosques relatively unusual design fuses contemporary lines with the more traditional look of an Arab Bedouins tent, with its large triangular prayer hall and four minarets. However, unlike traditional masjid design, it lacks a dome.
The minarets borrow their design from Turkish tradition and are thin and pencil like. The interior of this prayer hall holds a very large chandelier and its walls are decorated with mosaics and calligraphy by the famous Pakistani artist Sadequain. The mosaic pattern adorns the west wall, and has the kalimah writtern in early Kufic script, repeated in mirror image pattern.
The mosques architecture is a departure from the long history of South Asian Islamic architecture. It is one of the most outstanding and modern Islamic architecture examples in the world.
Travel to Islamabad Pakistan
Islamabad Business districtAlthough the majority of the population in Islamabad traditionally have been employees of the Federal Government, in recent years Islamabad has become a very important financial and business city with a lot of local and foreign banks and ever expanding private businesses. In the last decade there has been vast changes in the citys traditional reputation. From it being a typical 9 to 5 city, Islamabad has become more lively with a lot of international food chains opening businesses, and generally a great improvement in night life with increasing shopping areas opening till late. However during winter season streets are considerably quiet after dark.
Even now, Islamabad remains a city where people come from all over the country to enjoy its peaceful, noise-free atmosphere with a lot of greenery and nice surrounding scenery. It also serves as a base camp for people from the south and coastal areas like Karachi visiting valleys like Swat and Kaghan and northern areas like Gilgit, Skardu & Chitral located in the Hindu Kush mountains.
Understand
English Local Newspaper The Dawn, The News, The Nation & The Daily Times are national newspapers in English supplemented with local news sections. Business Recorder is the only newpaper providing national and international business news. However, newspapers are like New York Times, Los Angles Times, International Herald Tribune, Financial Times, Khaleej Times, Gulf News, Sunday Times and etc., are also available. These international newspapers usually arrive in Islamabad a day after publishing. All newspapers (international, national and local) are available at book stores in leading hotels like Serena & Marriot. They can also be purchased from leading book stores like London Book House (Kohsar Market in sector F-6/3), Saeed Book Bank (Jinnah Super Market in sector F-7), and Mr. Books (Super Market in sector F-6).
By bus
Faizabad FlyoverSkyways and Daewoo are 2 of the nicer long-haul operators. Skyways offer some direct services to/from Islamabad and Lahore, Peshawar and Karachi. Daewoo has its own terminal on the road from Islamabad just outside Rawalpindi. The majority of buses arrive and depart from Rawalpindi, a few kilometres and a 45 minute taxi ride from Islamabad.You can call the Daewoo Station in advance for booking. They shall confirm a seat for you. The number is 051 111 007 008. You can travel to Peshawar, Lahore, D I Khan, Murree, Sialkot, Abottabad, Bahawalpur, Faisalabad, Multan, and recently they have started service between Karachi and Hyderabad.
Get around
Streets of IslamabadStreets of IslamabadTaxis in Islamabad are abundant, popular and generally safe. Cost is around Rs20 Rs30 per sector traveled, depending on your bargaining skills. Prices will be higher at night, especially departing from places like Jinnah Super (F-7). It is always advisable to agree the fare before travelling.
Car Hire is also a good way of getting around. Although road signs and directions are only available on main roads, Due to Islamabad being a relatively small city, It is easy to find your way around. There are various car hire companies in Blue Area F-6 and also in G-8 Markaz where cars can be hired with drivers to avoid paying large sums for security and also, to avoid having to find your way. All 5* and major hotels have their own car hire services and are relatively cheap. A tip to the driver at the end of the booking period is appreciated and advisable however, not an obligation.
Faisal Mosque
The Faisal Mosque in Islamabad is the largest mosque in Pakistan and South Asia and the sixth largest mosque in the world.Faisal Mosque is conceived as the National Mosque of Pakistan. It has a covered area of 5,000 m2 (54,000 sq ft)and has a capacity to accommodate approximately 300,000 worshipers (100,000 in its main prayer hall, courtyard and porticoes and another 200,000 in its adjoining grounds)The Faisal Mosque is named after the late King Faisal bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia, who supported and financed the project.
History
The impetus for the mosque began in 1966 when the late King Faisal bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia supported the initiative of the Pakistani Government to build a national mosque in Islamabad during an official visit to Pakistan. In 1969, an international competition was held in which architects from 17 countries submitted 43 proposals. After four days of deliberation, Turkish architect Vedat Dalokays design was chosen. Construction of the mosque began in 1976 by National Construction of Pakistan, led by Azim Borujerdi, and was funded by the government of Saudi Arabia, at a cost of over 130 million Saudi riyals (approximately 120 million USD today). King Faisal bin Abdul Aziz was instrumental in the funding, and both the mosque and the road leading to it were named after him after his assassination in 1975. The mosque was completed in 1986, and used to house the International Islamic University. Many conservative Muslims criticised the design at first for its non-conventional design and lack of the traditional dome structure, but virtually all criticism was eventually silenced by the mosques scale, form, and setting against the Margalla Hills upon completion.
Location
King_Faisal_Masque_IslamabadThe mosque is located in the capital of Pakistan, Islamabad. It is situated at the north end of Faisal Avenue, putting it at the northernmost end of the city and at the foot of Margalla Hills, the westernmost foothills of the Himalayas.
Design
The Faisal Mosque is the work of famous Turkish architect, Vedat Dalokay who won the Agha Khan Architectural Award with this project. The mosques relatively unusual design fuses contemporary lines with the more traditional look of an Arab Bedouins tent, with its large triangular prayer hall and four minarets. However, unlike traditional masjid design, it lacks a dome.
The minarets borrow their design from Turkish tradition and are thin and pencil like. The interior of this prayer hall holds a very large chandelier and its walls are decorated with mosaics and calligraphy by the famous Pakistani artist Sadequain. The mosaic pattern adorns the west wall, and has the kalimah writtern in early Kufic script, repeated in mirror image pattern.
The mosques architecture is a departure from the long history of South Asian Islamic architecture. It is one of the most outstanding and modern Islamic architecture examples in the world.
Travel to Islamabad Pakistan
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