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    Islamabad: Three Generations of Nostalgia

    Written by: Younis Azeem
    Posted on: September 28, 2016 |

    Faisal Mosque, Islamabad

    Almost six decades ago, in 1958, President Ayub Khan’s commission began looking for a more secure capital to replace the coastal city of Karachi. The following year, it recommended the stretch of land northeast of the city of Rawalpindi, in the foothills of the Margalla Hills. By 1966, the basic infrastructure was laid for what would eventually come to be known as Islamabad.

    History of Islamabad City

    Bari Imam Baithak (where Margalla Road curves in F-6) in the '70s (photo: Shahla Rafi)

    My father moved to Islamabad from neighboring Rawalpindi in 1975. My brother was born in the winter of 1986, and I, a decade later. This is a story of three generations who have experienced the changing face of Islamabad.

    My father shifted to a house in sector F-6 of Islamabad, when the F-6 and F-7 sectors made up almost the entire city, along with Super and Jinnah Markets respectively.  These sectors are now home to some of the most expensive real estate of the city. He fondly remembers the time when there were only 4 possible places to eat out: Mr. Chips, Golden Dragon, Kamran Restaurant and of course Islamabad Club. Places beyond F-7, including what would later become Blue Area, were for all purposes a jungle where wild animals lurked.

    Fast forward a few years, and the ‘90s saw my brother growing up in this very city. There were almost three times as many people living in the capital now, although it was still a measly 529,180. The recently constructed Faisal Mosque soon became an iconic symbol of Islamabad, a popular spot for visitors. A host of new eateries began to open in order to capitalize on the growing population, including Pappasallis, the popular pizza joint, Dainty Fast Food (the best place for burgers in the city back then), Munchies which became famous for its Roll Parathas, and a corner shop selling Pan, which very creatively named itself Pan Corner. There were no underpasses or flyovers, and the developed Islamabad sectors extended only as far as F-10.

    History of Islamabad City

    A mazaar in the Saidpur area (photo: Shahla Rafi)

    I grew up in the 2000s, and my memories of Islamabad include children going to play in the Japanese Park, a children’s park spread over 25 acres of land, traversing Super Market, Jinnah Super and Blue Area to find that perfect article of clothing, eating out at restaurants opened in residential areas such as the very famous Kitchen Cuisine and Zefra, exploring the enormous F-9 Park, and performing Jummah prayers in a quiet, empty Faisal Mosque. Construction was ongoing in sectors such as E-11, but it was more of a place for aspiring drivers to perfect their skills on the road.

    History of Islamabad City

    The new face of Islamabad

    It’s 2016 now, and none of these three generations can relate to this new city. Populated sectors have spread to G-15 and F-17, while high rises have begun to mar the skyline. Centaurus, an enormous shopping mall, has come up in the Blue Area, while the Safa Gold Mall has been built in the Jinnah Market, in blatant disregard of the rules that forbid high rises outside the Blue Area.

    The restaurants from my brother’s time, such as the once-famous Pappasallis, remain a ghost of their former self, while the Capital Development Authority has evicted restaurants and offices from the residential areas. What was once a single-lane Margalla Road that only my dad’s little Beatle frequented, is now a massive double artery connecting sectors all the way from F-5 to F-11. CDA has allowed plazas to be built that provide parking only on paper, and hence finding a parking spot has become very difficult in markets and the Blue Area. 

    International fast food chains now inhabit every sector in the city, while even a McDonald’s has opened in F-9 Park, a sector-wide green area where construction and business is illegal. Sadly, a year or so after a legal case against it, the fast food giant still remains in place, damaging both the health and environment of the city.

    History of Islamabad City

    Saidpur Village - then and now (photo: Shahla Rafi)

    Margalla Hills National Park has fallen prey to unrestrained and poorly planned development. Construction of a well-lit and wide metal road through the Margalla Hills to restaurants like Monal and La Montana, has encouraged heavy traffic, resulting in incalculable damage to the flora, fauna and the wildlife of the National Park.

    Rapid deforestation of the city has taken place, caused by the building of more roads, making way for the Metro bus or plain theft. The Margalla Hills National Park included areas like Bannigala and Shakarparian, but while Bannigala, which was a catchment area for the Rawal Lake, has been converted into a residential colony, Shakarparian has fallen prey to unnecessary construction, and acres of its forest cleared for Industrial Exhibition, which has now been converted into a parade ground. Not surprisingly, this deforestation has caused the temperature of Islamabad to go up a few centigrades.

    History of Islamabad City

    Rawal Lake in the '70s (photo: Shahla Rafi)

    As the population pressure builds up and the city expands, the challenge is to retain the green and clean environment of Islamabad. The three generations of our family recall the homely Islamabad we knew with nostalgia, as our quiet hometown has morphed into a bustling city with its attendant challenges.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021