Islamabad History, Pakistan

Karachi used to be the capital of Pakistan and it was after the year 1960 that Islamabad was named the capital of Pakistan. Islamabad is considered to be the cleanest cities of Pakistan and also one of the most organized cities in the country. Newly approved projects will soon bring in well planed road system, railway lines, and a huge airport for the comfort of various tourists that regularly visit the city.

 Even though Islamabad was named the capital of Pakistan in 1960 and it is considered the most modern city of Pakistan, it still it holds history as old as one thousand years. Some of the very first settlers of Asia opted for the land on which today Islamabad is shining. It is also the part of Indus Valley Civilization. In olden days Islamabad was also the site of stone made sculptures which were sent to lower areas of Indus River from this part of land itself on which Islamabad is located.

 The land on which Islamabad is located was also the first land where Aryans of Central Asia settled down. Islamabad was also the entry gate for all invaders who used to enter India in olden days. Islamabad has also been the land where wild wars of Tamerlane and Alexander took place. Around 7000 years back, Islamabad was the hub of the Stone Age. Skulls as old as 5000 B.C. were found in the city of Islamabad which proves the existence of a human settlement on this land in the Stone Age.

 Islamabad was born in the year 1960 when the government of Pakistan decided to build a world class city which would later become the modern capital of Pakistan. Doxiadis Associates, a green architecture company, designed Islamabad. They decided to give the city the shape of a triangle (actually a grid of triangles) whose apex would be Margalla Hills. There were many reasons why Islamabad was made the new capital of Pakistan but some important ones were:

Karachi, the older capital, was close to sea and hence it was vulnerable to sea attacks from various enemies. As Karachi was the capital the country, it was more or less focused on its own development, but President Ayub Khan wanted equal development of each part of Pakistan and hence Islamabad was borne. Islamabad was also closer to Kashmir.