The population of Islamabad including its surrounding territory has increased to 2 million[3] and together with its neighbouring twin city of Rawalpindi, the greater Islamabad-Rawalpindi metropolitan area is the third largest conurbation in Pakistan with a population of over 4.5 million inhabitants.[4] Since its foundation, Islamabad has attracted people from all over Pakistan, making it one of the most cosmopolitan and urbanized cities of Pakistan.
As the capital, Islamabad is the seat of the Government of Pakistan; the Presidential Palace (Aiwan-e-Sadr) is also located here. Islamabad is home to the Pakistan Monument, which is one of the two national monuments of Pakistan. Islamabad is known as a clean, calm and green city. It hosts a large number of diplomats, politicians and government employees. Islamabad is a modern, well planned and maintained city 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. The city is home to the Faisal Mosque, the largest mosque in South Asia and the fourth largest mosque in the world.