Heart Among the Hills: The Journey of Islamabad
A place covered with greenery, surrounded by mountains and hills-the capital city of Pakistan, Islamabad. Most people dream of visiting Islamabad because of its natural beauty, and indeed, it is truly beautiful. But there is something more about this city. Perhaps, if someone visits it once, they may return home, but a part of their heart remains among its hills.
It was an ordinary day. Elsa was busy doing chores at home when, suddenly, her father said, “Elsa, pack your necessary things. You are leaving for Islamabad within thirty minutes.”
Elsa, being an obedient girl, followed her father’s instructions without asking many questions. She quickly gathered her things and got ready for the unexpected journey to Islamabad.
As Elsa continued her journey, the sun was rising in the sky. The first rays of sunlight gradually touched the earth, painting the morning with a soft golden glow. Elsa was sitting by the window, quietly watching the changing scenery. Suddenly, large mountains appeared before her eyes
She was amazed. She quickly called her brother and said, “Bhai, there are so many mountains here! Where am I? I have never seen anything like this before.”
Her brother laughed and replied, “You have finally arrived. Yes, we live among the mountains, and you are now in the hilly area of Islamabad.”
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However, Elsa was still two hours away from her destination. Finally, after two hours, she arrived in Islamabad.
As the famous saying goes, “First impressions are the last impressions.” Elsa’s first impression of Islamabad was unforgettable. The greenery, mountains, peaceful roads, and beautiful surroundings immediately caught her attention. During her stay, she experienced many of the city’s famous places and began to understand why Islamabad is loved by so many people.
1. Daily Dose of F-10 Markaz
Every day, Elsa visited F-10 Markaz, one of the biggest markets in Islamabad. She often went there alone, enjoying nature and sharing her thoughts with herself. Sometimes, she had shakes, sometimes she ate at different restaurants, and whenever she needed to shop, she bought her favourite things at affordable prices.
Elsa enjoyed her life under the open sky and the freedom she had always dreamed of. For Elsa, Islamabad was not just a place to visit; it was a life she wanted to live.
2. Architecture of Faisal Mosque
A remarkable visit to a soulful place between the mountains, surrounded by greenery. Elsa closed her eyes and prayed in her heart, “Ya Allah, I want to see Your mercy.” Within a few seconds, the rain began to fall, as if her prayer had been answered.
Faisal Mosque was breathtaking from the outside, surrounded by the beauty of the mountains. But when Elsa stepped inside, she felt an even deeper peace. It was not just beautiful; it was a truly soulful place.
3. Daman-e-Koh - A View from the Hills
A beautiful place where the sky seems to meet us, and we feel as if we can touch it. Elsa started moving towards the height of Daman-e-Koh. It felt as if the mountains did not want to let her go far away. The beautiful scenes of nature seemed to speak to her.
There were jumping monkeys, children screaming for ice creams, camel carts calling for a ride, and horses ready for visitors. Finally, Elsa reached the peak of Daman-e-Koh, where a beautiful restaurant" The Dome" was situated. Sitting there, all her worries about the future, career, and difficult times disappeared. She could finally breathe freely in the fresh air.
The breathtaking view from Daman-e-Koh showed her the shining beauty of Islamabad. Elsa pointed towards the city and said, “There is the Pakistan Monument, there is Centaurus Mall, and there is the Faisal Mosque.”
Elsa felt every moment with her heart and captured the beautiful scenes in her eyes.
4. Pakistan Monument - A Symbol of Unity
A historical place that amazed Elsa. She saw the sculptures of Fatima Jinnah, Quaid-e-Azam, along with Allama Iqbal, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, and many more.
The museum displayed the struggle for independence, migration, conferences, and many important moments from history. It was amazing to see how the past was preserved.
The story of Fatima Jinnah and her struggle inspired Elsa the most. Seeing her standing shoulder to shoulder with Quaid-e-Azam made Elsa realize the important role women played in the struggle for independence.
5. Centaurus Mall - A World of Its Own
Everyone admires the natural beauty of Islamabad, but the city also has modern shopping malls, restaurants, and technology. While walking through the different floors of Centaurus Mall, Elsa kept looking around with wonder. She thought about how Allah Pak has created so many things for human beings, making their lives easier and giving them moments of comfort and happiness.
She smiled and thought, “Indeed, Allah is great.”
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After exploring the mall, Elsa had dinner at Cheezious on the fourth floor of Centaurus Mall.
6. Fun City - A Place of Joy
On the fourth floor of Centaurus was a place called Fun City. As its name suggests, it was truly a city of fun and excitement. There were all kinds of games, video games, car racing, bubble catching, and many other fun activities. It was a perfect place for children to enjoy themselves.
Elsa also joined the car racing. For a while, she forgot everything and simply enjoyed the moment. She laughed, played, and felt like a child again.
7. Fatima Jinnah Park (F-9 Park) - A Breath of Fresh Air
A famous and historical place in Islamabad, where Imran Khan held political gatherings, Atif Aslam performed concerts, and cricket matches were also held. It is one of the biggest parks in Islamabad.
The sweet sounds of birds, the fresh air, and the mountains all around made Elsa feel peaceful. It was a place where her heart never wanted to leave.
8. F-10 Park - A Peaceful Escape
Another beautiful place Elsa discovered, where she found beautiful flowers everywhere and swings for children. Looking at the swings, Elsa found herself feeling like a child again and started playing there. For a while, she forgot everything and simply enjoyed the moment.
9. A Dawat from Rawalpindi
After a long time, Elsa saw the same things she had in her hometown-fields, crops, chickens, and even the undisciplined traffic. After experiencing the beauty of Islamabad, it felt as if she had come from another world.
The food at the dawat was delicious, but what made it more special was the warmth and love of the elders. They gave Elsa so many prayers and blessings, making her feel truly at home.
10. Planning to Return - But Leaving Her Heart Behind
Now Elsa was missing her parents so much, and she wanted to return to her mother. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, she could not return that day and had to stay back.
But the most important thing was that Elsa was not upset. She was satisfied with Allah’s plan. Sometimes, what feels like a delay may actually be a blessing in disguise.
11. Lok Virsa - A Journey Through Culture
A place where history meets culture, and every culture expresses its own heritage. Traditional dresses, books, sculptures, and many other beautiful things made Lok Virsa truly amazing.
The next day, she continued her journey, searching for more of Allah’s beautiful creations.
12. Pakistan-China Friendship Centre - A Bond Beyond Borders
At the gate of the Pakistan-China Friendship Centre, a huge moon and star were beautifully built. It was a special place where Elsa could feel and see the friendship between the two beloved countries.
13. Safa Gold Mall - A Touch of Elegance
One of the oldest and most famous shopping malls in Islamabad, Safa Gold Mall is also called “Poor Man’s Europe” because of its Western-style culture, fashion, and dresses. Elsa enjoyed visiting it, but she still loved Centaurus Mall the most.
Conclusion - Leaving the City, Not the Memories
Every place showed a different heart of the capital. Elsa visited many places more than two times, sometimes during the day and sometimes at night. She realized that the same place could look completely different at different times.
Every leaf whispered with the breeze, every mountain touched her heart, and every meal reminded her of the mercy of Allah. Islamabad was not just a journey for Elsa; it became a collection of memories, peace, and beautiful moments.
She finally understood that sometimes we leave a place, but the place does not leave us. Elsa left Islamabad, but her heart remained among the hills…….
