For much of its existence, the capital city of Pakistan has been lovingly remembered as “The Beautiful”.
It became a standard description for the city, oft repeated by its residents and visitors (local and foreign). As the story goes, when Ayub Khan was in the process of deciding where the new capital would be located, his dream was to offer a leafy serene capital that people would prefer over cities like London and Paris.
For the better part of its existence, this young city kept the promise and the urban development somehow blended into the majestic backdrop of the Margallas (barring of course the distasteful architecture of its commercial areas).
The flora and fauna of the environs was enhanced. Civic and municipal oversight was decent enough to keep the environment aesthetically pleasant.
Also read: Citizens mourn the loss of 'Islamabad the beautiful'
Unfortunately, like the rest of the country, things for Islamabad took a turn for the worse, starting 2007.
Likely to become a lot uglier
If one drives around the city, even without the ruckus caused by the ongoing metro project, it looks like an orphaned town – run-down and abandoned.
The Capital Development Authority is conspicuous only in its total absence in matters relating to environmental maintenance and regulation. Be it the absolute shocking state of its roads (with pot holes aplenty and encroachments in all its commercial centres) or the shameful deterioration of all of its public parks and sports facilities; Islamabad is paying the price of a totally dysfunctional administration and for electing representatives that are at best disinterested and at worst, incapable!
It was a most telling image when I saw a vehicle of the enforcement directorate passing by an Afghani burger outlet that has made a total mockery of civic regulations on the main road of F-10 Markaz.
This criminal indifference leaves a common resident cringing with disgust and fear.
While countries around us learned and progressed in urban development, a beautiful city is in terminal decline and no one seems to be bothered about it.
