Malik Nasir - Professional Profile

Introduction
The foundation of the Islamic University , Islamabad was laid on the first day of the fifteenth century Hijrah i.e.Muharram 1, 1401 (November 11,1980). This landmark of the beginning of the new Century symbolizes the aspirations and hopes of the Muslim Ummah for an Islamic renaissance. The desire to produce scholar and practitioners, imbued with Islamic Learning, character and personality, and capable to meet the economic, social, political, technological and intellectual needs of the Muslim Ummah was the reason deter of this University. The University was reconstituted as’ International Islamic University’ with the promulgation of ordinance No.xxx of 1985.

The University is located around the domineering Faisal Mosque, a symbol of International Islamic brotherhood and unity.It is designed by a famous Turkish architect and is donated to the University by late Shaheed King Faisal bin Abdul Aziz. The Mosque is spread over an area of 189,705 sq.meters and can accommodate about 200 thousand people.

Aims & Objectives of the University
The broad aims and objectives of the International Islamic University are
• To provide for all- around and harmonious development of individuals and society
• To re-construct human thought in all its forms on the foundations of Islam
• To develop Islamic character and personality among the students, teachers and the supporting staff in the University
• To encourage and promote education, training and research in Islamic Learning, social, natural, applied and communication sciences, and other branches of knowledge
• To take practical steps for ideological , moral, intellectual, economic and technological developments ideas, principles in accordance with the norms of Islam and to take necessary steps for developing practical solutions of contemporary problems.

King Faisal Mosque (Shah Faisal Masjid شاه فيصل مسجد in Urdu) is one of the largest mosques in the world, located in Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan. It is a well-known mosque in the Islamic world and is renowned for both its immense size and its architecture.

History
The impetus for the mosque began in 1966 when the late King Faisal bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia suggested it during a visit to Islamabad.

In 1969, an international competition was held in which architects from 17 countries submitted 43 proposals. After four days of deliberation, Turkish architect Vedat Dalokay's design was chosen. Many conservative Muslims criticized the design at first for its non-conventional design and absence of the traditional arches and dome, but virtually all criticism was eventually silenced by the mosque's awe-inspiring scale, form, and setting against the Margalla Hills upon completion.

Construction of the mosque began in 1976, and was funded by the government of Saudi Arabia, at a cost of over 130 million Saudi riyals (approximately $120 million USD today). King Faisal bin Abdul Aziz was instrumental in the funding, and both the mosque and the road leading to it were named after him after his assassination in 1975. The mosque was completed in 1986, and used to house the International Islamic University. The small mausoleum of General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq is located right outside of the mosque.

Design
The mosque has an area of 5,000 square meters and can hold over 70,000 worshippers, including those outside. It is one of the largest mosques in the world and the largest in the subcontinent. The design is a modern one, but makes use of the traditional structure of an Arabian tent, with its large triangular prayer hall and four minarets. However, unlike traditional mosque design, it lacks a dome, and like a tent, the weight of the main prayer hall in the center is supported by the four minarets. The interior of this prayer hall holds a very large chandelier and its walls are decorated with mosaics and calligraphy by the famous Pakistani artist Gulgee.

Location
It is located at the end of Shaharah-e-Islamabad, putting it at one end of the city and in front of a magnificent backdrop provided by the Margalla Hills. It is a focal point of Islamabad, and likely the most famous and recognized icon of the city.

Islamabad (Urdu: اسلام آباد, abode of Islam), is the capital city of Pakistan, and is located in the Potohar Plateau in the northwest of the country. It is located within the Islamabad Capital Territory, though the area has historically been a part of the crossroads of the Punjab region and the North-West Frontier Province (the Margalla pass being a historic gateway to the North-West Frontier Province, and the Potwar Plateau historically a part of the Punjab). Islamabad is located at 33°40′N 73°10′E.

History
From independence until 1958 Pakistan's capital was Karachi in Sindh in the far south. Worries about the concentration of investment and development in that city are said to have led to the idea of building a new capital in a different location. In 1958, during the administration of Pakistani President Ayub Khan, a site immediately north of Rawalpindi was chosen as the permanent capital. Rawalpindi was designated as the temporary capital. Work on the new capital began during the 1960s.

The planning and construction was largely headed by the Greek urban planner Constantinos A. Doxiadis. His plan revolved around the building of the city in sectors, each containing four sub-sectors separated by green belts and parks. There was a strong emphasis on greenery and open space.

In 1967, the capital was officially moved from Rawalpindi to Islamabad. The city was divided into Rural and urban Areas. The urban area was managed by CDA, while Rural area was divided into 12 union Councils. Among these 12 union councils, union Council Koral is the biggest and the most developed Union council.

When Islamabad was finally built, growth was slow, and the government did not fully relocate to the city from Rawalpindi until the 1980s. During this time the capital's population was small, at around 250,000. This changed dramatically during the 1990s with the population increasing, instigating the building of new sectors. The Capital Development Authority, or CDA for short, was established on June 14, 1960 (first by an executive order issued on June 24, 1960 entitled the Pakistan Capital Regulation, and superseded by the CDA ordinance issued on June 27, 1960 by the National Parliament) and accorded the task of developing Islamabad as well as all major government buildings. According to the CDA ordinance, the Ministry of the Interior appoints all members of the board of governors of CDA who in turn appoint all CDA functionaries under them in consultation with the Ministry of the Interior. The CDA is also responsible for running the city of Islamabad and provides most city services such as trash pickup, street cleaning, etc.

On October 8th 2005, an earthquake hit northern parts of Pakistan and was also felt in Islamabad. The earthquake destroyed the Margalla Towers located in sector F-10. The collapsed building was the only one destroyed in the city. Subsequent surveys of the collapsed building showed that the building was made from sub-standard material. The residents of the buildings had sent several complaints to the Capital Development Authority to which no satisfactory response was sent. More recently, the Prime Minister of Pakistan has said that a separate building code be implemented for Islamabad.

Geography and ClimateThe city is situated at the edge of the Pothohar plateau, south of the Margalla hills. The modern capital Islamabad and the ancient Gakhar city of Rawalpindi stand side by side, displaying the country’s past and present. The area's micro-climate is regulated by three man-made lakes (Rawal, Simli and Khanpur). The city has hot summers with monsoon rains occurring during July and August. Even on the few winter days when pre-dawn temperatures fall below freezing, the afternoons are usually sunny and mild: in the coldest month, January, the average daily maximum temperature is 16°C (61°F).

Sightseeing
With regard to sightseeing, the views from the sculpted gardens of Islamabad's Shakar Parian Hills, the fascinating Heritage Museum, and the huge marble statue of Shah Faisal Mosque are highlights of the modern city. To the west of Islamabad is the Buddhist site of Taxila, dating from 500 BC. Sculptures here show a strong Greek influence, a result of Alexander the Great's journey through the region. The commercial center of Islamabad is known as the Blue Area and runs along the length of Jinnah Avenue. Its eastern end runs into Parliament Road, where the majority of government buildings are located.

The city is very green, with much afforestation of what was formerly scrub forest and open ground. The city's climate has enabled the introduction of many exotic plants into the area. There is also much wildlife in the north in the Margalla hills, which have been turned into a national park.

Architecture
Islamabad's architecture walks a tight-rope between modernity and tradition. The Saudi-Pak Tower is a good example of the combination of modern and traditional styles into one building. The city is also home to the Faisal Mosque, which is well-known for its architecture and immense size. Quaid-i-Azam University is also located in the capital city along with numerous government buildings and foreign embassies such as the National Assembly building, the Supreme Court building, the President's official residence (Aiwan-e-Sadr) and the Prime Minister's secretariat. Another landmark is a giant silver-colored Globe Statue, installed in 2004 to mark Pakistan's hosting of that year's SAARC Summit.Recently Atkins UK have designed a striking building for the capital reflecting the margalla hills surrounding it. Not only will this be the tallest and most impresive structure in pakistan, but will also truly put islamabad on the modern archietectural map.

Universities in Islamabad
Air University
Al-Huda University
Allama Iqbal Open University
Bahria University
COMSATS Institute of Information Technology
Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science & Technology
Hamdard University
International Islamic University
Muhammad Ali Jinnah University
National University of Computer & Emerging Sciences(FAST-NUCES)
National University of Modern Languages
Institute of Space Technology
Quaid-i-Azam University
Shifa College of Medicine
Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (SZABIST)

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Malik Nasir - Professional Profile

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