Life in Islamabad

Saadia123 · Dec 1st, 2006, 02:52 AM

I would be moving to islamabad in late summer-a Pakistani who has not lived in Pakistan-I need some information about Islamabad.
a-How does one goes about hiring Staff, I would need a driver, maid,cook and a Gardner.
I have heard that it is best to go with personal recommendations of people but I really do not know anybody ther, so any help would be much appreciated.
b-What are resonable salaries.
secondly what do people do after work, are there any clubs with swimming tennis.

Thankyou in advance.

Zgard · Dec 1st, 2006, 01:51 PM

u should go for personal recomandations n even when some one is recomanded still submit their ids to the nearest police station thats wut the law say about hiring a maid gardner etc etc

most probablly u have to paid from 2000 to 3500 rs to higher some one as maid gardner etc etc depends on where from u hired the servent ,if u hired them from Islamabad then they will be costly but if u r able to hired them from native village then they will be more cheap n trustworthy.

Spock · Dec 2nd, 2006, 10:59 PM

Saadia, Islamabad club is pretty nice, the memberships a little expensive, but if you have someone working for the Pakistan Government, I believe you can get a discount...

Bhabi · Dec 7th, 2006, 06:08 PM

Hey saddiaa why are you moving to Islamabad ? well Iam a gal from eruope and moved to islamabd after my shadi, it was very gard for me to be there still cant adjust there, it is not easy to accept life in pak for us european gals

manomano · Dec 7th, 2006, 07:19 PM

Gosh if you cant adjust in Islamabad then i feel bad for you!!!

Brit Chick · Dec 8th, 2006, 06:30 AM

^ ditto that.....I'm born and raised in england and I found it very easy to live in islamabad.

HSK · Dec 8th, 2006, 04:07 PM

No offense, but your ability to adjust to Islamabad also depends if you had a life in London.

If you lived in a boring subdivision and stayed at home all day, Islamabad will be amazing.

If you had any social life in London, rest assured you'll hate Islamabad. There's absolutely nothing to do but take long drives. I'm not even joking.

Afshi · Dec 8th, 2006, 04:15 PM

yah...im from toronto..lives in isb for almost 2 years...it was so boring....like brit chick said, it is Easy to live in...like clean and stuff...but im a city person..i like the busy streets, lots of pple...after 10pm, islamabad is a ghost town....10pm is my prime town to go out...

Saadia123 · Dec 9th, 2006, 11:13 AM

Well, my husband's company is sending him there for a year asignment, if we like it there we would extend for another year.
Is there an International Women Club there, or an American Women's Club. In every other country I have been there is an American women's group and has been a lot of fun. What expat clubs are there. Is there an American club etc.
Mostly I need help to get some clothes made, I really do not have a decent Shalwar Kamiz to wear. How does one goes about doing that.

Saadia123 · Dec 9th, 2006, 11:28 AM

...ok guys do not scare me. Actually I am quite excited. I just need a little help in settling in. It is going to be hard, as we have decided to leave our son in a boarding school in Rome. He goes to that school and is very very happy. I need to know where to buy, how to hire a maid and cook, what to pay, what are the pitfalls to watch out for. I hear Pindi is a better place to shop, Is it? You know all the small, insignificant things that ones stresses about before relocating.
Please help, I have uptil August to prepare for.

CrescentWarrior · Dec 9th, 2006, 12:18 PM

Islamabaad is nice Alhamdulilah, but too quite for me!

Saadia123 · Dec 9th, 2006, 12:52 PM

I am sure Islamabad is not for every body, but I am excited about moving there for a few years, and I am looking for help in settling down there. I am sure I will have loads of fun, I just need to know where to go shop, what fun things there are to buy. Places to get together, and am using this forum to see if I can make some friends.

CrescentWarrior · Dec 9th, 2006, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saadia123

I am sure Islamabad is not for every body, but I am excited about moving there for a few years, and I am looking for help in settling down there. I am sure I will have loads of fun, I just need to know where to go shop, what fun things there are to buy. Places to get together, and am using this forum to see if I can make some friends.

You will do fine Insha'ALLAH, dont worry...

Saadia123 · Dec 9th, 2006, 01:41 PM

So where do you guys shop for every day things. Do you know of a good tailor, do they come to your house.

ikarhoon · Dec 9th, 2006, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saadia123

So where do you guys shop for every day things. Do you know of a good tailor, do they come to your house.

Islamabad is fine, its pretty much like a western sub-urb where not alot goes on, and life is pretty easy going. Each sector in islmamabad has its own shopping mall(called markaz) which have everything from food shoops(sweets shops, bakeries, book stores) to tailors. And no, most tailors do not come to your house, you have to go their shops. Alongside each "markaz" in each sector, theres also small shopping areas in youy neighborhoods.
Also, the newer sectors are generally better places to live(F-10, F-7, F-8 etc etc), but are very expensive. There are two major shopping areas in Sialamabd, Super markaz, and Jinnah Super Markaz, which have almost every type of shop imaginable (from fast food places liek subway to improted goods stores). Theres also a fairly new mall in Islmabad called "7th avenue" which is based after American mall. They have evrything from oreos, jell-o puddings/jellies, hershey choclates, US made beef jerky(basically any good you can find in an American store you can find it there) etc etc, and also several floors of genuine Nike/addidas/rebook clothings/rolex watches, shoes etc.

About clubs, there are several, way too many to name. Islamabad also has a a city park called Fatimah Jinah park in the F sector, which is a massive park which has jogging trails, biking trails, small rock climbing areas, cricket ground etc etc, also there are several other parks scatered throughout the city. Also the margall hilsl have very good hiking areas. "Trail 3" is the most famous where alot of foreign diplmats/expats come for a hike, and also surouding the margala hills areas you'll see many foreign diplomats jogging/running etc.

islamabad is also very well maintained, a CDA sanitation worker comes to the house every morning to pick up the trash, all the roads are kept very clean and are in tip-top conditions. Also Islamabad is the only city in pakistan you'll see where the drivers actually know how to drive, and drive in a very civlized orderly manner!!!

As someone said Islamabad doesnt really have much of a public nightlife, but offcourse there are tons of private afterhours parties going on everyday.

And about safety, Islamabad is as safe as it gets. Very very safe city to live in. most streets have a "chowkidor" (an armed secuirty guard) hired to patrol the streets at night. islamabas is also very green city, each sector has a green belt where no devlopment is allowed just green vegetation. You'll see tons of trees, plants and vegetaion in general everywhere which help keep the evnvironment really clean. In all ex-opats should have no trouble settling in.

Hope this helps!!

Spock · Dec 10th, 2006, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ikarhoon

Islamabad is fine, its pretty much like a western sub-urb where not alot goes on, and life is pretty easy going. Each sector in islmamabad has its own shopping mall(called markaz) which have everything from food shoops(sweets shops, bakeries, book stores) to tailors. And no, most tailors do not come to your house, you have to go their shops. Alongside each "markaz" in each sector, theres also small shopping areas in youy neighborhoods.
Also, the newer sectors are generally better places to live(F-10, F-7, F-8 etc etc), but are very expensive. There are two major shopping areas in Sialamabd, Super markaz, and Jinnah Super Markaz, which have almost every type of shop imaginable (from fast food places liek subway to improted goods stores). Theres also a fairly new mall in Islmabad called "7th avenue" which is based after American mall. They have evrything from oreos, jell-o puddings/jellies, hershey choclates, US made beef jerky(basically any good you can find in an American store you can find it there) etc etc, and also several floors of genuine Nike/addidas/rebook clothings/rolex watches, shoes etc.

About clubs, there are several, way too many to name. Islamabad also has a a city park called Fatimah Jinah park in the F sector, which is a massive park which has jogging trails, biking trails, small rock climbing areas, cricket ground etc etc, also there are several other parks scatered throughout the city. Also the margall hilsl have very good hiking areas. "Trail 3" is the most famous where alot of foreign diplmats/expats come for a hike, and also surouding the margala hills areas you'll see many foreign diplomats jogging/running etc.

islamabad is also very well maintained, a CDA sanitation worker comes to the house every morning to pick up the trash, all the roads are kept very clean and are in tip-top conditions. Also Islamabad is the only city in pakistan you'll see where the drivers actually know how to drive, and drive in a very civlized orderly manner!!!

As someone said Islamabad doesnt really have much of a public nightlife, but offcourse there are tons of private afterhours parties going on everyday.

And about safety, Islamabad is as safe as it gets. Very very safe city to live in. most streets have a "chowkidor" (an armed secuirty guard) hired to patrol the streets at night. islamabas is also very green city, each sector has a green belt where no devlopment is allowed just green vegetation. You'll see tons of trees, plants and vegetaion in general everywhere which help keep the evnvironment really clean. In all ex-opats should have no trouble settling in.

Hope this helps!!

Excellent review (i enjoyed reading it), just a couple of things I wanted to add...

You said there are two major shopping areas super and jinnah super... Well, true to some extent but there are other places which are more reasonably priced, such as covered market etc. Also, youre right about the safety in Islamabad, but if youre in the green areas with alot of trees and all, do keep a watch out for wild boards. I have seen them alot of times there and once I saw 7 of them (huge) in F-8 near hill road!

I love Islamabad! I think its the best city to live in Pakistan! I guess Im biased but its ok, since its home!

also hskhan, next time you goto isloo, lemme know, trust me, theres ALOT going on over there, you just have to know when and where...

Saadia123 · Dec 10th, 2006, 12:12 AM

Thank you so very much for excellent reviews- This together with the Real Post Report on Tales From a Small Planet should help to prepare for Islamabad.

ikarhoon · Dec 10th, 2006, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spock

but if youre in the green areas with alot of trees and all, do keep a watch out for wild boards. I have seen them alot of times there and once I saw 7 of them (huge) in F-8 near hill road!

haha, very true! Islamabad has tons of wild boars, and liek you said most of them dwell in the green belts in middle of huge wild marijuana fields!!! Islamabad also has a pretty diverse wildlife. I once saw a leopord cub which had dwelled to the roads near the bottom of margalla hills once(there are still a few leopards who still to this day live in margalla Hills) !!

Bookworm · Dec 10th, 2006, 01:59 PM

The only draw back for all cities in Pakistan is sub_standard Public transport system. One can not think of using it for daily life, even they try to avoid on maximum lenghth. Now with the service from white cab, It will be much better to call a cab at your place.

Spock · Dec 10th, 2006, 11:03 PM

I really enjoyed using the varaan in islamabad, but I believe they no longer operate now...