Fatima Jinnah Park is a public recreational park situated within the F-9 sector of Islamabad

Islamabad

Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory , the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.7 million in 2011...

, Pakistan

Pakistan

Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...

. The park is considered one of the largest covered areas in South Asia

South Asia

South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...

. It was named after the revered "Madre Millat" (Mother of the Nation) Miss Fatima Jinnah

Fatima Jinnah

Fatima Jinnah , was one of the figurative and pioneering woman figure in Pakistan Movement and was the younger sister of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan. An active political figure in the movement for independence from the British Raj, she is commonly known in Pakistan as Khātūn-e...

, the younger sister of the founder of Pakistan. It took the builder of the park, Michael Japero, five years to come up with the design.

Present State

Its colossal acreage is covered mostly by greenery with few man-made structures dotting the landscape. With the exception of a few areas of the park that are close to residential districts, most of the park area effectively serves as a wildlife sanctuary. The park is bounded by a steel fence with entrance doors at regular intervals, though only a few are routinely open and used. A further strip of land outside of the fence is lined with a foot trail. There is a well laid network of foot paths inside the park, with neat grass and a few statues erected sparsely; perhaps Fatima Jinnah Park is to Islamabad what Central Park is to New York City. Amongst the regular attendees, one can find as many voices for arguing in favor of further developing the park as one can find for arguing against the idea. The familiar scent of air and the sight of the Shaheen (Hawk

Hawk

The term hawk can be used in several ways:* In strict usage in Australia and Africa, to mean any of the species in the subfamily Accipitrinae, which comprises the genera Accipiter, Micronisus, Melierax, Urotriorchis and Megatriorchis. The large and widespread Accipiter genus includes goshawks,...

) swooping down on its prey would all be gone once the technological advancements are brought in. Bird-watching in the park is like watching a wild life documentary in live.

Public Appeal

Most of the denizens of Islamabad (especially those in the surrounding areas) consider Fatima Jinnah Park as a healthy way to indulge themselves in a brisk 'walk' routine early morning after dawn or in the evening before dusk when the weather is pleasant. While sports activity is also common in some parts. Other ways in which the park is used includes driving lessons for learners; although the roads inside aren't managed properly for smooth driving (due to the lack of attendance) they still prove enough to teach young drivers how to negotiate a few tight turns.

Fatima Jinnah Park is constructed in small clusters at the moment; some parts are well developed and a favorite among people while others are hardly ever tread upon. One of such areas is the ""Megazone"" complex. It is a well built area which has a lot to offer to its customers. The sports area comprises a standard length swimming pool

Swimming pool

A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...

, table tennis

Table tennis

Table tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net...

 tables and snooker. While the more contemporary activities include bowling bowl, arcade games, laser tag and other small games. There is a take away and dining area as well. And lastly there is an assortment of different shops on clothes, DVDs and other accessories.

More recently, a McDonalds fast-food restaurant as well as other clubs including Aeromodelling Club operating inside F-9 Park had been ordered by Supreme Court of Pakistan to close down .Yet, as of March 2011 , McDonalds has reopened.

Future Plans

The Capital Development Authority

Capital Development Authority

Capital Development Authority , is a public benefit corporation responsible for providing municipal services in the Islamabad city , established on June 14, 1960, first by an executive order issued on June 24, 1960 entitled the Pakistan Capital Regulation, to be superseded by the CDA ordinance...

(CDA) which is in charge of the mega project has grand plans for the "sleeping heart" of Islamabad. And more so now that the general public of Islamabad has started taking keen interest in recreational themes. The proposed new outlook of the park will include a mix variety of lakes, rock gardens, aquariums and fountains.