The Indus River almost divides the country in half, spanning from the northeast to the Arabian Sea. On the eastern side of the Indus Rivers lies the Indus Plain and on the western side extends the Balochistan Highlands. I slamabad, Pakistan's capital, nestles against the Margala Hills, the foothills of the Himalayas in northern Punjab. Modern, spacious and carefully planned, Islamabad is a city of wide, tree-lined streets, large houses, elegant public buildings and well organized bazars. Traffic jams and crowds are rare, and narrow lanes and slums are few and far between.
Sidewalks are shaded and safe behind rows of flame trees, jacaranda and hibiscus.
Roses, jasmine and bouganvillaea fill the many parks, and scenic viewpoints show the city to its best advantage. T he climate in Pakistan varies from place to place. In the mountain regions, the temperature falls way below freezing during the winter months. The temperature in the Indus plains reaches 55 F in the winter and between 90 and 120 F in the summer. Most of Pakistan is arid because rainfall is scarce and mostly occurs in July and August.