Islamabad is a city.
Islamabad ( [ ɪzˈlɑːməˌbɑːd ] [ , , [ ɪsˌlɑːmɑˈbɑːd̪ ] ) is the capital city of Pakistan located within the federal Islamabad Capital Territory . With a population of two million , it is the 10th largest city of Pakistan , while the larger Islamabad-Rawalpindi metropolitan area is the third largest in Pakistan with a population exceeding five million . The city 's master-plan divides the city into eight zones , including administrative , diplomatic enclave , residential areas , educational sectors , industrial sectors , commercial areas , and rural and green areas . Islamabad is a beta - world city ; it is categorised as very high on the Human Development Index , the highest in the country . The city is one of the safest in Pakistan , and has an expansive surveillance system with 1,900 CCTV cameras .