Since its foundation in the 1960s, Pakistan's capital Islamabad has always been a well-planned city, with separate zones for administration, educational and commercial institutions and residential areas –unlike most major cities in the Indian sub-continent.

The infrastructure in Islamabad had always been top-notch and has been further spruced up over time, and from the looks of it, the city's residents have also adopted new traditions with the changing of times.

While visiting tourist hubs like Shah Faisal Mosque and Pakistan Monument, and while roaming around the city's amusement parks, malls and cineplexes, this reporter saw many families out and about, enjoying themselves.

Similar scenes could be seen in restaurants as well, with people queuing up in front of top-billed eateries like TKR and Dome and also visiting the lesser-known restaurants to gorge on the many scrumptious traditional food items such as kebabs, halim, kabuli pulao, biryani, dum pukht and nihari.

To Sayeed Khan, a Pakistani businessman who lives in Brunei and has come to Islamabad to meet his family, seeing families and especially women in public spaces signified a significant social change.

"Earlier, people used to eat at home but now it is completely different. They like to eat outside with family and friends. Women didn't use to eat outside and it was considered a bad gesture. But now they are going out with family and friends," Sayeed said.

Tarek Mahmud, a Bangladeshi sports journalist from Prothom Alo who last visited the city during the Islamabad SAFF Games in 2004, feels the city has adopted modernity without spoiling its beauty.

"I saw some skyscrapers, nice shopping malls and branded shops this time which is new compared to my last visit here in 2004… They have made changes without spoiling the beauty of the city. The roads are very clean. The transportation is also excellent," said Mahmud.

Amidst all the changes, one thing that has remained the same in Islamabad is its hospitality.

The people of Pakistan are known for their friendly nature and hospitality towards guests and from the experiences of this reporter who is visiting this part of the world for the first time to cover the ICC Champions Trophy, this reputation is more than justified.

From taxi drivers to hotel receptionists, salesmen in shops to the wait staff in restaurants, people in Islamabad are welcoming and are always willing to go the extra mile to help their guests.

The level of security in the city is palpable as the local law enforcement agencies have left no stone unturned to ensure there are no hitches.

These extra measures are not at all unwarranted, proved by the suicide bombing that took five lives yesterday in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, a northwestern region of the country.

So far, there have not been any such incidents in the cities where the tournament is taking place and even though the locals are heartbroken by Pakistan's early exit, they have opened their hearts to make this a delightful experience for every guest who has made the trip for the tournament.