I've been to Islamabad in 2006 or 2007. Went there on leave from Kabul. Was able to attend an Easter service at a Protestant church. The British influence was strong. Weekends were Sat/Sun unlike Afghanistan which is Fri/Sat. Driving was on the left, unlike the right in Afghanistan. And there wasn't the Afghanistan 30-minute time zone issue.
At the time I felt safe enough to do a 5-mile walk, although a hotel I was visited subsequently was bombed (as was my hotel in Kabul).