Gentle rain ushers Islamabad into 2026

Residents mark New Year quietly, with shared stories, warm meals and heartfelt prayers

ISLAMABAD:

As a light, misty rain draped the capital on the final night of 2025, residents across Islamabad paused in homes, cafés and along quiet streets to bid farewell to a challenging year and welcome the promise of 2026.

True to its restrained character, the city marked the transition without fireworks or fanfare. Instead, it unfolded through shared stories, warm bowls of soup and whispered prayers beneath a softly murmuring sky. Islamabad seemed to slow down, creating space for reflection, quiet gratitude and renewed hope.

From the Margalla foothills to the broad avenues of G-13, the city glowed gently through rain-streaked windows. Families gathered in kitchens scented with steaming broth, mothers stirring pots patiently, fathers watching in silence, and children pressing their faces to glass, dreaming aloud. "The rain feels like it is washing away the year's weight," said Aisha Khan, a mother of three in F-7, as silver droplets traced rooftops and turned pavements into shimmering mirrors. The city's simple beauty in rain reminded many of life's fragility and resilience, and of how ordinary moments can hold extraordinary meaning.

The year 2025 tested Islamabad's resilience with delays, heartbreaks and disruptions, yet it also brought quiet victories — blooming parks, safer streets, cafés rediscovering their warmth, and jogging tracks offering early-morning solace. Neighbours who had barely exchanged words before found themselves sharing smiles and small acts of kindness that shone amid adversity.