The Serena, Islamabad's diplomatic-grade five-star hotel, runs one of the few permitted bars in the city for non-Muslim foreign passport holders. The lounge in the back of the hotel serves imported beer, wine and spirits — pricey by any standard, but the only above-board option for many visitors.
The Pakistani Liquor Permit system requires non-Muslims to register; the hotel handles the paperwork on a per-visit basis. The hotel building itself, designed by the Aga Khan Trust's Tariq Hassan in a Pakistani-Mughal style, is one of the more interesting works of contemporary architecture in the country and worth a look from the outside.