CC:
To further BOAC's point on hills near the airport ...
Islamabad pakistan - Google Maps
From this Google map of the Islamabad area (when I called it up the legend was 2 miles), you can find the airport and see the hills to the north and northwest. I used the "satellite" choice as it gives an OK presentation of terrain ...
Not sure what your criterion for hills being "near" the airport is, 8-10 miles represents a few minutes flying at approach speed if 170 knots speed is agreed as assumed speed while circling to land on RWY 12 from a RWY 30 istrument approach. (Quite a bit of discussion on the details of that earlier in the thread).
for aterpster:
One that would have been very, very useful would be ODALs for Runway 12. Ah, but that doesn't seem to be the way of this state's aviation authority.
And since it isn't, one flies the approaches that are available as best one can.
What do you think the odds are "the state" write up that it has contributed to risks in airline safety by parsimony with Navigation Aids ... as the result of its investigation?