Flag of Pakistan


Flag of Pakistan
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Name Parcham-e-Sitāra-o-Hilāl (Flag of the Crescent and the Star)
Use National flag National flag
Proportion 2:3
Adopted August 11, 1947
Design A white star and crescent on a dark green field, with a vertical white stripe at the hoist
Designed by Amiruddin Kidwai

The National Flag of Pakistan (Urdu: پاکستان کا قومی پرچم) was adopted in its present form during a meeting of the Constituent Assembly on August 11, 1947, just three days before the country's independence, when it became the official flag of the Dominion of Pakistan.[1][2][3] It was afterwards retained by the current-day Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The flag is a green field with a white crescent moon and five-rayed star at its centre, and a vertical white stripe at the hoist side. Though the green colour is mandated only as 'dark green',[4] its official and most consistent representation is Pakistan green, which is shaded distinctively darker. The flag was designed by Amiruddin Kidwai, and is based on the All-India Muslim League flag.

The flag is referred to in the national anthem as Parcham-e-Sitāra-o-Hilāl in Persian (lit. flag of the crescent and star). It is flown on several important days of the year including Republic Day and Independence Day. A designer named Amiruddin Kidwai studied the League’s flag, as he tried to design a flag for a new, independent nation. Finally he arrived at a design, and he presented it to the men who would run the new Pakistan government. The Pakistan government adopted his design on August 11, 1947. The Pakistan government has pronounced rules about the flying of the Pakistan flag. The government has called for display of the flag at full mast on March 23 of each year. That display recognizes both the adoption of the Lahore Resolution in 1940 and the Declaration of the Republic of Pakistan in 1956. Flag raisers in Pakistan also make a point of hoisting the flag each year on the fourteenth day of August. That is considered to be Pakistan’s Independence Day. Pakistan became free of British control on August 14, 1947.

Contents

History and symbolism

Before the Second World War, Muslims and Hindus lived together under the British Raj. A number of the Muslims formed the All India Muslim League. After the Second World War, when the partition of India led to the creation of Dominion of Pakistan, the flag of the Muslim League served as the basis for the flag of Pakistan.

The green represents the majority Muslim community in Pakistan, whereas the white stripe represents religious minorities.[5] In the centre, the crescent and star symbolize progress and light respectively.[5] The flag symbolizes Pakistan's commitment to Islam, the Islamic world, and the rights of religious minorities.[6] It is based on the original flag of the Muslim League, which itself drew inspiration from the flag of the Sultanate of Delhi and the Mughal Empire in India.

Design

The official design of the national flag was adopted by the Constituent Assembly together with a definition of the features and proportions:[1]

"A dark green rectangular flag in the proportion of length and width 3:2 with a white vertical bar at the mast, the green portion bearing a white crescent in the centre and a five-pointed white heraldic star. The size of the white portion being one-fourth the size of the flag, nearest the mast, the remainder three-fourths being dark green. The dimensions of the crescent and star are obtained as follows:

"Draw the diagonal from the top right hand corner to the bottom left corner of the green portion. On this diagonal establish two points 'A' and 'B'. Point 'A' at a distance equidistant from top right and bottom left hand corners of the green portion, i.e. the centre of the' green portion. Point 'B' at a distance from the top right hand corner equal to 13/20th the width of the flag. With centre point 'A' and radius 1.1/4th the width of the flag describe a second arc. The enclosures made by these two arcs form the crescent. The dimensions of the five-pointed white heraldic star are determined by drawing a circle 1/10th the width of the flag. The circle surrounds the five points of the heraldic star. The star lies with one point on the diagonal at a point where the larger arc of the crescent, if completed, cuts the diagonal."

The Interior Ministry of Pakistan provides dimensions for flags in different circumstances:

Emran Mish Sahiwal 0300-9756047 Shah Jee From Magic Studio 0307-7158157

Flag protocals

Flag flying days

Date Position Reason[7]
March 23 Full-mast Pakistan Day: Adoption of the Lahore Resolution (1940) and declaration of the Islamic Republic (1956)
April 21 Half-mast Death Anniversary of the National Poet, Muhammad Iqbal (1938)
August 14 Full-mast Independence Day (1947)
September 11 Half-mast Death Anniversary of the Father of the Nation, Muhammad Ali Jinnah (1948)
December 25 Full-mast Birthday of Muhammad Ali Jinnah (1876)
Any other day notified by the Government

Use by public officials

The use of the national flag is regulated by the Pakistan Flag Rules, which were introduced in 2002 by Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali. The Rules are not available online but there have been instances of misuse such as officials using flags on their vehicles when they are not entitled to do so.[8][9] The national flag is flown on the official residences and vehicles (cars, boats, planes) of the following public officials:[7]

Office Flag on Official Residence Flag on Vehicles
The President of Pakistan[10] YesY YesY
The Prime Minister of Pakistan[10] YesY YesY
The Chairman of the Senate YesY YesY
The Speaker of the National Assembly YesY YesY
The Chief Justice of Pakistan YesY YesY
The Governors of the Provinces YesY YesY
Federal Ministers (and officials entitled to the privileges of Federal Ministers) YesY YesY
The Chief Ministers of the Provinces YesY YesY
The Ministers of the Provinces YesY
The Chief Election Commissioner YesY
The Deputy Chairman of the Senate YesY
The Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly YesY
The Speakers of the Provincial Assemblies YesY
The Chief Justices of the High Courts YesY
Ambassadors and High Commissioners of Pakistan YesY YesY
Commissioners of Divisions, Deputy Commissioners and Political Agents YesY

Awards and recognitions

See also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Pakistan Flag specification: Resolution Passed by Constituent Assembly". Pakistan.org. http://www.thebaluch.com/index.php. Retrieved 2007-12-11. 
  2. "Parliamentary History". National Assembly of Pakistan. http://www.na.gov.pk/history.htm. Retrieved 2007-12-11. 
  3. "Parliamentary History of Pakistan" (PDF). Parliamentary Division, Government of Pakistan. http://www.Pakistan.gov.pk/divisions/parliamentary-division/media/parhistory.pdf. Retrieved 2007-12-11. 
  4. "Government of Pakistan: Flag description". Pakistan.gov.pk. http://www.pak.gov.pk/Flag.aspx. Retrieved 2007-12-11. 
  5. 5.0 5.1 "Pakistan flag". Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of Pakistan. http://www.infopak.gov.pk/Flag.aspx. Retrieved 2007-12-11. 
  6. "Basic Facts". Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of Pakistan. http://www.infopak.gov.pk/BasicFacts.aspx. Retrieved 2007-12-11. 
  7. 7.0 7.1 "Pakistan Flag". Ministry of the Interior, Government of Pakistan. http://www.pakistan.gov.pk/divisions/ContentInfo.jsp?DivID=23&cPath=221_227&ContentID=758. Retrieved 2007-12-11. 
  8. "Secs and advisers can’t fly flags on cars, homes". Daily Times of Pakistan. 2005-10-21. http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2005%5C10%5C21%5Cstory_21-10-2005_pg7_15. Retrieved 2007-12-11. 
  9. "National flag 'not being misused'". Dawn Group of Newspapers. 2005-01-13. http://www.dawn.com/2005/01/13/nat25.htm. Retrieved 2007-12-11. 
  10. 10.0 10.1 Note:- The President and the Prime Minister may fly a personal flag in addition to the National Flag.
  11. Flag superlatives
  12. YouTube - Worlds Largest Flag

External links