Pakistan

Pakistan (ⁱ/ˈpækɨstæn/ or ⁱ/pɑːkiˈstɑːn/; Urdu: پاکستان) (Urdu pronunciation: [paːkɪˈst̪aːn] ( listen)), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan (Urdu: اسلامی جمہوریۂ پاکستان) is a sovereign country in South Asia. It has a 1,046-kilometre (650 mi) coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by India in the east; Afghanistan and Iran in the west; and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan lies adjacent to Pakistan but is separated by the narrow Wakhan Corridor. In addition, Oman is also located in maritime vicinity and shares a marine border with Pakistan.Strategically, Pakistan is situated at the crossroads of the important regions of South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East.

The region forming modern Pakistan was the site of several ancient cultures including the neolithic Mehrgarh and the bronze era Indus Valley Civilisation. Subsequently it was the recipient of Hindu, Persian, Indo-Greek, Islamic, Turco-Mongol, Afghan and Sikh cultures through several invasions and/or settlements. As a result, the area has remained a part of numerous empires and dynasties including the Indian empires, Persian empires, Arab caliphates, Mongol, Mughal, Durrani Empire, Sikh and British Empire. Pakistan gained independence from the British Empire in 1947, after a struggle for independence led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah that sought the partition of British India and the establishment of a new independent state for the Muslim majority populations of the eastern and western regions of India. Initially a dominion, with the adoption of its constitution in 1956 Pakistan became an Islamic republic.^[8] In 1971, an armed conflict in East Pakistan resulted in the creation of Bangladesh.

Pakistan is a federal parliamentary republic consisting of four provinces and four federal territories. With a population exceeding 170 million people, it is the sixth most populous country in the world and has the second largest Muslim population after Indonesia. It is an ethnically and linguistically diverse country, with a similar variation in its geography and wildlife. Its semi-industrialized economy is the 27th largest in the world in terms of purchasing power. Since gaining independence, Pakistan's history has been characterised by periods of military rule, political instability and conflicts with neighbouring India. The country continues to face some challenging problems including terrorism, poverty, illiteracy and corruption.

A middle and regional power,^[9][10] Pakistan has the seventh largest standing armed forces in the world and is a recognised nuclear weapons state, being the first and only nation to have that status in the Muslim world, and the second in South Asia.^[11] It is designated as a major non-NATO ally of the United States and a strategic ally of China.^[12][13] Pakistan is a founding member of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (now the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) and is a member of the United Nations, Commonwealth of Nations and the G20 developing nations.

Etymology

The name Pakistan means Land of (the) Pure in Urdu and Persian. It was coined in 1933 as Pakstan by Choudhary Rahmat Ali, a Pakistan Movement activist, who published it in his pamphlet Now or Never.^[14] The name is also an acronym representing the "thirty million Muslim brethren who live in PAKSTAN—by which we mean the five Northern units of India viz: Punjab, North-West Frontier Province (Afghan Province), Kashmir, Sind, and Baluchistan".^[15][16][17] The letter 'i' became the defacto addition to ease pronunciation and form the linguistically correct name.^[18]

History

Early and medieval period

Some of the earliest ancient human civilisations in South Asia originated from areas encompassing present-day Pakistan. The earliest known inhabitants in the region were the Soanians who settled in the Soan Valley of Punjab.^[19] The Indus region, which covers most of Pakistan, was the site of several successive ancient cultures including the Neolithic era's Mehrgarh (7000-3200 BC)^[20] and the bronze era Indus Valley Civilisation (2800–1800 BCE) at Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro.^[21][22]

The Vedic Civilization (1500–500) characterized by Indo-Aryan culture laid the foundations of Hinduism, which would become well established in the region.^[23][24] Multan was considered an important Hindu pilgrimage centre.^[25] The Vedic civilization flourished in the ancient Gandhāran city of Takṣaśilā, now Taxila in Punjab.^[26]

Successive ancient empires and kingdoms ruled the region: the Achaemenid Persian empire around 519 BCE, the Greek empire founded by Alexander the Great in 327 BCE and the Mauryan empire founded by Chandragupta Maurya and extended by Ashoka the Great, until 185 BCE.^[26] The Indo-Greek Kingdom founded by Demetrius of Bactria included Gandhara and Punjab from 184 BCE, and reached its greatest extent under Menander, establishing the Greco-Buddhist period with advances in trade and culture. The city of Taxila became a major centre of learning in ancient times—the remains of the city, located to the west of Islamabad, are one of the country's major archaeological sites.^[27] Taxila is considered to be amongst the earliest universities and centers of higher education in the world.^{[28][29][30][31][32]}

The Medieval period (642–1219) is defined by the spread of Islam in the region. During this period, Sufi missionaries played a pivotal role in converting a majority of the regional Buddhist and Hindu population to Islam.^[33] The Rai Dynasty (c.489–632) of Sindh, at its zenith, ruled this region and the surrounding territories.^[34]

In 711 CE, the Arab general Muhammad bin Qasim conquered Sindh and Multan in southern Punjab.^[35] This Arab and Islamic victory would set the stage for the rule of several successive Muslim empires in the region, including the Ghaznavid Empire (975 -1187), the Ghorid Kingdom and the Delhi Sultanate (1206–1526). The last of Dehli Sultanate, Lodi dynasty was replaced by the Mughal Empire (1526–1857). The Mughals transferred Persian literature and high culture, establishing the roots of Indo-Persian culture in the region.^[36]

The Pakistan government's official chronology has stated Muhammad bin Qasim's conquest of the region as the point where the "foundation" of Pakistan was laid.^[35]

Colonial period

The gradual decline of the Mughal Empire in the early eighteenth century provided opportunities for the Afghans, Balochis and Sikhs to exercise control over large areas until the British East India Company gained ascendancy over South Asia.^[37] The Indian Rebellion of 1857, also known as the Sepoy Mutiny, was the region's last major armed struggle against the British Raj, and it laid the foundations for the largely non-violent freedom struggle led by the Indian National Congress in the twentieth century. In the 1920s and 1930s, a movement led by Congress leader Mahatma Gandhi engaged millions of protesters in mass campaigns of civil disobedience.^[38]

The All India Muslim League rose to popularity in the late 1930s amid fears of under-representation and neglect of Muslims in politics. On 29 December 1930, Allama Iqbal's presidential address called for an autonomous "state in northwestern India for Indian Muslims, within the body politic of India."^[39] Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, espoused the Two Nation Theory and led the Muslim League to adopt the Lahore Resolution of 1940, popularly known as the Pakistan Resolution.^[37] In early 1947, Britain announced the decision to end its rule in India. In June 1947, the nationalist leaders of British India—including Jawaharlal Nehru and Abul Kalam Azad on behalf of the Congress, Jinnah representing the Muslim League, and Master Tara Singh representing the Sikhs—agreed to the proposed terms of transfer of power and independence.^[40][41]

The modern state of Pakistan was established on 14 August 1947 (27 Ramadan 1366 in the Islamic Calendar), carved out of the two Muslim-majority wings in the eastern and northwestern regions of British India and comprising the provinces of Balochistan, East Bengal, the North-West Frontier Province, West Punjab and Sindh.^[37][40] Partition of the Punjab and Bengal provinces caused communal riots across India and Pakistan—millions of Muslims moved to Pakistan and millions of Hindus and Sikhs moved to India.^[42] Dispute over the princely state, Jammu and Kashmir, lead to the First Kashmir War in 1948.^[43]

Modern era

From 1947 to 1956, Pakistan was a dominion in the Commonwealth of Nations.^[44] It became a Parliamentary republic in 1956, but the civilian rule was stalled by a coup d’état by then-Army Commander-in-Chief General Ayub Khan, who was the first Chief Martial Law Administrator and also the President during 1958–69. The country experienced exceptional growth until a second war with India in 1965, which led to economic downfall and internal instability.^[45][46] Ayub Khan's successor, General Yahya Khan (1969–71), also an Army Commander, had to deal with a devastating cyclone—which caused 500,000 deaths in East Pakistan—and also face a bitter civil war in 1971. Economic grievances and political dissent in East Pakistan led to violent political tension and military repression that escalated into a civil war.^[47] After nine months of guerrilla warfare between the Pakistan Armed Forces and the Indian backed Bengali Mukti Bahini militia, Indian intervention escalated into the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, and ultimately to the secession of East Pakistan as the independent state of Bangladesh.^[37]

General Yahya Khan surrendered his executive powers to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who became the first and to-date the only civilian Chief Martial Law Administrator. Civilian rule resumed in Pakistan from 1972 to 1977.^[48] This period is known for Bhutto's orchestration and authorization of the scientific research on nuclear weapons. In 1972, the country's first atomic power plant was inaugurated and the integrated nuclear weapons development was authorized.^[49][50] A serious liberation movement took place in Balochistan Province in 1974. In response, an armed operation was carried out in the province and the rebellion was successfully quelled in 1978 under General Zia-ul-Haq.^[51] Bhutto was removed in a coup d'état led by Zia-ul-Haq in 1977 and executed in 1979 for authorizing the murder of a political opponent.^[52]

In 1979, General Zia-ul-Haq became the third military president and fourth Chief Martial Law Administrator. Military government lasted until 1988, during which Pakistan's economy became one of the fastest growing economies in South Asia.^[53] Zia's tenure saw the consolidation of nuclear development and the state's Islamization.^[54] This period is most remembered for his foreign policy; the subsidizing of the Mujahideen movement during the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, which led to the Soviet-Russian withdrawal from Afghanistan.^[55]

With the death of President Zia in a plane crash in 1988, Benazir Bhutto, daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, was elected as the first female Prime Minister of Pakistan. She was followed by Nawaz Sharif and over the next decade the two leaders continuously fought for power and alternated as the country's situation worsened; the economic indicators fell sharply in contrast to the 80s. This period is marked with political instability, widespread misgovernance and corruption.^[56][57] During Sharif's government in May 1998, India tested five nuclear weapons and tension with India heightened to an extreme, resulting in Pakistan's detonation of six nuclear weapons of its own (see Chagai-I and Chagai-II) half a month later. Military tension in the Kargil with India was followed by Kargil War, after which General Pervez Musharraf took over through a Bloodless coup d'état and assumed vast executive powers.^[58][59]

Twenty first century

General Musharraf ruled Pakistan as head of state from 1999–2001 and as President from 2001-08. During Musharraf’s government, the economy experienced tremendous growth; and the country became the top reformer in South Asia.^[60] On 15 November 2007, Pakistan's National Assembly completed tenure for the first time in its history and new elections were called.^[61] In the 2008 elections, Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) won the largest number of seats and its member Yousaf Raza Gillani was sworn in as Prime Minister.^[62] Musharraf resigned from the presidency when threatened with impeachment on 18 August 2008, and was succeeded by current president; Asif Ali Zardari.^[63][64][65] From 2001 onwards Pakistan has became a major ally to US in the war against terrorism. The US increased military aid for Pakistan providing $4 billion more in three years after the 9/11 attacks than before.^[66] Pakistan suffered direct and indirect losses up to $67.93 billion,^[67][68] thousands of casualties and faces nearly 3 million displaced civilians due to its role of a frontline nation in this war.^[69]

Politics

Pakistan is a democratic parliamentary federal republic with Islam as the state religion. The first Constitution of Pakistan was adopted in 1956, but was suspended in 1958 by General Ayub Khan. The Constitution of 1973 – suspended in 1977, by Zia-ul-Haq, but re-instated in 1985  – is the country's most important document, laying the foundations of the current government.^[70]

The bicameral legislature comprises a 100-member Senate and a 342-member National Assembly. The President is the Head of state and the Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces and is elected by an electoral college. The prime minister is usually the leader of the largest party in the National Assembly. Each province has a similar system of government with a directly elected Provincial Assembly in which the leader of the largest party or alliance becomes Chief Minister. Provincial governors are appointed by the President.^[70]

The Pakistani military establishment has played an influential role in mainstream politics throughout Pakistan's political history, with military presidents ruling from 1958–1971, 1977–1988 and 1999–2008.^[71]

The focus of Pakistan foreign policy is security against internal and external threats to national identity. Cultivation of close and brotherly relations with the Muslim states is another area of interest.^[72] Pakistan takes an independent stance when it comes to development of nuclear weapons and foreign military purchases. It highlights sovereign equality of states, mutuality of interest and non interference in each others affairs as main features of foreign policy.^[72][73] The country is an active member of the United Nations (UN) and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the latter of which Pakistan has used as a forum for Enlightened Moderation, a plan to promote a renaissance and enlightenment in the Muslim world.^[74][75][76] Pakistan is also a member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO),^[77][78] Commonwealth of Nations.^[79] and G20 developing nations.^[80]

Pakistan maintains good relations with all the Arab and most other Muslim countries under the banner of OIC. After Sino-Indian War in 1962 Pakistan's closest strategic, military and economic ally is China.^[13][81][82] Pakistan and India continue to share a rivalry. The relation between the two countries are wrought with mutual distrust. The Kashmir conflict remains the major point of rift; the two Nations having fought three wars over the territory.^[83] Pakistan has had mixed relations with the United States; in the early 1950s, Pakistan was the United States' "most allied ally in Asia",^[84] a member of both the Central Treaty Organisation (CENTO) and the Southeast Asia Treaty Organisation (SEATO).^[72] During the Soviet-Afghan War in the 1980s, Pakistan was a major U.S. ally; but relations soured in the 1990s, when sanctions were imposed by the U.S. over Pakistan's refusal to abandon its nuclear activities.^[85][72] The American War on Terrorism, as an aftermath of 11 September 2001 attacks in New York, led to an improvement in US–Pakistan ties, especially after Pakistan ended its support of the Taliban regime in Kabul.^[86]

Administrative divisions

Pakistan is a federation of four provinces; Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (formerly the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP)) and Balochistan, as well as a capital territory and a group of federally administered tribal areas including the Frontier Regions. The government of Pakistan exercises de facto jurisdiction over the western parts of the disputed Kashmir region, organised as separate political entities; Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan (formerly Northern Areas). The latter has been given a province-like status for self government by the Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Self-Governance Order, 2009.^[87]

The local government has a three-tier system of districts, tehsils and union councils with an elected body at each tier.^[88] There are 113 districts in Pakistan-proper, each with several tehsils and union councils. The tribal areas comprise seven tribal agencies and six small frontier regions^[89] detached from neighbouring districts while Azad Kashmir comprises ten^[90] and Gilgit-Baltistan seven districts respectively.^[91]

Law enforcement in Pakistan is carried out by federal and provincial police agencies. The four provinces and the Islamabad Capital Territory each have a civilian police force with jurisdiction limited to the relevant province or territory. At the federal level, there are a number of civilian agencies with nationwide jurisdictions; including the Federal Investigation Agency, the National Highways and Motorway Police, and several paramilitary forces including the Pakistan Rangers and the Frontier Corps.^[92]

The court system of Pakistan is distributed per hierarchy; Supreme Court is the apex court followed by, High Court, Federal Shariat Court (one in each province and in federal capital), District Courts (one in each district), Judicial Magistrate Courts (in every town and city), Executive Magistrate Courts and Courts of Civil Judge. Pakistan's penal code has limited jurisdiction in tribal areas, where law is largely derived from tribal customs.^[92][93]

Military

The armed forces of Pakistan are the seventh-largest in the world in terms of active forces.^[94] The three main services are the Army, Navy and the Air Force, supported by a number of paramilitary forces which carry out internal security roles and border patrols.^[95] The National Command Authority is responsible for exercising employment, development control of all strategic nuclear organisations and for Pakistan's nuclear doctrine. Pakistani defence forces has had close military relation with China and United States and predominantly imports military equipments from these two countries.^[96] The defence forces of China and Pakistan also organise joint military exercises.^[97][98]

The Pakistan Army came into existence after independence in 1947 and is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani.^[99] The Pakistani military establishment has frequently been involved in the politics of Pakistan since its inception.^[71] It has an active force of about 612,000 personnel and 513,000 men in reserve.^[98] Conscription may be introduced in times of emergency, but it has never been imposed.^[100]

Since independence, the Army has been involved in four wars with neighbouring India. The Pakistan military first saw combat in the First Kashmir War, gaining control of what is now Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. Pakistan and India were at war again in 1965 and in 1971.^[101] In 1999, Pakistan was involved in the Kargil War.^[58] The army has also been engaged in several skirmishes with Afghanistan on the western border; in 1961, it repelled a major Afghan incursion.^[102] In 1970s, the military quelled a Baloch nationalist uprising.^[51] It maintained divisions and brigade strength presences in some of the Arab countries particularly during the past Arab–Israeli Wars. In 1991 Pakistan got involved with the Gulf War and sent 5,000 troops as part of a U.S.-led coalition, specifically for the defence of Saudi Arabia.^[103] Apart from conflicts, the Army has been an active participant in United Nations peacekeeping missions and played a major role in rescuing trapped American soldiers from Mogadishu, Somalia in 1993 in Operation Gothic Serpent.^{[104][105][106]} Pakistani armed forces are the second largest contributors to UN peacekeeping missions.^[107]

In the past, Pakistani personnel have volunteered to serve alongside Arab forces in their conflict with Israel. During the Six-Day War in 1967 and Yom Kippur War in October 1973 PAF pilots volunteered to go to the Middle East to support Egypt and Syria in a state of war against Israel; Air Force pilots shot down ten Israeli planes in the Six-Day War.^[104] During the Yom Kippur War 16 PAF pilots volunteered to leave for the Middle East in order to support Egypt and Syria but by the time they arrived Egypt had already agreed on a cease-fire.^[104] In 1979, some Pakistani SSG commandos were also rushed to help assist Saudi forces in Makkah on the Saudi government's request to lead the operation of the Grand Mosque Seizure. During the Soviet–Afghan war, Pakistan shot down several intruding pro-Soviet Afghan aircraft and provided covert support to the Afghan mujahideen through the Inter-Services Intelligence agency.^[108]

From 2001, Pakistan Armed Forces have been engaged in a war in North-West Pakistan against terrorist organizations.^[109][110] The major operations undertaken by the Army include Operation Black Thunderstorm and Operation Rah-e-Nijat.^[111][112]

Kashmir conflict

The Kashmir conflict is a territorial dispute between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir region, the northwestern most region of South Asia. The two countries have fought at least three wars over Kashmir, including the Indo-Pakistani Wars of 1947, 1965 and 1999, as well as several skirmishes over the Siachen Glacier.^[83] India claims the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir and administers approximately 45.1% of the region, including most of Jammu, the Kashmir Valley, Ladakh, and the Siachen Glacier. India's claim is contested by Pakistan, which controls approximately 38.2% of Kashmir, namely Azad Kashmir and the northern areas of Gilgit and Baltistan. China controls 16.7% of Kashmir, including Aksai Chin, which it occupied following the brief Sino-Indian War of 1962, and the Trans-Karakoram Tract (also known as the Shaksam Valley), which was ceded by Pakistan in 1963.^[83][113]

The conflict of Kashmir has its origin in 1947 when British India was separated into states of Pakistan and India. Pakistan claimed Kashmir on the basis of Muslim majority and geography, the same principles that were applied for the creation of two independent states; while India occupied the land on the foundation of Instrument of Accession which was signed by then rural of Kashmir, Maharaja Hari Singh, agreeing to accede the area to India. Considering Kashmir an unfinished agenda of partition and obligation towards Muslims in Kashmir, Pakistan's position is that the people of Jammu and Kashmir have the right to determine their future through impartial elections under the supervision of United Nations.^[114] India claims Kashmir as an integral part of the country, though the Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh, stated after the 2010 Kashmir Unrest that his government is willing to grant autonomy within the purview of Indian constitution to Kashmir if there is consensus on this issue.^[115] China states that Aksai Chin is a part of China and does not recognize the addition of Aksai Chin to the Kashmir region. Certain Kashmiri independence groups believe that Kashmir should be independent of both India and Pakistan.^[83]

Geography and climate

Pakistan covers an area of 796,095 km² (307,374 sq mi), approximately equalling the combined land areas of France and the United Kingdom. It is the 36th largest nation by total area, although this ranking varies depending on how the disputed territory of Kashmir is counted. Apart from the 1,046 km (650 mi) coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south,^[116] Pakistan's land borders a total of 6,774 km (4,209 mi)—2,430 km (1,510 mi) with Afghanistan, 523 km (325 mi) with China, 2,912 km (1,809 mi) with India and 909 km (565 mi) with Iran.^[70] Pakistan shares a marine border with Oman,^[117] and is separated from Tajikistan by the frigid, narrow Wakhan Corridor.^[118] Located at the crossroads of South Asia, Middle East and Central Asia, Pakistan has an important geopolitical position in the world.^[119]

Geologically, Pakistan overlaps with the Indian tectonic plate in its Sindh and Punjab provinces, while Balochistan and most of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa lie within the Eurasian plate which mainly comprises the Iranian plateau. Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir lie mainly in Central Asia along the edge of the Indian plate and are hence prone to violent earthquakes. Pakistan's geography is a mix of landscape plains to deserts, forests, hills and plateaus ranging from the coastal areas of the south to the glaciated mountains of the north.^[120]

Pakistan is divided into three major geographic areas: the northern highlands; the Indus River plain; and the Balochistan Plateau.^[121] The northern highlands of Pakistan contain the Karakoram, Hindu Kush and Pamir mountain ranges, which incorporate some of the world's highest peaks including five out of fourteen mountain peaks of height over 8,000 metres (26,250 ft), that attract adventurers and mountaineers from all over the world. These notably include K2 (8,611 m or 28,251 ft) and Nanga Parbat (8,126 m or 26,660 ft).^[122] The Balochistan Plateau lies to the West, and the Thar Desert in the East. An expanse of alluvial plains lies in Punjab and Sindh along the Indus river. The 1,609 km (1,000 mi) Indus River and its tributaries flow through the country from the Kashmir region to the Arabian Sea.^[123]

Pakistan's climate varies from tropical to temperate with arid conditions existing in the coastal south, characterised by a monsoon season with frequent flooding rainfall and a dry season with significantly lesser to no rainfall. There are four distinct seasons; a cool, dry winter from December through February; a hot, dry spring from March through May; the summer rainy season or southwest monsoon period, from June through September; and the retreating monsoon period of October and November.^[37] Rainfall can vary radically from year to year, and successive patterns of flooding and drought are common.^[124]

Flora and fauna

The diversity of landscapes and climates in Pakistan allows for a wide variety of trees and plants to flourish in this region. The forests range from coniferous alpine and subalpine trees such as spruce, pine, and deodar cedar in the extreme northern mountains, to deciduous trees such as the mulberry-type Shisham in the Sulaiman range in the majority of the country, to palms such coconut and date in South Punjab and Balochistan and all of Sindh. The western hills are home to juniper and tamarisk as well as coarse grasses and scrub plants. Mangrove forests form much of the coastal wetlands along the coast in the south.^[126]

Coniferous forests in most of the northern and north-western highlands are found at altitudes ranging from 1,000m to 4,000m. In the xeric regions of Balochistan, date palms and ephedra are common floral varieties. In most of Punjab and Sindh, the Indus plains support tropical and subtropical dry and moist broadleaf forestry as well as tropical and xeric shrublands. These forests are mostly mulberry, acacia, and Eucalyptus.^[127] According to statistics, 2.5% or about 1,902,000 hectares (19,020 km²) of Pakistan was forested in 2000.^[128]

Similar to the vegetation, the animal life in Pakistan reflects the varied climatic regions of the land. The southern plains are home to crocodiles in the Indus while boars, deer, porcupines, and small rodents are found more commonly in the surrounding areas. The sandy scrublands of central Pakistan are home to a jackals, hyenas, wild cats, panthers, and leopards.^[129][130]

In the north, a wide variety of animals have found home in the mountainous regions including the Marco Polo sheep, Urial sheep, Markhor and Ibex goats, black and brown Himalayan bears, and the rare Snow Leopard and Asiatic cheetahs.^{[129][131][130][132]} Another rare species is the blind Indus River Dolphin of which there are believed to be about 1,100 remaining, protected at the Indus River Dolphin Reserve in Sindh.^[130]

Apart from crows, sparrows and myna, hawks, falcons, and eagles are the more commonly found birds in Pakistan. A lot of birds sighted within Pakistan are migratory as they make their way from Europe, Central Asia and India.^[133]

In recent years, the number of wild animals being killed for fur and leather trading led to a new law banning the hunting of wild animals and birds as well as the establishment of several wildlife sanctuaries and game reserves. The number of hunters have greatly dwindled since then.^[134]

Vast sections of the Indus flood plains have been cleared of natural vegetation to grow crops. Only animals like the jackal, mongoose, jungle cat, civet cat, scaly anteater, desert cat and the wild hare occur in these areas. Hog deer are found in riveine tracts. The crop residues and wild growth support reasonable populations of black and grey partridges.^[135]

The lack of vegetative cover, severity of climatic conditions, and the impact of grazing animals on the deserts have left wild animals in a precarious position. Chinkara is the only animal that can still be found in significant numbers in Cholistan.^[136] The blackbuck, once plentiful in Cholistan, has now been eliminated; efforts are being made to reintroduce them into the country. A small number of blue bulls are found along the Pakistan-Indian border, and in some parts of Cholistan. Grey partridge, species of sand grouse and the Indian courser are the main birds of the area. Peafowl occur in some areas in Cholistan.^[137] The Kohistan region of Pakistan, Palas Velley, also has a significant population of Western Tragopan.^[138]

Infrastructure

Economy

Pakistan is a rapidly developing country.^{[139][140][141]} Pakistan has been listed among Next Eleven, the eleven countries that along with the BRICS have a high potential of becoming the world's largest economies in the 21st century.^[142] The economy is semi-industrialized, with the growth poles situated along the Indus River.^{[143][144][145]} Diversified economies of Karachi and Punjab's urban centres coexist with lesser developed areas in other parts of the country.^[144] Pakistan's estimated gross domestic product (nominal) as of 2011 is US$ 202 billion. The estimated nominal per capita GDP is US$ 1,197, per capita GDP PPP US$ 2,851 (international dollars) and debt-to-GDP ratio is 55.5%.^[146][147] Pakistan is the 27th largest in the world in terms of PPP and the 45th largest in nominal terms.^[145] The economy of Pakistan is South Asia's second largest economy; representing about 15 percent of regional GDP.^[148][149]

Pakistan economic growth since its inception has been varied. Growth has been slow during the civilian rules; while three long periods of military rule have seen remarkable recovery.^[46] Despite being a very poor country in 1947, the growth rate has been better than the global average during the subsequent four decades, but slowed in the late 1990s.^[150] The early to middle 2000s was a period of rapid reform; the government raised development spending which reduced the poverty levels by 10% and increased GDP by 3%.^[70][151] The economy has slowed down again since 2007.^[70] In 2008, inflation reached as high as 25%^[152] and Pakistan had to depend on a aggressive fiscal policy backed by the International Monetary Fund to avoid possible bankruptcy.^[153][154] A year later, Asian Development Bank reported that the Pakistan economic crisis was easing.^[155] The inflation rate for the fiscal year 2010-11 was 14.1%.^[156]

Pakistan boasts as one of the largest producers of natural commodities and has the 10th largest labour market in the world. In 2009 the flow of workers to abroad was 600,000. There are approx. 7 million Pakitanis living abroad, remitting close to US$8 billion annually. These remittances are the second largest source of foreign exchange after exports.^[157] According to the World Trade Organization Pakistan's share in overall world exports is declining; with the country only contributing 0.128% in 2007.^[158] The trade deficit in the fiscal year 2010/11 was US$11.217 billion.^[159]

The structure of the Pakistani economy has changed from a mainly agricultural base to a strong service base. Agriculture now only accounts for 21.2% of the GDP, while the service and Industry accounts for 52.4% and 26.4% of the GDP respectively.^[160] In the last few years, significant foreign investment has been made in several areas including telecommunications, real estate and energy.^[161][162] Other important industries include apparel and textiles (accounting for nearly 60% of exports), food processing, chemicals manufacture, and the iron and steel industries.^[163] Tourism is also noted for its potential and Pakistan has been stated as the tourism industry's "next big thing".^[164]

Transport

The transport infrastructure accounts for 10.5% of Pakistan's GDP. The sector is still in development phase and has been given significant focus in the last two decades for improvement and modernization. The road infrastructure is better than India and China but rail and air system lags behind the main countries of the region. The inland water transportation system is in its infancy and coastal shipping only serves for minor internal transport.^{[165][166][167]}

Road system is the backbone of Pakistan's transport system; total road length of 259,618 km accounts for 91% of passenger and 96% of freight traffic. The transport services are largely in private sector, which handles around 95% of freight traffic. The National Highway Authority is responsible for the maintenance of national highways and motorways. Pakistan's highway and motorway system mainly depends on north-south links, connecting the southern ports to the populous provinces of Punjab and NWFP. Although this network only accounts for 4.2% of total road length, it carries 85 percent of the country's traffic. Over the past ten years, road traffic has grown faster than the national economy.^[165][166]

Pakistan Railways, under the Ministry of Railways, operates the railroad system. Railway was the primary mode of transport till 1970. Over the past two decades, there has been a marked shift in traffic from rail to highways, a trend that the government hopes to stabilize and reverse. Now railway's share of inland traffic is only 10% for passengers and 4% for freight traffic. The total rail track has decreased from 8,775 km to 7,791 km.^[166][168] Pakistan has been successful in foreign trade by rail and has traded with countries such as Turkey and China.^[169][170]

Pakistan has an estimated 35 airports. The state-run, Pakistan International Airlines is the major airline and carries about 73% of domestic passengers and all domestic freight. Jinnah International Airport of Karachi is the principal international gateway to Pakistan, although Islamabad and Lahore also handle significant amount of traffic. Pakistan's major ports are Karachi, Muhammad bin Qasim and Gwader which is in development.^[168][166]

Science and technology

Research and development forms an integral part in Pakistan's economy.^[172] For the most of the 20th century, Scientific efforts were at the rising level in Pakistan, that brought international recognition in its achievements, and became a major component of Pakistan's foreign policy.^[172] Pakistan is the home of Professor Abdus Salam— Pakistan's only Nobel laureate in Physics, and pioneer of the electroweak theory for which he received such honor.^[173] In modern time, the work of Pervez Hoodbhoy, Ishfaq Ahmad, and Riazudding played a crucial development in particle and theoretical physics. Pakistan also produced the world class mathematicians such as Asghar Qadir and Raziuddin Siddiqui where their research played a crucial advancement in mathematical physics. Munir Ahmad Rashid became the first Pakistani mathematician to provide the another theoretical proof of Fermat's Last Theorem in 2008.^[174] Salimuzzaman Siddiqui was the first Pakistani scientist to bring the anthelmintic, antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral constituents of the Neem tree to the attention of natural products chemists. He was preceded by Atta ur Rahman, UNESCO laureate, and Naveed Zaidi, organic chemist being the first scientist to developed first workable plastic magnet at room temperature. Each and every year, scientists from all over the world are invited by the Pakistan Academy of Sciences and the Pakistan Government to participate in International Nathiagali Summer College on Physics, one of the largest seminar in Physics and Mathematics.^[175]

Medical scientists from Pakistan also pioneered in neuroscience. Ayub Ommaya, the inventor of the Ommaya reservoir, was one of the leading scientist in the field of Neurosciences.^[178] Another medical scientist, Naweed Syed became the first scientist who managed to "connect brain cells to a silicon chip".^[179] Pakistan has produced prolific technologist such as Umar Saif, a pioneer in ICTD technology and Munir A. Khan, a leading figure in nuclear power technology.^[180] Pakistan has an active space program, headed by its premier space research agency SUPARCO. Polish-Pakistani Aerospace engineer W. J. M. Turowicz developed and supervised the launch of the Rehbar-I rocket from Pakistani soil, making Pakistan the first South Asian country to launch a rocket in space.^[181] In 1990, Pakistan launched its first and ingenious satellite, Badr-I from China, becoming first Muslim country and second South Asian country to have put the satellite in space.^[182] In 1972, with the opening inauguration of country's commercial nuclear power plant in Karachi, Pakistan became first nuclear power in the Islamic world, and second emerging nuclear power in South Asia, while her neighbor India became the first.^[11] In 1998, due to amid domestic and international pressure, Pakistan became first Muslim majority and seventh country in the world to successfully develop and test nuclear weapons.^[183] Pakistan's scientists have played an influential role in advancing the economical sciences such as Akhtar Hameed Khan, pioneer of microcredit and microfinance initiatives in developing world; Mahbub-ul-Haq, creator of the Human development theory and the founder of the Human Development Report; and Agha Hasan Abedi, founder of the BCCI.^[184] Pakistan is also of a handful of countries which has an active research presence in Antarctica, as part of the Pakistan Antarctic Programme established in 1991; Pakistan currently has two summer research stations in the continent and plans to open another base which will be permanent all year round.^[185]

Electricity in Pakistan is generated, and distributed by two vertically integrated public sector utilities: Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) for all of Pakistan except Karachi, which is supplied by Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC).^[186] Nuclear power in Pakistan is provided by 3 licensed-commercial nuclear power plants under Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC).^[187] Pakistan is the first Muslim country in the world to construct and operate civil nuclear power plants.^[11] The electricity generated by commercial nuclear power plants constitutes roughly 2% of electricity generated in Pakistan, compared to about 65% from thermal and 33% from hydroelectric power.^[186]

Education

According to the constitution of Pakistan, it is the state’s responsibility to provide free primary education.^[189] At the time of independence Pakistan had only one university, the University of the Punjab, founded in 1882 in Lahore.^[190] Pakistan now has 135 universities, of which 74 are public universities and 61 are private universities.^[191] There are an estimated 3193 technical and vocational institutions in Pakistan.^[192] Pakistan also has madrassahs that provide free Islamic education and also offer free boarding and lodging to students who come mainly from the poorer strata of society.^[193] After criticism over terrorists using them for recruiting purposes, efforts have been made to regulate them.^[194]

Education in Pakistan is divided into six main levels: pre-primary (prep classes); primary (grades one through five); middle (grades six through eight); high (grades nine and ten, leading to the Secondary School Certificate); intermediate (grades eleven and twelve, leading to a Higher Secondary School Certificate); and university programmes leading to graduate and advanced degrees.^[192] Pakistan also has a parallel secondary school education system in private schools, which is based upon the curriculum set and administered by the Cambridge International Examinations. Some students choose to take the O level and A level exams through the British Council.^[195]

Government is in development stage of extending English medium education to all schools across the country.^[196] In addition, by 2013 all educational institutions in Sindh province will have to provide Chinese language courses. This initiative reflects China's growing role as a superpower and Pakistan's close ties with China.^[197]

In 2011, 57.7% of adult Pakistanis were literate. Male literacy was 69.3%, while female literacy was 45.2%.^[156] Literacy rates also vary regionally, and particularly by sex; for instance, in tribal areas female literacy is 3%.^[198] The government launched a nationwide initiative in 1998 with the aim of eradicating illiteracy and providing a basic education to all children.^[199] Through various educational reforms, by the year 2015, the ministry of education expects to attain 100% enrolment levels amongst primary school aged children, and a literacy rate of 86% amongst people aged over 10.^[200]

Demographics

With 177.1 million residents reported in 2011, Pakistan is the sixth most populated country in the world, behind Brazil and ahead of Bangladesh. At 2.03% it has the highest population growth rate among the SAARC countries, resulting in an annual addition of 3.6 million people. The population is projected to reach 210.13 million by the year 2020 and would double in next 34 years. In 1947 Pakistan had a population of 32.5 million.^[157][201] It increased from 1990 to 2009 at a rate of 57.2%.^[202] By 2030 the country is expected to overtake Indonesia as the largest Muslim country in the world.^{[203][204][205]} Pakistan is a 'young' nation with a median age of about 20 and 104 million people under 30 years of age in 2010.^[157]

The majority of southern Pakistan's population live along the Indus River. By population size, Karachi is the largest city of Pakistan.^[206] In the northern half, most of the population live in an arc formed by the cities of Lahore, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Gujrat, Jhelum, Sargodha, Sheikhupura, Nowshera, Mardan and Peshawar. During 1990–2008, Pakistan sustained its historical lead as the most urbanised nation in South Asia, with city dwellers making up 36% of its population.^{[70][157][207]} Furthermore, 50% of Pakistanis reside in towns of 5,000 people or more.^[208]

Expenditure on health was 2.6% of the GDP in 2009.^[209] The 2010 statistics show life expectancy at birth at 65.4 years for females and 63.6 years for males. Private sector accounts for about 80% of all outpatient visits. Approximately 19% of the population and 30% of children under age of five are malnourished.^[145] The mortality below 5 was at 87 per 1,000 live births in 2009.^[209] About 20% of the population live below the international poverty line of US$1.25 a day.^[207]

Pakistan is a multilingual country with more than sixty languages being spoken, including a number of provincial languages. Urdu is the lingua franca and national language in Pakistan. English is the official language of Pakistan and used in official business, government, and legal contracts;^[70] the local dialect is known as Pakistani English. Punjabi is the provincial language of Punjab and has a plurality of native speakers. Saraiki is mainly spoken in the southern area of Punjab province. Pashto is the provincial language of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Sindhi is the provincial language of Sindh and Balochi is the provincial language of Balochistan.^[37]

The population comprises several main ethnic groups. As of 2009, Punjabi population dominates with 78.7 million (44.15%), followed by 27.2 million (15.42%) Pashtuns, 24.8 million (14.1%) Sindhis, 14.8 million (10.53%) Seraikis, 13.3 million (7.57%) Muhajirs and 6.3 million (3.57%) Balochs. The other 11.1 million (4.66%) ethnic groups, such as Kashmiris, Hindkowans, Kalash, Burusho, Brahui, Khowar, Ranghar, Meo, Balti, Shina, and Turwalis are mainly found in the northern parts of the country.^[211] There is also a large worldwide overseas Pakistani diaspora, numbering over seven million.^[212]

Pakistan's census does not include immigrant groups such as the registered 1.7 million Afghan refugees from neighbouring Afghanistan, who are mainly found in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) areas, with small numbers in the cities of Karachi and Quetta.^[213][214] There are more than 1.6 million Bengalis, 650,000 Afghans, 200,000 Burmese, 2,320 Iranians and Filipinos and hundreds of Nepalese, Sri Lankans and Indians living in Karachi as of 1995.^[215][216] Pakistan hosts more refugees than any other country in the world.^[217]

Pakistan is the second-most populous Muslim-majority country^[218][219] and also has the second-largest Shi'a population in the world.^[220] About 97% of the Pakistanis are Muslim. The majority are Sunni, with an estimated 5–20% Shi'a.^{[37][221][222][223]} 2.3% are Ahmadis,^[224] who are officially considered non-Muslims since a 1974 constitutional amendment.^[225] There are also several Quraniyoon communities.^[226][227] Although the groups of Muslims usually coexist peacefully, sectarian violence occurs sporadically.^[228]

After Islam, Hinduism and Christianity are the largest religions in Pakistan, each with 2,800,000 (1.6%) adherents; they are followed by Sikhism with 20,000 (0.001%) adherents. Parsis, Buddhists, Jews, Bahá'ís and Animists (mainly the Kalasha of Chitral) form the remainder of minorities in Pakistan.^{[221][222][223][229]}

Culture and society

Pakistani society is largely hierarchical, with high regard for local cultural etiquettes and traditional Islamic values which govern the personal and political lives of people. The basic family unit is an extended family, although there has been a growing trend towards nuclear families because of socio-economic constraints.^[230] The traditional dress is Shalwar Kameez for both men and women, while trouser and shirt is also popular among male population. Recent decades have seen the emergence of a strong and rapidly growing middle class in cities like Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Hyderabad, Faisalabad, Multan and Peshawar numbering over 30 million. This middle class along with the 17 million belonging to the elite upper and upper-middle classes wish to move in a more centrist and urbanised direction, as opposed to the rural hinterlands.^[231] Pakistani festivals are mostly religious in origin and includes Eid ul-Fitr, Eid al-Adha and Ramadan.^[230] Increasing globalisation has resulted in Pakistan ranking 56th on the A.T. Kearney/FP Globalization Index.^[232]

Media and entertainment

State-owned Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) and Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation were the dominant media outlets until the start of the twenty first century. The end of PTV's monopoly was marked by a boom in electronic media and paved the way to it gaining political clout. Now there are numerous private television channels that enjoy freedom of speech to a large degree.^[233] In addition to the national entertainment and news channels, American, European, and Asian television channels and films are also available to the majority of the Pakistani population via cable and satellite television.^[233][234] There is a small indigenous film industry based in Lahore and Peshawar referred as Lollywood. While Bollywood films were banned from being played in public cinemas from 1965 until 2008, they have remained in popular culture.^[235][236]

The variety of Pakistani music ranges from diverse provincial folk music and traditional styles such as Qawwali and Ghazal Gayaki to modern forms fusing traditional and western music, such as the synchronisation of Qawwali and western music by the world renowned Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. In addition Pakistan is home to many famous folk singers such as the late Alam Lohar, who is also well known in Indian Punjab.The arrival of Afghan refugees in the western provinces has rekindled Pashto and Persian music and established Peshawar as a hub for Afghan musicians and a distribution center for Afghan music abroad.^[237][238]

Literature

The literature of Pakistan covers the literatures of languages spread throughout the country, namely Urdu, Sindhi, Punjabi, Pushto, Baluchi, Persian, English and many other languages.^[239] Prior to the 19th century, the literature mainly consisted of lyric poetry and religious, mystical and popular materials. During the colonial age the native literary figures, under the influence of the western literature of realism, took up increasingly different topics and telling forms. Today, prose fiction enjoy a special popularity.^[240][241]

The national poet of Pakistan, Allama Muhammad Iqbal wrote poetry in Urdu and Persian and is considered to be one of the greatest literary icons of modern era. Iqbal was a strong proponent of the political and spiritual revival of Islamic civilization and encouraged Muslim binding all over the world to bring a successful revolution. His work is highly regarded in Afghanistan, Iran, Tehran, Indonesia, India and Arab world. ^[242][243]

The well-known representatives of the contemporary Urdu literature of Pakistan includes Faiz Ahmed Faiz.Sadequain is known for his calligraphy and paintings.^[241] Sufi poets Shah Abdul Latif, Bulleh Shah, Mian Muhammad Bakhsh and Khawaja Farid are also very popular in Pakistan.^[244] Mirza Kalich Beg has been termed the father of modern Sindhi prose.^[245]

Architecture

The Pakistani architecture can be traced back to four distinct time periods—pre-Islamic, Islamic, colonial and post-colonial. With the beginning of the Indus civilisation around the middle of the 3rd millennium B.C.,^[246] an advanced urban culture developed for the first time in the region; with large structural facilities, some of it survive to this day.^[247] Mohenjo Daro, Harappa and Kot Diji belong to the pre-Islamic era settlements which are now tourist attractions.^[122] The rise of Buddhism and the Persian and Greek influence led to the development of the Greco-Buddhist style, starting from the 1st century CE. The high point of this era was reached with the culmination of the Gandhara style. An example of Buddhist architecture is the ruins of the Buddhist monastery Takht-i-Bahi in the northwest province.^[248]

The arrival of Islam in today's Pakistan meant a sudden end of Buddhist architecture.^[249] However, a smooth transition to predominantly pictureless Islamic architecture occurred. The most important of the few completely discovered buildings of Persian style is the tomb of the Shah Rukn-i-Alam in Multan. During the Mughal era, design elements of Islamic-Persian architecture were fused with and often produced playful forms of the Hindustani art. Lahore, occasional residence of Mughal rulers, exhibits a multiplicity of important buildings from the empire. Among them the Badshahi mosque, the fortress of Lahore with the famous Alamgiri Gate, the colourful, Persian style Wazir Khan Mosque, Shalimar Gardens,^[250] and Shahjahan Mosque of Thatta which originated from the epoch of the Mughals are most prominent. In the British colonial period, predominantly functional buildings of the Indo-European representative style developed from a mixture of European and Indian-Islamic components. Post-colonial national identity is expressed in modern structures like the Faisal Mosque, the Minar-e-Pakistan and the Mazar-e-Quaid.^[251]

Cuisine

Known for its richness and flavour, Pakistani cuisine is a blend of cooking traditions from different regions of the subcontinent; the wide-spread style of cooking originated from the royal kitchens of sixteenth century Mughal emperors. Although the variety of meat dishes in Pakistan is greater, the food has similarities to North Indian cuisine. Pakistani cooking utilities spices, herbs and seasoning in heavy amount. Garlic, ginger, turmeric, red chilli and garam masala is used in most dishes and household cuisine includes curry on regular basis. Chapati, a thin flat bread made from wheat, is used as staple food and is served with curry, meat, vegetables and lentils. Rice is another common food served plain, fried with spices and is also used in sweet dishes.^{[252][253][119]} Among beverages lassi is a traditional drink in the Punjab region. Black tea with milk and sugar is popular throughout Pakistan and is taken daily by most of the population.^[25][254]

Sports

The national sport of Pakistan is hockey, although cricket is the most popular game across the country.^[255] The national cricket team has won the Cricket World Cup once (in 1992), were runners-up once (in 1999), and co-hosted the games twice (in 1987 and 1996). Pakistan were runners-up in the inaugural 2007 ICC World Twenty20 held in South Africa and were the champions at the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 held in England. Lately however, Pakistani cricket has suffered heavily due to teams refusing to tour Pakistan because of terrorism fears. No teams have toured Pakistan since March 2009, when militants attacked the touring Sri Lankan cricket players.^[256]

At the international level, Squash is another sport that Pakistanis have excelled in. Successful world-class squash players such as Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan have won the World Open several times during their careers.^[238] Other popular international players are Kiran Khan in Swimming and Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi in Tennis.^[257][258] Pakistan has competed many times at the Olympics in field hockey, boxing, athletics, swimming, and shooting.^[257] Pakistan's Olympic medal tally stands at 10 (3 gold, 3 silver and 4 bronze). The Commonwealth Games and Asian Games medal tally stands at 61 and 182 respectively. Hockey is the sport in which Pakistan has been most successful at the Olympics, with three gold medals in (1960, 1968, and 1984). Pakistan has also won the Hockey World Cup a record four times (1971, 1978, 1982, 1994).^[238]

At national level, football and Polo are prominent sports with regular national events held in different parts of the country. Boxing, Billiards, Snooker, Rowing, Kayaking, Caving, Tennis, Contract Bridge, Golf and Volley Ball are also actively participated in and Pakistan has produced notable champions in these sports at regional and international levels.^{[238][257][23]}

See also

• Outline of Pakistan
  
• Index of Pakistan-related articles
  
• Commonwealth of Nations
• Pak Watan
• Pakophilia

References

Further reading

External links

• Official website
• Pakistan entry at The World Factbook
• Pakistan at the Open Directory Project
• Wikimedia Atlas of Pakistan
• Pakistan travel guide from Wikitravel
• Key Development Forecasts