Welcome to Pakistan

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Welcome to Pakistan

Welcome to Pakistan: The Pure Land
Pakistan is an Indo-Iranian word meaning "The Pure Land". Ancient and mysterious, land of Pakistan has an area of 8,03,943 square kilometer and population over 132 million. Geographically it lies between 23 degrees and 37 degrees North Latitude, 61 degrees and 76 degrees East Longitude. Pakistan is a prominent country in South-Asia sharing boundaries with Afghanistan, China, India and Iran. It is rich in landscapes and cultural traditions. Half a dozen civilizations have flourished here and left there imprints. Historically this is one of the most ancient lands known to man. Its cities flourished before Babylon was built; its people practiced the art of good living and citizenship before the celebrated ancient Greeks. The land of Pakistan has attracted scholars and mystics, adventurers and mercenaries for centuries. Pakistan traces its history back to at least 2,500 years before Christ, when a highly developed civilization flourished in the Indus valley area. Excavations at Harappa, Moenjodaro and Kot Diji have brought to light evidence of an advanced civilization existing even in most ancient times. Around about 1500 B.C. the Aryans overwhelmed this region, and by and by, influenced the Hindu civilization, whose center moved to the Ganges valley, further east. Later the Persians occupied the northern regions in the 5th century B.C. and again and again upto the 2nd century A.D. The Greeks came in 327 B.C., under Alexander of Macedonia, and passed away like a meteor. In 712 A.D. the Arabs, led by Muhammad Bin Qasim, landed somewhere near modern Karachi, and ruled the lower half of Pakistan for two hundred years. During this time Islam took roots in the soil and influenced the life, culture and traditions of the people. In the 10th century A.D. began the systematic conquest of Indo-Pakistan by the Muslims from Central Asia who ruled almost the whole subcontinent upto the 18th century A.D., when the British became masters of the land and ruled for nearly 200 years - for only 100 years over what is Pakistan now. The Muslim revival in the subcontinent began towards the end of the 19th century A.D. when Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, renowned Muslim leader and educationist, launched a movement for intellectual renaissance of the Indian Muslims. In 1930, the well known poet-philosopher, Dr. Muhammad Iqbal, conceived the idea of a separate state for the Muslims of the subcontinent. In 1940, a resolution was adopted by the All-India Muslim League demanding a separate independent homeland for the Muslims under the brilliant leadership of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Pakistan emerged on the map of the world as a sovereign state on 14th August, 1947, when the British Indian Empire was partitioned into two independent states - India and Pakistan. At the time of independence, Pakistan consisted of two parts, East Pakistan and West Pakistan. In 1971 these parts became two independent states East Pakistan becoming Bangladesh and West Pakistan is what we now call PAKISTAN. Although, 97% of the Pakistanis are Muslims there also exist some other religious groups. The other religious groups include the Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs and Parsees. All are of composite racial stock, although, the majority is of Aryan extraction. While Urdu the national language, is spoken throughout Pakistan, English is extensively used in official and commercial circles and in the cities. Regional languages are no less than sixteen, Punjabi, Sindhi, Pushto and Baluchi being prominent among them.

Welcome to Pakistan: The Pure Land

Pakistan is an Indo-Iranian word meaning "The Pure Land". Ancient and mysterious, land of Pakistan has an area of 8,03,943 square kilometer and population over 132 million. Geographically it lies between 23 degrees and 37 degrees North Latitude, 61 degrees and 76 degrees East Longitude. Pakistan is a prominent country in South-Asia sharing boundaries with Afghanistan, China, India and Iran. It is rich in landscapes and cultural traditions. Half a dozen civilizations have flourished here and left there imprints. Historically this is one of the most ancient lands known to man. Its cities flourished before Babylon was built; its people practiced the art of good living and citizenship before the celebrated ancient Greeks. The land of Pakistan has attracted scholars and mystics, adventurers and mercenaries for centuries.

Pakistan traces its history back to at least 2,500 years before Christ, when a highly developed civilization flourished in the Indus valley area. Excavations at Harappa, Moenjodaro and Kot Diji have brought to light evidence of an advanced civilization existing even in most ancient times.

Around about 1500 B.C. the Aryans overwhelmed this region, and by and by, influenced the Hindu civilization, whose center moved to the Ganges valley, further east. Later the Persians occupied the northern regions in the 5th century B.C. and again and again upto the 2nd century A.D. The Greeks came in 327 B.C., under Alexander of Macedonia, and passed away like a meteor. In 712 A.D. the Arabs, led by Muhammad Bin Qasim, landed somewhere near modern Karachi, and ruled the lower half of Pakistan for two hundred years. During this time Islam took roots in the soil and influenced the life, culture and traditions of the people.

In the 10th century A.D. began the systematic conquest of Indo-Pakistan by the Muslims from Central Asia who ruled almost the whole subcontinent upto the 18th century A.D., when the British became masters of the land and ruled for nearly 200 years - for only 100 years over what is Pakistan now.

The Muslim revival in the subcontinent began towards the end of the 19th century A.D. when Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, renowned Muslim leader and educationist, launched a movement for intellectual renaissance of the Indian Muslims. In 1930, the well known poet-philosopher, Dr. Muhammad Iqbal, conceived the idea of a separate state for the Muslims of the subcontinent. In 1940, a resolution was adopted by the All-India Muslim League demanding a separate independent homeland for the Muslims under the brilliant leadership of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Pakistan emerged on the map of the world as a sovereign state on 14th August, 1947, when the British Indian Empire was partitioned into two independent states - India and Pakistan. At the time of independence, Pakistan consisted of two parts, East Pakistan and West Pakistan. In 1971 these parts became two independent states East Pakistan becoming Bangladesh and West Pakistan is what we now call PAKISTAN.

Although, 97% of the Pakistanis are Muslims there also exist some other religious groups. The other religious groups include the Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs and Parsees. All are of composite racial stock, although, the majority is of Aryan extraction.

While Urdu the national language, is spoken throughout Pakistan, English is extensively used in official and commercial circles and in the cities. Regional languages are no less than sixteen, Punjabi, Sindhi, Pushto and Baluchi being prominent among them.

Pakistan is unique ! Situated in the heart of the South Asian sub-continent, it is a country with its own history and cultural heritage, fascinating in its own right.

Pakistan was the site for one of the world's earliest human settlements, the great prehistoric Indus Valley Civilisation, the crucible of ancient empires, religions and cultures.

From the shores of the Arabian Sea to the mountains of the Karakoram and Hindu Kush, the vast contrasts in Pakistan's landscape are only matched by the diverse cultures of all the peoples who, since the beginning of time, have chosen to settle here at the Crossroads of Asia.

A nation, which is only 50 years old, Pakistan is bubbling cauldron of the ingredients of millennia. In Pakistan, it is quite impossible to avoid the tastes and smells of its deep past. This is where nomadic tribesmen of Baluchistan still cross the remote deserts with their camel caravans, where the villagers of Sindh still pursue their ancient traditions by the banks of the Indus, and where the proud Pathans still stand guard to their Frontier.