Welcome to Islamic Republic of

PAKISTAN

LOCATION
Pakistan is situated in South Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north.

FACTS
Official Name: The Islamic Republic of Pakistan Capital: Islamabad Type of Government:Parliamentary Democracy Population: 127,962, 000; 416.3 persons per square mile; 32.0 percent urban, 68.0 percent rural (1993 estimate) Area: 310,404 square miles Language: Urdu Religion: Islam Unit of Currency: Pakistani rupee Ethnic Composition: Punjabis, Sindhis, Pathans, and Baluchis Date of Independence: August 14, 1947

NATIONAL FLAG Dark green (representing Islam) with a white vertical bar (representing minority religions), a white crescent and a five-pointed star in the middle. The flag symbolizes Pakistan's Islamic origins.

CAPITAL CITIES
Pakistan is a diverse land, of different cultures, seasons, traditions and languages. This subtle diversity can be found in every part of Pakistan.

Karachi is the provincial capital of Sindh province.

Peshawar is the capital of the North-West Frontier Province.

Lahore is the capital of the Punjab

Quetta is the largest city and provincial capital and district of Balochistan Province

FAMOUS CITIES
The different cities of Pakistan are booming with certain culture and idiosyncrasies, which is reflected through the lifestyle, food and the day to day routine of its people. Although every city in Pakistan is worth a trip if one exalts back packing, rustic charms and tradition , but here is a list of some of the most famous cities in Pakistan. Lahore Quetta Karachi Peshawar Karachi- The City of Lights. Karachi is one of the most populour cites in the world. the largest city in Pakistan.

Lahore- The Heart of Pakistan.

Lahore is the cultural capital of Pakistan.

Faisalabad Hyderabad Multan Swat Murree Islamabad Muzaffarabad

Islamabad is a modern and clean city, especially in comparison to other cities in Pakistan. Faisalabad is the third largest city in Pakistan. It is an important industrial center for transport and production

Muzaffarabad is the capital of Azad Kashmir. It is famous for its romantic and pleasant weather.

MOUNTAINS AND RANGES

Pakistan has within its borders some of the worlds highest and most spectacular mountains. K2 Pakistan/China 8611m Nanga Parbat Kashmir 8125 m GasherbrumI Pakistan/China 8086m. Broad Peak Pakistan/china 8047m. Gasherbrum II Pakistan/China 8035m.

Mount Godwin-Austen

Broad Peak 8047m

GasherbrumII 8035m

 Balochistan Plateau The highest peak Ras Koh 3010. Potowar Plateau and the Salt Ranges Indus/Jhelum river Mountainous North Koh-e-Safaid and Waziristan Hills Sulaiman and Kirthar Mountains

Following are the mountain ranges that are fully or partially included in Pakistan Karakoram range, highest
peak is K2 (8,611m or 28,244 feet). Himalayan range, highest peak in Pakistan is Nanga Parbat (8,126m or 26,653 feet). Hindu kush range, highest peak is Trich Mir (7,690 metres or 25,230 feet). Sulaiman Mountains range, highest peak is Takhte-eSulainman (3,487 m or 11,437 Karakoram range. feet).

 Safed Koh Range, highest peak is Mount Skkaram (4,761 m or 15,620 feet) Pamir Mountains, junction of the Tian Shan, Karakoram ,Kunlun, and Hindu Kush ranges. Salt Range, a hill system in the Punjab Province, abundant in salt. Tobba Kakar Range, southern offshoot of the Himalayasin the Balochistan.

Salt range

RIVERS
Pakistan has been blessed with many rivers to support its ever increasing population.

River Ravi River Indus River Kabul River Chenab River Jhelum

Ravi River, it is about 600 mi (965 km) long.It rises in the Himalayas in Himachal Pradesh state, India, and flows past Chamba, turning southwest at the boundary of Jammu and Kashmir state .

RIVER INDUS
Trans-Himalayan river of Southern Asia. It is one of the world's longest rivers, with a length of 1,800 mi (2,900 km). Its annual average flow of 272 billion cu yd (207 billion cu m) is twice that of the Nile.

RIVER JHELUM
River is in India and Pakistan . The western most of the Five Rivers of the Punjab region. It rises in the Himalayas in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.

RIVER INDUS

RIVER JHELUM

VILLAGE OF PAKISTAN
Pakistan is an agricultural country. Most of its population lives in the villages. Villages of Pakistan are very traditional.

A typical Pakistani village is situated away from the noise of a city. It is a peaceful and silent place. There are green trees, vast meadows, and flowery bushes in every village.

 The blossoming flowers, fragrant air, the rising and setting sun all leave a healthy influence on the health of villagers. Most of the village people have simple habits and limited needs.

It consists of unpaved paths and streets. Its houses are made of mud. However, now villagers have started to make their houses of bricks.

 They get up early in the morning,after Fajar prayers ,they have their breakfast and take out their ploughs and pair of oxen and go to their fields.

Women also help their men in their work along with their household chores.

They also take care of their domestic animals such as cows ,goats,hens etc

Historical places in Pakistan are of special interest to archaeologists and history students.
Mohenjo-daro was a city of the Indus Valley Civilization, 20 km from Larkana and some 80 km southwest of modern Sukkur, Sindh, Pakistan. Makli (Thatta) - Driving further, about 101 kms from Karachi is the largest necropolis in the world (Makli). The use of profusely and beautifully engraved sandstone on the graves is a feature unique to this site.

 Uch, 75 km from Bahawalpur, is

a very old town. Uch Sharif is one of the beautiful historical sites in Pakistan. Uch Sharif is basically famous for various beautiful shrines and tombs.

Gandhara

is the region that now comprises of Peshawar Valley, Mardan, Swat, Dir, Malakand, and Bajuaur agencies in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP), Taxila in the Punjab, and up to Jalalabad in Afghanistan.

Taxila The World Heritage site of Taxila is located in Punjab Province, about 30 kilometers from Islamabad. Taxila an archaeological site includes numerous related buildings, fortifications , settlements and monasteries and shows architectural influences for the length of its role as a Buddhist training center, between the 5th century BC to the 2nd century AD.

 Chukundi Tombs

27 kms on the National Highway on the distant horizon you see clusters of unusual graves in the shape of stepped pyramids.

Harappa is a city
in Punjab, northeast Pakistan, about 35km (22 miles) southwest of Sahiwal.

Mughal Heritage Pakistan is a treasure house of Muslim architecture. All the important monuments like the Royal Fort and the Badshahi Mosque, Wazir Khans Mosque, Tombs of Jehangir, Asif Jah, Noor Jehan and the Shalimar Gardens, Hiran Minar etc.

MAJOR DESERTS
Location/Province Thar Sindh Cholistan Punjab Thal Punjab

The arid Thar Desert is the world's seventh largest desert and is without doubt the most inhospitable eco-region in the Indo-Pacific region.

 The Thal desert is

situated in Punjab, Pakistan. Its vast area is mainly between the Jhelum and Sindh rivers near the Pothohar Plateau.

Cholistan is in tact the

biggest desert in Pakistan This famous desert is 30 Km from Bahawalpur and comprises of an area of 16,000 sq.km.

IMPORTANT BUILDINGS
Habib Bank Plaza is located in Karachi city. It is the head office of Habib Bank. It was Pakistan's tallest building from 1963 until 2003. the Habib Bank Plaza is the second highest building in Karachi today. It has a CDGK (City District Govt. Karachi) clearance of 40 stories.

 MCB Tower
located in Karachi. It is the headquarters of Muslim Commercial Bank. MCB Tower is currently the tallest building in Pakistan at 116 meters (381 feet) tall. . It is also currently one of the tallest buildings in the Subcontinent

 The Supreme Court is the apex court in Pakistan's judicial hierarchy, the final arbiter of legal and constitutional disputes.

 The Parliament - the Senate and the National Assembly

Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (the Corporation) and its subsidiary companies engaged in the business of shipping, including charter of vessels, transportation of cargo and other related services.

WEDDING CEREMONY IN PAKISTAN

Wedding is one of the most special and colorful events in Pakistan.
A Pakistani wedding typically consist of four ceremonies on four separate days 1 Mayoon 2 Mehndi/ Rasm e Henna 3 Nikah/Islamic Marriage Contract ceremony 5 Valima

Mayoon
It is usually the first event of a wedding. From this day on, the bride is proscribed from the groom's eyes till the day of marriage. Yellow color symbolizes the day of upton, the other name of mayoon

 Mehndi
The event is traditionally held separately for the bride and the groom, and henna is symbolically placed on the couple's hands. The groom's friends and family brings along sweets and henna for the bride, and the bride's family does the same for the groom.

 Nikah/Islamic Marriage Contract ceremony

The nikah is the Islamic marriage contract ceremony. It is performed by an imam which formally indicates signing of the marriage contract. . .

 The bride and groom must both have three witnesses present to ensure that the marriage is consensual. The bride's gown is very elaborate, as are her veil and jewelry. Men wear a distinctive traditional turban.

VALIMA On the fourth day, the couple hosts their first dinner as husband and wife. The groom's family invites all of the guests to their home for a feast.

FESTIVALS
Eid-ul-Fitr
Religious festival celebrating end of fasting month on 1st of Shawwal, the 10th month of Islamic Calendar. Special prayer after sunrise, exchange of sweet dishes, visits.

Eid-ul-Azha
Religious festival commemorating the great sacrifice offered by Prophet Abraham. Celebrated on 10 Zilhaj, 12th month of Islamic Calendar. Collective prayers after sun set, sacrifice of goats, sheep, cows or camels and distribution of meat among relatives, friends and poor.

Bassant
This is the spring festival. Lahore is becoming the main focal point for the celebration of this festival in Pakistan. People traditionally fly kites on the roofs of their buildings.

 Shandur Polo Festival

Traditional polo tournament between the teams of Chitral and Gilgit. Allied activities include fold music, folk dances and other competitions.

Independence Day
Meeting, processions, rallies, decorations and illustrations all over the country.

BEAUTY OF PAKISTAN
Dozens of beautiful and exciting places are there to be visited if one wishes to visit . God has gifted Pakistan with various natural gifts. With mountains, rivers, forests, lakes, beaches and deserts, Pakistan couldn't have asked for more.

 Saiful-Maluk One of most beautiful lakes

 Bahrain,Swat

 Kalam

 Hanna Lake in Quetta Balochistan Pakistan

 Naran is the main tourist center in Kaghan Valley

 Karachi seaside

 Satpara Lake is an important lake in Skardu Valley