PAKISTAN – GENERAL INFO

Islamic Republic of Pakistan

Area: 803.9 km2.
Population: 137 million (1997)
Official language: Urdu
Capital: Islamabad (201 thousand inhabitants, 1997)
National holiday: Independence Day (August 14, 1947)
Currency: Pakistani rupee
Member of the UN since 1948, the OIC and others

Pakistan ( «Country of clean people») appeared on the world map in 1947 – after the separation of colonial India. Pakistan  locates in South Asia. Borders on the west with Iran, on the north-west with Afghanistan, in the north with China, in the east and north-east with India. On the south Pakistan is washed by the Arabian Sea.

The nations of Pakistan are Punjabis, Sindhis, Pashtuns and Baluchis, as well as refugees from India, called in IRP as muhadzhi-rami. Each of these national communities, in turn, is divided into smaller national communities. Much of the propertied elite major nationalities actually formed a single Pakistani elite.

No matter how great the power of the Muslims over the local population, mainly Hindus, but their numbers have always remained an overwhelming Hindu majority. When the British ruled India, the Hindus and Muslims were on the same footing as the subjects of the British Crown. However, when the British left India, the problem of compatibility between two religious communities become so acute.

Jinnah, who led a party of Muslims – Muslim League, has developed a so-called «theory of two nations», according to which Muslims and Hindus are two separate nations with different cultures, traditions and worldview. At the session of the Muslim League in Lahore in 1940 was accepted a resolution demanding the northern part of British India – two independent Muslim states: one – in the north-west (it had to enter the border of Punjab, Sindh, North-West Frontier Province, Baluchistan and Kashmir), another – on the north-east (of Bengal and Assam). In 1946 a conference of Muslim members of parliament adopted a resolution to establish a single independent state of Muslims of South Asia – Pakistan. In 1947, in place of British India, there were two Dominion – Indian Union and Pakistan. Until 1971, Pakistan consisted of East Bengal, however, after the Indo-Pakistan war in the place of its eastern provinces formed an independent state of Bangladesh.

Islamabad is Pakistani capital, where the public and government institutions is the parliament, presidential palace, the government’s Secretariat, ministries and departments, diplomatic missions. A major center of science and education: here are focused universities, institutes of nuclear science and technology, economic development, strategic research, etc. The city was built in 1960 – 1970 near the city of Rawalpindi. Next to the international airport.

Karachi (the capital of Pakistan in 1947 – 1959.) – The largest city in the country, the main trade and economic and financial center, Sea Gate, the provincial capital of Sindh. Appeared in the beginning of XVIII century on-site fishing village. Located in the delta of the Indus River on the coast of the Arabian Sea. In Karachi, there are major commercial banks, central offices and branches of insurance companies, stock and cotton exchanges. International Airport serves the largest airlines in the world. Here are a naval base, one of the major universities, colleges and research institutions. In the suburbs of Karachi accounts for about 40% of total industrial production in Pakistan. Construct a nuclear power plant.

Quetta is the provincial capital of Baluchistan, commercial and transportation hub near the border with Iran and Afghanistan. Development of the textile and food industries. Here are a military college for senior officers, military schools, as well as the University Geological Survey of Pakistan, Institute of Geodesy. Located in a seismic zone. An earthquake in 1935 claimed the lives of 20 thousand people.

Lahore is the administrative center of the province of Punjab, the second most important economic center of the country. Are concentrated in textile mills, machine-building industry for the production of electrical equipment and electrical goods, furniture and leather factories, small industry and applied art crafts. Lahore – the most important cultural and scientific center, known for its Punjab University, Engineering University, colleges, national museum, cultural center. The town was founded at the beginning of a new era. Lahore’s heyday came in the Mughal era. At the end of XVI – early XVII century. Lahore was the capital of the empire.

Multan is homonymous area in the province of Punjab. An important economic center of a vast area covering the south and south-west Panjab, north of Sindh, Baluchistan and the part of the North-West Frontier Province.

Peshawar is the administrative center of the North-West Frontier Province, one of the oldest cities in Pakistan, a shopping center on the way to Afghanistan, a major destination of road and rail lines connecting Karachi to the north, an important religious center.

Rawalpindi is commercial, industrial, political and cultural center. It forms a single agglomeration with Islamabad. There are a large base and headquarters of the Army.

Faisalabad is homonymous area in Punjab province, the center of the textile industry and agricultural science.

Hyderabad is located in Sindh, in southeastern Pakistan. In the suburb Dzhamshoro is the famous University of Sindh.

The territory of Pakistan has a rich history. At the beginning of III millennium BC. e. in the Indus valley arose the first public education relating to one of the oldest civilizations in the world – Harappan. Centers of this civilization were Harappa, Mohenjo-daro, Changhe-Daro. Its decline coincided with the emergence of the tribe of Aryans who came from the north-west. Contact Aryans with the local population led to the emergence of Indo-Aryan tribes and nationalities. The first Indo-Aryan states have emerged in the VII – VI century. BC. e. Among them was the state of Gandhara, which is in the middle of I in. BC. e. become part of Power Shakov. Islam is here brought Muslim conquerors. The first of them appeared in Sindh in 711g. Muhammad bin Qasim. From that time began the forcible imposition of a new religion in North India. After a series of conquests in northern India was ruled by Muslim feudal lords. At the beginning of the XIII century. arose Delhi Sultanate, and in the beginning of XVI century. here adopted the Mughal empire. In the XVII century. territory of India began to «master» the British. Pakistan from XIX century. part of the colony «British India».

The key role played in the creation of Pakistan, Mohammad Ali Jinnah (1876 – 1948). He laid the foundations of public policy. In Pakistan it is called «Quaid-e-Azam» ( «the great leader», «Father of the nation»). Ayub Khan (1907 – 1974), Pakistani politician, who ruled the country first as head of the military regime, and then as president. He has the initiative to normalize relations with the USSR in the 60-ies. XX century. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto (1928 – 1979) – President and then Prime Minister of Pakistan, the founder of the Pakistan People’s Party. Bhutto sought to promote the democratization of public life and conduct of foreign policy realism. He was arrested after the military coup in 1977 and soon sentenced to death on charges of involvement in a political assassination. He was executed in 1979.

The rich history of Pakistan, left on its territory a lot of attractions. These include the Lahore fort with its world famous gardens of Shalimar in Lahore, mosques and mausoleums of saints throughout the country, historical sites associated with the emergence and collapse of empires. Karachi is the Mausoleum of Jinnah – the founder of Pakistan. In Lahore Fort (XVI cent.) Preserved palace of Jahangir (1617) and the Moti Masjid (1645). Excavations of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa have been targets of tourists. Pakistan – parliamentary, federal republic. Head of state – the president. Executive power is vested in the Prime Minister. Legislature – a bicameral parliament consisting of the National Assembly and Senate.

Under the constitution, Islam – the state religion of Pakistan. About 80% of Pakistani Muslims – Sunnis, ie, along with the Koran and the Sunnah, they recognize – the Muslim Holy Tradition of the activities and sayings of the Prophet Muhammad; less than 20% – the Shiites. Although Islam and the monotheistic religion, but among Muslims, there are more than 70 different sects, have their own views on certain aspects of doctrine. Almost all of them are in Pakistan.