pakistan

a Muslim republic that occupies the heartland of ancient south Asian civilization in the Indus River valley

formerly part of India

achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1947

See 2005 Kashmir earthquake for the 8 October 2005 earthquake in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.'' - align=center style="vertical-align: top;" colspan="2" ''National motto: Yaqeen-e-muhkam, ittihād, nazm
(Urdu: Faith (self confidence), unity, !discipline)''- align=center colspan=2 !style="background:#f9f9f9 ;"? - Official languages Urdu languageUrdu, English languageEnglish- Capital Islamabad, PakistanIslamabad- Largest city Karachi- President of PakistanPresident General Pervez Musharraf- Prime Minister of PakistanPrime Minister Shaukat Aziz- Area
 - Total
 - % water List of countries by areaRanked 34th
803,940 square kilometrekm²
3.1%- Population
- Total (2005 est.)
- Population_densityDensity List of countries by populationRanked 6th
162,419,946
188/km² - List of countries by GDP (PPP)GDP (Purchasing power parityPPP)
 - Total
 - Per capita 2004 estimate
$347.3 billion(List of countries by GDP (PPP)26th)
$2,567 (List of countries by GDP (PPP) per capita135th)- Independence 14 August 1947 (from the United KingdomUK's British India)- Republic March 23, 1956- Religion Islam- Currency Pakistani RupeeRupee- ISO_4217Currency Code PKR- Time zone GMT +5- National anthem Pak sarzamin shad bad
(Blessed Be The Sacred Land) - Top-level domainInternet TLD .pk- List of country calling codesCalling Code 92- National game Field HockeyField Hockey} The Islamic Republic of Pakistan (Urdu: اسلامی جمہوریۂ پاکستان, ''islāmī jamhūriya i pākistān''), or Pakistan (Urdu: پاکستان, ''pākistān'') is a country located in South Asia that overlaps onto the Greater Middle East and Central Asia. The country borders India, Afghanistan, Iran (Persia), People's Republic of ChinaChina and the Arabian Sea. With around 163 million inhabitants, it is the List of countries by populationsixth most populous country with the second largest Muslim population. It is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, SAARC and the !Organization_of_the_Islamic_Co nferenceOIC. It is also the birthplace of some of the most ancient civilizations, and a strategic center of historic trade routes. It was formerly a major part of the British Empire as western British India before gaining independence in 1947 through the Partition of India. The name of the country "Pakistan" in Urdu means ''Land of the Pure''.

History - ''Main article: History of Pakistan (Including pre-history, civilizations of the region, and modern events to date)''''Related articles: History of South Asia, History of Iran, History of India, History of Afghanistan'' , 80 km southwest of Sukkur, was center of Indus Valley Civilization, 2600 BC – 1800 BC]]Pakistan exists in a region whose history has overlapped that of many empires (e.g Mughals) and also of countries such as India, Afghanistan and Persian EmpirePersia (Iran). As one of the cradles of human civilization, the Pakistani region has long been at the crossroads of history. Pakistan was the site of the Indus Valley civilization and was subsequently conquered by many groups, including Aryans, AchaemenidPersians, Greeks, Greco-Bactrians, Kushans, White Huns, Scythians, and Gakhars. This period saw the country advance in trade and culture to a level where the Gandhara region and the great city of Taxila (Takshashila) became a great center of learning and development. - one of many ancient forts in Pakistan ]]Later invaders included Arabs, Turks and Mongols, many of which settled the lands. The arrival of the Arab Muslims in the provinces of Sindh and Punjab set the stage for the geographic boundries of the modern state of Pakistan and formed the foundation for Islamic rule which quickly spread across much of South Asia. This region was ruled by the Mughals from 1526 until 1739 and from 1739 until the early 19th century the entire region was ruled by the Afghans while the Baluchis and Sikhs controlled the south and east. By 1750s the Mughal empire was in shambles. The British had gained strong footholds in the region and the stage was set for a full invasion and annexation. The eventual collapse of the anti-British struggle by the Muslim leader Tippu Sultan during 1749-1799 the empire was left unguarded and up for taking. The Indian War of Independence in 1857 was the last armed struggle against the British invaders who had colonized the region. After crushing the struggle the British dubbed the event ''"Siphoy Mutiny"''. Even though the War of Independence was a joint Muslim-Hindu struggle to oust the British, the blunt of British retaliation was directed at the Muslim population of the empire employing the infamous "Divide and rule" policy. Indian Muslims faced the worst backlash in form of suppression and subjugation among all the religious populations of India, hence setting the stage for creation of Pakistan - a Muslim state for the inhabitants of India. The greatest proponent of this became Muhammad Ali Jinnah, who later earned the title of Quaid-e-Azam (Urdu: قائد اعظم) meaning "great leader" and founder of Pakistan. built during British Raj]]After a 60 year formal and unarmed struggle for independence, Pakistan came into existence on 14th August 1947 from the British Empire. The British divided up the Indian empire into 3 parts: the central part, with a Hindu majority, became modern-day India, the western part along with parts of Punjab became West Pakistan, while East Bengal (province)East Bengal (the Muslim majority part of Bengal) became East Pakistan. The Partition of India was so mishandled by the British that it resulted in the worst ever communal riots of the region and perhaps one of the worst in modern history. An estimated 1 to 5 million Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus and other populations in the subcontinent had lost their lives as a direct consequence and millions more became refugee migrants to the newly founded Islamic Republic of Pakistan.Testament to the British mishandling of the independence, in addition to compounding conflict, are the still pending disputes of Kashmir and Rann of Kutch (Sir Creek) between the largely Hindu-dominated India and Muslim-dominated Pakistan. Both nations have fought Indo-Pakistan Warsthree all out wars due to these unsettled issues, primarily Kashmir.In 1971, economic and political discontent coupled with violent political repression escalated into a civil war (see Bangladesh Liberation War) in East Pakistan and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, resulting in the secession of East Pakistan, which formed the independent state of Bangladesh.

Politics -

Domestic Politics - ''Main article: Politics of Pakistan''

Form of Government - .]]Constitutionally a federal republic, with considerable autonomy to Sindh, Balochistan, Punjab, and NWFP (Serhad) the four Provinces and the fifth administered state of ajk.gov.pk - Azad Kashmir(Azad meaning Free in Urdu).The upper house is called the Senate which has 100 seats equally distributed among the four provinces of Pakistan with reserved seats for Hindu, Sikh, Christian, and other minorities.The lower house is called the National Assembly and has 342 seats including reserved seats for religious and ethnic minorities and women.The National Assembly constitutionally should be elected every five years for a five year term. Which in turn votes and elects the Prime Minister of Pakistan through the concept of electoral college vote.From the elected National Assembly and Senate members the Prime Minister then selects the Federal Ministers to form the Prime Minister’s cabinet.The president is nominated by the Prime Minister and ratified by the majority vote of both houses and is the Head-of-State and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces. President’s nomination, appointment, and term are constitutionally independent of Prime Minister’s term.Each province has a Provincial Assembly which is elected through elections after every five year term, which in turn elects a Chief Minister the executive head of the province and similarly a Governor is appointed. Traditionally, all governors in Pakistan have been selected and appointed by the Federal Government, a point of contention between the center and the provinces.In addition to the Federal and Provincial Governments, the Bureaucracy is the third and the most powerful political center in the political system. The Bureaucracy is the non-elected portion of the government and comes through Civil Services of Pakistan and is made in charge of day-to-day handling of all government operations. In hindsight most of Pakistan’s perils are attributed to mismanagement and corruption bred by the bureaucracy.Pakistan's first decade was marred with political unrest and instability resulting in frequent collapses of civilian democratic governments. Through 1947 to 1958 as many as 7 Prime Ministers of Pakistan either resigned or were ousted. This political-instability paved the way for Pakistan’s first military take over. On October 7th 1958 Pakistan’s civilian and first President Iskander Mirza in collaboration with General Mohammad Ayub Khan abrogated Pakistan’s constitution and instated the state of Martial Law an act which is attributed as high treason and is punishable by death under the Constitution of Pakistan.

Political Parties - Before and during the creation of Pakistan in 1947, the secular and centrist Pakistan Muslim league supported the creation of Pakistan while the far-right religious parties such as the Shia Conference , Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Hind and leaders such as Maulana Abul Kalam AzadMaulana Azad opposed the creation of Pakistan and supported a united India. The liberal, leftist Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) emerged as a major political player during the 1970s. During 80s, a new political anti-feudal movement started by unorthodox and educated urban dwellers of Sindh, specially Karachi, now known as MQM.Currently, the largest party in Parliament is the Pakistan Muslim League (Q) (PML-Q) and the second largest is the Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP). The PML-Q obtained a plurality in the October 2002 elections. Besides these major players, there are several other political parties active in Pakistan.

Foreign Relations - .]]Pakistan was an ally of the United States for much of its early history as a modern nation-state, from the 1950s and as a member of CENTO and SEATO. However, it all changed from 1965 when Pakistan went to Indo-Pakistani War of 1965war with India during the height of the Cold War. The US placed heavy military sanctions on Pakistan during the war forcing Pakistan to agree to the cease fire and pulling out of the war that was heading for a stalemate.After the 1965 war Pakistan had moved away from the US and its relations with China became stronger and soon both nations declared their alliance. Their relations have gone so far that it concerns the Western Super Powers. Despite US opposition, Pakistan dropped out of CENTO and SEATO for the People's Republic of ChinaPRC and supported their induction as a permanent member of United Nations Security Council.United States maintained a lukewarm relationship until the 1970s. In 1971, Pakistan was involved in a Bangladesh Liberation Warbloody civil war which led to Indian intervention and the breaking away of East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. Peoples Republic of ChinaChina supported Pakistan and did not accept the new nation of Bangladesh for over 3 years, even though in 1973 Pakistan itself had. The US also did not accept Bangladesh in favor of Pakistan until after the Shimla Accord.The Soviet involvement in the war and the Chinese influence on Pakistan prompted USA to bolster ties with a lost ally and the alliance would not be strengthened until the Soviet war in AfghanistanAfghan war. In the 1980s Pakistan was supplied by the US with necessary arms and helped in training supporting anti-Soviet militia in Afghanistan. US promised to provide Pakistan with F-16 fighter jets though only a few were eventually supplied due to the Pressler amendment. China however chose to remain out of this alliance, instead providing moral support.After the Afghan war, which ended in favor of the anti-Soviet Alliance, the relationship with the US deteriorated when sanctions were imposed on Pakistan along with India for their nuclear program. All military equipment aid was again barred. China came to Pakistan's aid and helped them establish ground force and aviation infrastructures.Prior to the U.S. invasion of AfghanistanUS-Led coalition war in Afghanistan, China remained the main exporter and trader with Pakistan. After September 11th, 2001, and the subsequent American-led assault on Afghanistan, current Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf aligned his government again with the US and attempted to seal borders with Afghanistan and silence Islamic radicals along it (especially in the NWFP and other rural, fronteir provinces). Since this strategic re-alignment towards US policy, the economic and military aid has been flowing from the US to Pakistan in large numbers. Besides the US and China, Pakistan enjoys alliances with some Middle Eastern countries like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Pakistan Air ForcePAF pilots fly fighters for these two countries. Libya and Syria are the only two middle eastern countries with whom Pakistan enjoys great relations even though they were once Soviet allies.Pakistan is also an important member of the Organization of the Islamic ConferenceOIC, which brings it closer to every Muslim country. Besides OIC, Pakistan is a member of the South Asian union of SAARC.Pakistan is the second largest Muslim country in terms of population and its status as a Declared nuclear statesdeclared nuclear power—the only Islamic nation—also plays into its role on the international scene.

Political History - Politically, Pakistan has been ruled by both democratic and military governments. General Ayub Khan was the president from 1958 to 1969, and General Yahya Khan from 1969 to 1971. Civilian rule continued from 1971 to 1977 under Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, but he was deposed by General Muhammad Zia-ul-HaqZia-Ul-Haq. General Zia was killed in a plane crash in 1988, after which Benazir Bhutto, daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, was elected as the Prime Minister of Pakistan. She was the youngest woman to ever be elected the Head of Government and the first woman to be elected as the Head of Government of a Muslim country. Her government was followed by that of Nawaz Sharif, and the two leaders alternated until the military coup by General Pervez Musharraf in 1999. Since the resignation of President of PakistanPresident Rafiq Tarar in 2001, Musharraf has been the President of Pakistan. Nation-wide parliamentary elections were held in October 2002, with the PML-Q winning a plurality of seats in the National Assembly of Pakistan, and Zafarullah Khan Jamali of that party emerging as Prime Minister of PakistanPrime Minister.Jamali resigned on June 26, 2004. Pakistan Muslim LeaguePML-Q leader Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain became interim PM, and was succeeded by Finance Minister of PakistanFinance Minister and former Citibank Vice President Shaukat Aziz, who was elected Prime Minister on August 27, 2004 by a National Assembly vote of 191 to 151.

Geography - Main article: Geography of Pakistan'' Pakistan has a total area of 803,940 square kilometers, over three times the size of the United Kingdom. It has a land area of 778,720, slightly less than the combined land areas of France and the United Kingdom put together.To the south is the Arabian Sea, with 1,046 km (650 mile) of Pakistani coastline. To Pakistan's east is India, which has a 2,912 km (1,809 mile) border with Pakistan. To its west is Iran, which has a 909 km (565 mile) border with Pakistan. To Pakistan's northwest lies Afghanistan, with a shared border of 2,430 km (1,510 miles.) China is towards the northeast and has a 523 km (325 mile) border with Pakistan.The northern and western areas of Pakistan are mountainous. Pakistani administered areas of Kashmir contain some of the highest mountains in the world, including the second tallest — K2 — and has areas of preserved moist temperate forest. In the southeast, Pakistan's border with India passes through a flat desert, called the Cholistan or Thar Desert. West-central Balochistan has a high desert plateau, bordered by low mountain ranges. Most areas of the Punjab, and parts of Sindh, are fertile plains where agriculture is of great importance.Pakistan is also the home of some of the world's most ancient civilizations. Places like Mohenjodaro, Kot Diji, Thatta, Bhambore, Gandhara, Mehrgarh, Dir are all sites that came into existance near the dawn of civilization several thousand years ago.

Economy - ''Main article: Economy of Pakistan''

Overview - Pakistan, a developing country, is the List of countries by populationsixth most populous in the world and has faced a number of challenges on the political and economic fronts. At the time of its independence in 1947 it was poor, but in 1960s was seen as as a model of economic development around the world. In each of its first four decades, Pakistan's economic growth rate was better than the global average, but imprudent policies led to a slowdown in the 1990s at the time of Nawaz Shariff government. Since then, the Pakistani government has instituted wide-ranging reforms, and economic growth has accelerated in the current century. Pakistan's economic outlook has brightened and its manufacturing and financial services sectors have experienced rapid expansion. The growth of the non-agricultural sectors has changed the structure of the economy, and agriculture now only accounts for roughly one-fifth of the GDP. There has been a great improvement in its foreign exchange position and a rapid growth in hard currency reserves as a result of its current account surplus. In 2004 Pakistan's GDP growth rate was 8.4% which is (after China) the second-highest among the ten most populous countries in the world.fact

Macroeconomic Reform and Prospects - According to many sources, the government has made substantial inroads in macroeconomic reform since 2000, and medium-term prospects for job creation and poverty reduction are the best in nearly a decade. Islamabad has raised development spending from about 2% of GDP in the 1990s to 4% in 2003, a necessary step towards reversing the broad underdevelopment of its social sector. Reduced tensions with India and the ongoing peace process raise new hopes for a prosperous and stable South Asia. The privatisation of Public utilities and Telecomunication firm has greatly improved government revenues and has increased productivity in an inefficient sector of the economy. Lower and more stable inflation rates has greatly improved the consumption and investment pattern in the nation and has reduced the cost incurred in borrowing and lending. Unstable inflation prevents mutually beneficial borrowing and lending to take place because of the costs of forecasting placed on the transaction. Since Pakistan has significant Oil and Gas reserves in Balochistan, its terms of trade have worsened much less than India which has extremely small reserves compared to its energy needs. Pakistan is also moving away from the doctrine of import substitution which Pakistan, India and Iran have dogmatically pursued. The Pakistani government has realised that export driven model of economic growth successfully implemented by South East Asia and now wildly successful in China offers a better model. To this end Pakistan is aggressively cutting tarriffs while providing assistance to export products such as agriculture and textiles by improving ports, roads, electricity supplies and irrigation projects. Such industries play to Pakistan's relative strengths in low labour costs and with full liberalisation in the textile trade (except for China) and increasing prospects for freerer trade in agriculture, Pakistan will be able to utilise significant economies of scale inherent in export driven growth. Pakistan may in the coming decades slot in behind China as the textile manufacturing hub in the world with its breathtaking depth of reforms as China moves up the value added chain to devour nations such as Italy, Portugal and Mexico. In 2005, the World Bank reported that Pakistan was the top reformer in the region and the number 10 reformer globally — making it easier to start a business, reducing the cost to register property, increasing penalties for violating corporate governance rules, and replacing a requirement to license every shipment with two-year duration licenses for traders. Labour market reforms is also encouraging firms to take on more workers and is incresing productivity. In the area of microeconomic reforms Pakistan is moving much more desicively than India although to be fair to India a lot of microeconomic desicions are made at the state and not federal level. ((This is microeconomic reform, needs different heading))

Growing Middle Class - Measured by purchasing power, Pakistan has a 30 million strong middle class enjoying per capita incomes more than $8000-$10,000, according to Dr. Ishrat Husain, Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan pabe.org. In addition, Pakistan has a growing upper class with relatively high per capita incomes. However, Pakistan has no individuals with as much as a billion US dollars, according to Forbes magazine, and has the distinction of being the most populous nation to have no billionaires.

Economic History -

First Five Decades - Pakistan was a very poor and predominantly agricultural country at the time of its independence in 1947 from British India. Agriculture accounted for 53% of its Gross Domestic ProductGDP. In each of its first four decades, Pakistan's economic growth rate was better than the global average. Industrial-sector growth, including manufacturing, was also above average. In the early 1960s, Pakistan was seen as a model of economic development around the world, and there was much praise for the way its economy was progressing. Many countries sought to emulate Pakistan's economic planning strategy and one of them, South Korea, copied its Second Five Year Plan, 1960-65. Not just that But World financial center in Seoul was modeled after Karachi. Later, economic mismanagement in general, and fiscally imprudent economic policies in particular, caused a large increase in the country's public debt and led to slower growth in the 1990s.

Economic Resilience - Historically, Pakistan's overall economic output (Gross domestic productGDP) has grown every year since a 1951 recession. Despite this record of sustained growth, Pakistan's economy had, until a few years ago, been characterized as unstable and highly vulnerable to external and internal shock (economics)shocks. However, the economy proved to be unexpectedly resilient in the face of multiple adverse events concentrated into a four-year period —

the Asian financial crisis;

economic sanctions — according to Colin Powell, Pakistan was "sanctioned to the eyeballs";

global recession;

a severe drought — the worst in Pakistan's history, lasting four years;

heightened perceptions of risk as a result of military tensions with India — with as many as a million troops on the border, and predictions of impending (potentially nuclear) war; and

the War on Terrorismpost-9/11 military action in neighboring Afghanistan, with a massive influx of refugees from that country.Despite these adverse events, Pakistan's economy kept growing, and economic growth accelerated towards the end of this period. This resilience has led to a change in perceptions of the economy, with leading international institutions such as the IMF, World Bank, and the ADB praising Pakistan's performance in the face of adversity.

Recent History - Since about the turn of the century, the Pakistani government has instituted wide-ranging reforms, and economic growth has accelerated in the current century. Pakistan's economic outlook has brightened and its manufacturing and financial services sectors have experienced rapid expansion. The growth of the non-agricultural sectors has changed the structure of the economy, and agriculture now only accounts for roughly one-fifth of the GDP. There has been a great improvement in its foreign exchange position and a rapid growth in hard currency reserves as a result of its current account surplus.In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2005, Pakistan's GDP growth rate was 8.4% which is (after China) the second-highest among the ten most populous countries in the world. Its exports grew by as much as 17% and the country also saw increasing foreign investments in the IT sector, thanks to cheap labor, a low tax rate and a large pool of English speakers.

Stock Market - In the first three years of the current century, Pakistan's KSE-100 stock market index (Karachi Stock Exchange) was the best-performing List of stock market indicesmajor market index in the world, driven in part by profit growth, high dividend yields and greater Transparency (humanities)transparency in publicly traded companies as a result of reforms enacted by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan.

Currency - , the basic unit of currency of Pakistan.]]The basic unit of currency is the Pakistani RupeeRupee, which is divided into 100 paisas. Since the turn of the century, a strengthening economy and large current-account surplus has caused the rupee's exchange rate to rise in value. In response, Pakistan's State Bank of Pakistancentral bank has prevented the rupee from rising too much, by lowering interest rates and buying dollars, in order to preserve the country's export competitiveness. As of 2005, one US dollar is approximately equal to 60 rupees.

Manufacturing and Finance - Pakistan's manufacturing sector has experienced double-digit growth in recent years, with large-scale manufacturing growing by 18% in 2003. A reduction in the fiscal deficit has resulted in less government borrowing in the domestic money market, lower interest rates, and an expansion in private sector lending to businesses and consumers. Foreign exchange reserves continued to reach new levels in 2003, supported by robust export growth and steady worker remittances.

Tax Incentives & IT Industry - The Government of Pakistan has, over the last few years, granted numerous incentives to technology companies wishing to do business in Pakistan. A combination of decade-plus tax holidays, zero Tariffduties on computer imports, government incentives for venture capital and a variety of programs for subsidizing technical education, are intended to give impetus to the nascent Information Technology industry.This in recent years has resulted in impressive growth in that sector. Pakistan saw an increase in IT exports of 50% from 2003-4 to 2004-5, with total exports standing at $48.5 million. This year the government has set an export goal of $72 million. Exports account for 11% of the total revenues of the IT sector in Pakistan. Compared to its neighbor, India, Pakistan's IT sector is still in the infantile stage, but recent trends have lead economists to be optimistic about the IT industries future prospects in Pakistan.

Technology & Internet - Paging (telecommunications)Paging and mobile (cellular) telephony were adopted early and freely. Cellular phones and the Internet were adopted through a rather laissez-faire policy with a proliferation of private service providers that led to fast adoption. Both have taken off and in the last few years of the 1990s and first few years of the 2000s. With a rapid increase in the number of internet users and Internet service provider ISPs, and a large English-speaking population, Pakistani society has seen major changes.

Pakistan has more than 10 million Internet users as of 2005. The country is said to have a potential to absorb up to 50 million mobile phone Internet users in the next 5 years thus a potential of nearly 1 million connections per month.

Almost all of the main government departments, organizations and institutions have their own websites.

The use of search engines and instant messaging services is also booming. Pakistanis are some of the most ardent chattingchatters on the Internet, communicating with users all over the world. Recent years have seen a huge increase in the use of online marriage services, for example, leading to a major re-alignment of the tradition of arranged marriages.

As of 2005 there were 6 cell phone companies operating in the country with nearly 10.5 million mobile phone users in the country.

Wireless local loop and the Landlinelandline telephony sector has also been liberalized and private sector has entered thus increasing the teledensity from less than 3% to more than 10% in span of two years.

Agriculture, Energy and Natural Resources - in Pakistan. — Agricultural and scenic]]Pakistan's principal natural resources are arable land, water, and extensive natural gas and petroleum reserves.

Agriculture - About 28% of Pakistan's total land area is under cultivation and is watered by the largest irrigation systems in the world. Water resources include several major rivers, fed by meltwater from snow and glaciers in some of the highest mountains ranges of the world — the Karakorams, Himalayas, and the Hindukush. Other important sources are tube-wells tapping into large aquifers. The most important crops are cotton, wheat, and rice. Other important crops are sugarcane, maize, sorghum, millets, pulses, oil seeds, barley, fish, fruits and vegetables. Pakistan is a net exporter of foodgrains.

Energy - Pakistan has extensive energy resources, including fairly sizable natural gas reserves, oil reserves and coal. It also has a large potential for the further development of hydroelectric power. Domestic petroleum production totals only about half the country's oil needs. Pakistan is operating, constructing or planning to construct several nuclear reactors to meet its rapidly growing electricity requirements.

Minerals - Other important minerals are gypsum, limestone, chromites, iron ore, rock salt, silver, gold, precious stones, gems, marble, copper, sulphur, fire clay, silica. The salt range in Punjab Province has large deposits of pure salt. Balochistan is a mineral rich area having sub-stantial mineral, oil and gas reserves which have not been exploited to their full capacity. The province has significant quantities of copper, chromite and iron, and pockets of antimony and zinc in the south and gold in the far west. Natural gas was discovered near Sui in 1952, and the province has been gradually developing its oil and gas projects over the past fifty years. himalmag.com

Trade -

Exports - Pakistan exports rice, furniture, cotton fiber, cement, tiles, marble, textiles, leather goods, sports goods, surgical instruments, electrical appliances, carpets, and rugs, and many other items.

Imports - Pakistan's single largest import category is petroleum. Other imports include trucks, automobiles, and industrial machinery.

Tourism - in Pakistan, a famous tourist attraction]]expandsect Pakistan's culture, people and landscape are very diverse. Therefore tourism has, in recent years, become a large industry in Pakistan. What is now Pakistan has in the past been invaded and occupied by many different peoples, including Huns, Persians, Arabs, Turks, Mongols and various Eurasian groups, all of which left differences in culture among the different ethnic groups in matters such as dress, food, and religion, especially where indigenous pre-Islamic customs differ from Islamic practices. It is home to a large ancient civilization rivalling those of Egypt and Mesopotamia and also of many smaller civilizations which settled there. There are many tourist attractions in Pakistan. In the North, some of the highest mountains in the world, interest mountain climbers and adventurers from around the world. The Northern Areas of Pakistan are one of the most scenic places to be found with many old army fortresses, towers and other architecture. It is also rumored that the habitants of the region are very hospitable, offering food and residence for tourists. In the east, the Punjab Province (Pakistan)Punjab province offers a view into the many different civilizations that settled there. Islamic Mughal architecture is very common, such as the Shalimar Gardens (Lahore)Shalimar Gardens in Lahore. Pakistan's film industry, Lollywood is also present here.

Demographics - ''Main article: Demographics of Pakistan''

Population Statistics - Pakistan has the world's sixth largest population, more than Russia, but less than Brazil. Because of Pakistan's high growth rate, it is expected to overtake Brazil in population before 2025. Based on the high fertility rates of the 1980s, demographers had projected that Pakistan would be the third most populous nation by 2050. However, from 1988 onward, Pakistan's fertility rate has fallen faster than that of any other country except China gfeeney.com - (Feeney and Alam, 2003, PDF). It is now projected that its population will stabilize to a more sustainable level.

Religion - is the majority religion of Pakistan]]The majority of the people of Pakistan are Muslim. Most (75%) are Sunni, some (20%) are Shia, and the rest belong to a number of smaller sects.Pakistan has a small non-Muslim population whose numbers remain somewhat difficult to ascertain due to various social conditions within Pakistan, including the inability of the census to account for every person and some alleged discrimination and hesitancy by some to accurately report their professed faith. According to most sources Pakistan's religius minorities consist largely of Christians (2.5%) or 3.9 million, while the remaining 1.2% includes Hindus, Buddhists, Zoroastrians, SikhSikhs, Jews, and Animists (mainly the Kalash in Chitral). Pakistan's religious demographics were influenced by the Partition of Indiapartition of British India, which led to the fleeing of 7 million Muslims into Pakistan from India and 6 million Hindus and Sikhs from Pakistan to India and led to a larger Muslim majority than had previously existed.Pakistan is also the birthplace of two major world religions, Sikhism and Mahayana Buddhism. Although today there are few Sikhs in Pakistan, Pakistani Punjab was the birthplace of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism as well the Sikh conqueror Ranjit Singh. In addition, Pakistan is also the birthplace of Mahayana Buddhism, the form of Buddhism practiced by most Buddhists today, including those in China, India, Japan, Vietnam, and Korea. It is also the birthplace of Vajrayana (Tantric) Buddhism. Also, the early formation of the Hindu religion may have taken place here, either amongst the Indus Valley Civilization or in the wake of the Indo-Aryan migration into the area and with the composition of the earliest of the sacred scriptures, the Rig Veda, but most academics believe Hinduism probably formed along the Ganges River further east instead.

Languages - Urdu_languageUrdu and English_languageEnglish are both recognized as the Official_languageofficial languages of Pakistan. English is used in government and corporate business and by the educated urban elite. Private as well as public universities use English as the medium of instruction for degree courses. Urdu is the lingua franca of the people, being widely spoken as a second language, although it is the mother tongue of only 8% of the population, mainly Muhajirs (Muslim refugees from India after 1947) and Punjabis of urban areas. Besides these, nearly all Pakistanis speak mutually related provincial Indo-European languages, of which the most widely spoken is Punjabi_languagePunjabi, followed by Pashto_languagePashto, Sindhi_languageSindhi, and Balochi_languageBalochi. Other Indo-European languages spoken in Pakistan include Siraiki_languageSeraiki, Dari, Hindko, Potohari, Gujarati, Shina, Wakhi, Kashmiri, Khowar and many others. In addition, small groups of non-Indo-European languages are also spoken including Brahui_languageBrahui which is a Dravidian_languagesDravidian language and Burushaski which is a language isolate.

Ethnic Groups - Punjabis comprise the largest ethnic group in the country. Other important ethnic groups include: Pashtun/Afghans, Sindhis, Gakhars, Balochis, Muhajirs and Seraikis. The numerous other ethnic groups are mainly found in the northern parts of the country such as Turwalis, Kafiristanis, Hindko, Brahui, Kashmiris, Khowar, Shina and so forth. There are also sizeable numbers of refugees from neighboring Afghanistan, who are found mainly in the NWFP and Baluchistan - in the 1980s, Pakistan accommodated over three million Afghan refugees - the largest refugee population in the world, which includes Pashtuns, Tajiks, and Hazaras among others. A sizeable number of Bengali immigrants are mainly concentrated in Karachi. A smaller group of refugees from Iran can also be found in the country and numbers in the hundreds of thousands. People of Sephardic Jewish descent are also found in the country and probably number less than 200 since the creation of Israel.

Subdivisions - ''Main article: Subdivisions of Pakistan'', ''Districts of Pakistan''.Pakistan has 4 provinces, 2 territories, and also administers parts of Kashmir. The provinces are further subdivided into a total of 105 districts.Provinces:

Balochistan

North West Frontier Province, PakistanNorth-West Frontier Province

Punjab, PakistanPunjab

SindhTerritories:

Islamabad Capital Territory

Federally Administered Tribal Areas, PakistanFederally Administered Tribal Areas

Two provinces, NWFP and Balochistan, also have PATA (Provincially Administered Tribal Areas.) It is expected that these will be developed into regular districts.Pakistani-administered portions of Jammu and Kashmir region:

Azad Kashmir (''Azad'' means "free" or "independent" in Urdu)

Northern Areas, PakistanNorthern Areas

Society and Culture - ''Main article: Culture of Pakistan''Because of Pakistan's geography, it inherits a rich and unique culture, and has actively preserved its established traditions throughout history. Prior to the Islamic invasion many Punjabis and Sindhis were Hindu and Buddhist, but all that changed during the Islamic conquest of what is today Pakistan by the Syrian general Muhammad bin Qasim and later by Mahmud of Ghazni. Many cultural practices, foods and monuments, shrines, have been inherited from the rule of Muslim Mughal and Afghan emperors. The Pakistani national dress, Shalwar Kameez is one of the clothing styles inherited from these rich cultural roots.Pakistani society is largely multilingual and multicultural. Religious practices of various faiths are an integral part of everyday life in society. Education is highly regarded by members of every socio-economic stratum. Traditional family values are highly respected and considered sacred, although urban families have grown into a nuclear family system, owing to the socio-economic constraints imposed by the traditional joint family system. The past few decades have seen emergence of a middle class in cities such as Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Hyderabad, PakistanHyderabad, Faisalabad, Sukkur, Peshawar, Gujrat, Abbottabad, Multan, etc. The Northwestern part of Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan, is highly conservative and dominated by centuries-old regional Tribal Areas of Pakistantribal customs.

Roots - The modern nation of Pakistan has inherited a very rich cultural and traditional background going back to the Indus Valley Civilization, 2800 BC–1800 BC. The region that is now Pakistan has in the past been invaded and occupied by many different peoples, including Elamo-Dravidians, Aryans, Greeks, White Huns, Persians, Scythians, Arabs, Turks, Afghans, Mongols and various Eurasian groups. There are differences in culture among the different ethnic groups in matters such as dress, food, and religion, especially where pre-Islamic customs differ from Islamic practices. pre-Islamic practices are being eroded as time goes by.

Film, Television & Music - Traditionally, the government-owned Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) has been the dominant media player in Pakistan. However the past decade has seen the emergence of several private TV channels (news , entertainment) such as the INDUS TV, GEO TV, ARY, AAJ channels etc. Traditionally the bulk of TV shows have been plays or soap operas---some of them critically acclaimed. Various American, European, Asian TV channels and movies are available to a majority of the population via Cable TV.Pakistani music is represented by a wide variety of forms. It ranges from traditional styles (such as Qawwali) to more modern forms that try to fuse traditional Music of PakistanPakistani music with western music. The Qawwali maestro, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, whos family hailed from Afghanistan, is internationally renowned for creating a form of music which synchronized Qawwali with western music. Popular forms of music also prevail, the most notable being Film music. In addition to this are the diverse traditions of folk music. The emergence of Afghan refugees in the frontier provinces has also rekindled Pashto & Persian music in Pakistan. Peshawar has become a hub of Afghan musicians, and a distribution center for Afghan Music abroad. Afghan singers have become famous throughout the Frontier and some have even married within the local population strengthening the ethnic kinship of the Afghans on both sides of the Durand line.An indigenous movie industry exists in Pakistan, and is known as Lollywood as it is based in Lahore, currently producing over 40 feature-length films a year. There was a time when Lollywood was churning out as many as 120 films a year. The Pashto film industry based in Peshawar still produces over 50 films a year. However, much of the population also views movies made in Bollywood from India, simply due to the larger variety of films.

Globalization - Increasing globalization has increased the influence of "Western culture" in Pakistan. Pakistan ranks 46th in the world on the foreignpolicy.com - Kearney/FP Globalization index. Many Western restaurant_chainrestaurant chains have established themselves in Pakistan, and are found in the major cities. , NWFP, Pakistan.]] A large Pakistani diaspora exists in the West. Whereas Pakistanis in the United States, Canada and Australia tend to be professionals, the majority of them in the United Kingdom, Germany and the Scandinavian nations comes from a rural background and belongs to the working class. Pakistan has more expatriates than any other Muslim country, with a large number of expatriates living in the Middle East. Pakistani emigrants and their children influence Pakistan culturally and economically, keeping close ties with their roots by travelling to Pakistan and especially by returning or investing there.

Sports - The most popular sport in Pakistan is cricket. Pakistan has produced several of the best batsmen and bowlers in the world, including Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Javed Miandad and Inzamam-ul-Haq. Almost every district and neighborhood in Pakistan has its cricket team and most people start playing from a young age. Pakistan has won some international cricket events, including the Cricket World CupWorld Cup in 1992.Other popular participatory and spectator sports in Pakistan include:

Field HockeyField Hockey. Pakistan men's team has won three gold medals at the Olympics and lifted the Hockey World Cup four times. It has also won the most number number of Asian GamesAsian gold medals and is the only Asian team to have won the prestigious Champions Trophy. It has been consistently ranked amongst the top 5 teams in the world.

Polo, which is believed to have originated in Central Asia, and continues to be an important sport there with several large annual competitions. The Shandur Polo Tournament, played at the world's highest pologround, is one of the biggest tourist draws to Chitral and Gilgit in Northern Pakistan.

Squash (sport)Squash. Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan are considered to be two of the greatest squash players of all time. Pakistan has won the squash World Open 17 times, the highest by any nation.

SoccerFootball (Soccer) is played mostly on a local level, primarily in Baluchistan and Afghan Frontier Provinces. Those areas provide most of the players on the national team.

Tennis. Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi recently defeated Paradorn Srichapan of Thailand to win the Asia-Oceana Zone 1 section of the Davis Cup.

Formula One motor racing, National Basketball AssociationNBA basketball, rugby footballrugby, table tennis, chess, Kabaddi and badminton.

Mercantile Culture - Pakistan's service sector accounts for 53% of the country's Gross domestic productGDP. Wholesale and retail trade is 30% of this sector. Shopping is a popular pastime for many Pakistanis, especially among the well-to-do and the thirty-million strong middle class. Karachi city is especially known for the great contrast in shopping experiences - from burgeoning bazaars to modern multi-story shopping malls.

See also -

Languages of Pakistan

Music of Pakistan

Pakistani Cuisine

Pakistani Literature

Transportation in Pakistan

Holidays in Pakistan

Supreme Court of Pakistan

List of Universities in Pakistan

List of Cities in Pakistan

List of Hospitals in Pakistan

List of Political Parties in Pakistan

List of Motorways/Highways of Pakistan

List of People on Stamps of Pakistan

List of Schools in Pakistan

List of Pakistanis

Military of Pakistan

* Pakistan Air Force

* Inter-Services Intelligence

Timeline of Pakistani Popular Culture

2004 in Pakistan

:Category:Pakistani People

:Category:Government of Pakistan

Communications in Pakistan

Foreign Relations of Pakistan

Islam in Pakistan

Gurdwaras in Pakistan - Pakistan has some of the most important Sikh historical temples on its soil.

Indo-Pakistani Wars

Kashmir

Karachi

Islamabad

References -

ccc.nps.navy.mil - Strategic Insights, Volume III, Issue 10 (October 2004)

amazon.com - Pakistan: Founders' Aspirations and Today's Realities

amazon.com - The State, Religion, and Ethnic Politics in Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan

questia.com - Statehood in South Asia

amazon.com - Musharaff's Administration and Pakistan's Economy, Contemporary Review, March 2005

minorityrights.org - Religious Minorities in Pakistan

!predidentofpakistan.gov.pk - General Pervez Musharraf-President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan

amazon.com - Jinnah of Pakistan

newyorker.com - The New Yorker: Letter from Pakistan-The Pashtun Code, Issue 2001-12-03

amazon.com - Hammond Greater Middle East Region: Including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Libya, and Turkey

amazon.com - A history of Christianity in Pakistan up to the 10 century

amazon.com - Insight Guides: Pakistan

amazon.com - State and Ideology in the Middle East and Pakistan

pakhistory.com - Pak History: Historical Facts on Pakistan and South Asia

External links - CommonsCategory:Pakistan

Facts about Pakistan -

pakistan.saarctourism.org - Information about Pakistan

cia.gov - CIA Factbook information

instecdigital.com - Facts about Pakistan

nicepakistan.com - Basic facts on Pakistan

worldfacts.us - World facts page on Pakistan

History -

brain.net.pk - History of Pakistan Movement

geocities.com - History of Pakistan

storyofpakistan.com - Story of Pakistan

worldisround.com - Worldisround

maps.unomaha.edu - Picture Page on Pakistan

Economic and demographic data -

devdata.worldbank.org - World Bank Facts and Figures

pakistanibusiness.com - Pakistani Business

Pakistani Government Links -

pakistan.gov.pk - The Official Web Gateway to the Government of Pakistan

embassyofpakistan.org - Embassy of Pakistan in Washington, DC

infopak.gov.pk - Government of Pakistan

!presidentofpakistan.gov.pk - Official Website of the President of Pakistan (Pervez Musharraf)

Tourism in Pakistan -

tourism.gov.pk - Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation

tripadvisor.com - Pakistan Tourism

atp.com.pk - Northern Mountains Tourism in Pakistan

Collections of images of Pakistan -

flickr.com - Flikr. Many images reusable under a Creative Commons license.]

pakistanpics.com - Pakistan Photos and Picture gallery

streetphotos.net - Streetphotos.net: everyday photographs from all around Pakistan, and a weblog focusing on perceptions of Pakistan

worldisround.com - Worldisround

maps.unomaha.edu - Picture Page on Pakistan

Pakistani Leading Educational Institutions -

pu.edu.pk - University of the Punjab,Lahore

pucit.edu.pk - PUCIT-Punjab University College of information Technology,University of the Punjab,Lahore

nu.edu.pk - NUCES-FAST - National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences, Islamabad

fui.edu.pk - FUI - Foundation University, Islamabad

giki.edu.pk - GIKI - Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences & Technology, Topi

iba.edu.pk - IBA - Institute of Business Administration, Karachi

icap.org.pk - ICAP - Institute Of Chartered Accountants Of Pakistan

icmap.com.pk - ICMAP - Institute Of Cost & Management Accountants Of Pakistan

ku.edu.pk - KU - University Of Karachi

lums.edu.pk - LUMS - Lahore University of Management Sciences

mcjhelum.cjb.net - MCJ - Military College Jhelum , Sara-i-Alamgir

nca.edu.pk - NCA - National College of Arts,Lahore

nust.edu.pk - NUST - National University of Science & Technology

uet.edu.pk - UET - University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore

fuuastisb.edu.pk - FUUAST - Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology, Islamabad

uettaxila.edu.pk - UET - University of Engineering and Technology, Taxila

neduet.edu.pk - NEDUET - NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi

Pakistani IT industry -

pasha.org.pk - Pakistan Software Houses Association

fossfp.org - FOSSFP: Free and Open Source Software Foundation of Pakistan

pseb.org.pk - Pakistan Software Export Board

osrc.org.pk - Open Source Resource Centre

pakistanibusiness.com - Software Houses in Pakistan

aiou.edu.pk - Allama Iqbal Open University

Pakistani Publications & News -

English-language -

brecorder.com - ''Business Recorder: Financial Daily''

dailytimes.com.pk - ''Daily Times''

dawn.com - ''Dawn'' Newspaper

dawn.com - ''Herald'' Monthly Magazine

frontierpost.com.pk - ''Frontier Post'' Newspaper

newsline.com.pk - ''Newsline'' Monthly Magazine

gwadarnews.com - 'Gwadar News'

paktribune.com - Pak Tribune

pakistanlink.com - Pakistan Link

apakistannews.com - Pakistan News

pakistantimes.net - Pakistan Times

pakpositive.com - ''Pakpositive'' Daily Pakistani News

thefridaytimes.com - ''The Friday Times'' Weekly Newspaper

jang.com.pk - ''The News International''

spider.tm - Spider - Pakistan's Internet Magazine

Urdu-language -

nawaiwaqt.com.pk.com - Daily Nawa-i-Waqt

jasarat.com - Jasarat Interactive

ummat.com.pk - Daily Ummat Karachi

glosci.net - Global Science: Pakistan's Leading Science magazine

jang-group.com - Daily Jang

Entertainment -

Pakistani TV channels -

aag.tv - AAG TV - 24 Hour Pakistani Music Channel

aaj.tv - AAJ TV - Infotainment Television

apna.tv - APNA - Punjabi Infotainment Television

aryoneworld.tv - ARYONE World - 24 Hour Urdu/English News Channel

arydigital.tv - ARY Digital Pakistan

arydigital.tv - ARY Digital USA

arydigital.tv - ARY Digital Europe

atv.com.pk - ATV - Aik Dunya Nayee

ptv.com.pk - AJK TV - National Kashmiri Television

avtkhyber.com - AVT Khyber - National Pushto Channel

businessplus.tv - BUSINESSPlus TV - 24 Hour Business News Channel

cartoonnetwork.com - Cartoon Network Pakistan - 24 Hour Children Programming

cnbcpakistan.com - CNBC Pakistan - Profit From It

indus.tv - Channel G - 24 Hour Punjabi Music Channel

filmazia.com - FILMAZIA - Lollywood Film Channel

geo.tv - GEO TV - Har Pal Geo!

hbosouthasia.com - HBO Pakistan - 24 Hour Hollywood Flics

hum.tv - HUM TV - Hum Sub Kay Liay

indusmusic.tv - INDUS Music - 24 Hour Pakistani Music Channel (Affiliated with MTV)

indus.tv - INDUS Vision - Your Drama Channel

indus.tv - INDUS Plus - Hur Lamha Aap Ke Saath!

indus.tv - INDUS News - 24 Hours Round The Clock News

indus.tv - INDUS USA - For North American Viewers

indus.tv - INDUS Europe - For European Viewers

lyngsat.com - KTN - National Sindhi Channel

mashriq.tv - Mashriq TV - National Urdu Channel

ptv.com.pk - PTV National - Official Domestic State Television

ptv.com.pk - PTV World - Official International State Television

ptv.com.pk - PTV Bolan - National Balochi Channel

ptv.com.pk - PTV Channel 1

ptv.com.pk - PTV Channel 3

ptv-prime.tv - PTV Prime Europe

ptvprimeusa.tv - PTV Prime USA

arydigital.tv - QTV - 24 Hour Islamic Religous Channel

rung.tv - Rung TV

thesindh.tv - Sindh TV - Sindhi Language Television

themusik.tv - The Musik - 24 Hour Pakistani Music Channel

http: - TVOne - The ONE To Watch

arydigital.tv - City Channel Karachi - Karachi Metro Channel

lyngsat.com - UNI Plus - Pakistani Urdu Channel

vu.edu.pk - Virtual TV1 - Online Educational Channel

vu.edu.pk - Virtual TV2 - Online Educational Channel

lyngsat.com - nVIBE - Pakistan's Newest 24 Hour Music Channel

vectone.tv - Vectone - UK Based Urdu Channel

Sun Biz TV

Ravi TV

indus.tv - Urdu Music Videos from IM of Pakistan

Pakistani Film Festivals -

karafilmfest.com - KaraFilm Festival - Karachi International Film Festival

Radio - Karachi, Sindh

radio.gov.pk - Radio Pakistan AM828 Karachi

cityfm89.com - City FM89 Karachi

radioactive.fm - RadioActive FM96 Karachi

fm100pakistan.com - FM100 Karachi

fm101.com.pk - FM101 Karachi

fm101.com.pk - APNA Radio FM107 KarachiLahore, Punjab

radio.gov.pk - Radio Pakistan AM1080 Lahore

cityfm89.com - City FM89 Lahore

fm100pakistan.com - FM100 Lahore

fm101.com.pk - FM101 Lahore

fm104.com.pk - MAST FM104 LahoreIslamabad, Capital Territory / Rawalpindi, Punjab

radio.gov.pk - Radio Pakistan AM585 Islamabad

radio.gov.pk - Radio Pakistan AM1260 Rawalpindi

cityfm89.com - City FM89 Islamabad/Rawalpindi

fm100pakistan.com - FM100 Islamabad/Rawalpindi

fm101.com.pk - FM101 Islamabad/RawalpindiPeshawar, Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP)

fm107.upesh.edu.pk - UPesh Radio FM107 Peshawar

radioburaq.com - Radio Buraq FM104 PeshawarOther Cities

radio.gov.pk - Radio Pakistan AM756 Quetta, Balochistan

radioburaq.com - Radio Buraq FM104 Mardan, NWFP

radioburaq.com - Radio Buraq FM104 Sialkot, Punjab

cityfm89.com - City FM 89 Faisalabad (Lyallpur), Punjab

awaz105.com - AWAZ Radio FM105 Gujrat, Punjab

Maps of major cities -

itspakistan.net - Maps of Pakistan

Other external links -

Pakistan.WikiCities.com - WikiPakistan, a WikiCity about Pakistan

hyderabadplus.com - HyderabadPlus.com, Biggest Portal For Hyderabad

!KarachiDiaries.BlogsPK.com: - Musings on the happenings of the largest city Pakistan i.e. Karachi.

wildlifeofpakistan.com - Wildlife Of Pakistan

!forums.DevelopPakistan.org - Discuss issues related to development in Pakistan

DevelopPakistan.org - Association for the Development of Pakistan

thepakistan.info - Pakistan Information

highbeam.com - Columbia Encyclopedia !(6^{th</sup> ;? Edition) - Pakistan Article}

acronymfinder.com - The word Pakistan is also an acronym

maps.google.com - Satellite image of Pakistan and surrounding countries from Google Maps

mapquest.com - Strategic image of Pakistan and surrounding countries from Mapquest

asp.usatoday.com - Weather of Pakistani cities from USA TodaySubdivisions_of_Pakistan South_Asia Category:Members of the Commonwealth of NationsCategory:South Asian !countriesCategory:Pakistan Category:Geographic !portmanteausCategory:Commonwea lth? of NationsCategory:SAARC !membersar:باكستانan:Pak istánast:Paquistánbg:Пак� �станzh-min-nan:Pakistanbn :পাকিস্তানca :Pakistancv:Пакистанcs :Pákistáncy:Pakistanda:Pakis tande:Pakistanet:Pakistanel:Π ακιστάνes:Pakistáneo:P akistanoeu:Pakistanfa:پاکس تانfr:Pakistangd:Pacastangl :Paquistán? - !پاکستانgu:પાકિ� ��્તાનko:파키스탄h i:पाकिस्तानh r:Pakistanio:Pakistanid:Pakist anis:Pakistanit:Pakistanhe:פ� �יסטןka:პაკისტ ანიlt:Pakistanasli:Pakis tanhu:Pakisztánms:Pakistannl: Pakistannds:Pakistanja:パキ� ��タンno:Pakistannn:Pakistan os:Пакистанpl:Pakistan pt:Paquistãoro:Pakistanru:П� �кистанsq:Pakistaniscn:P akistansimple:Pakistansk:Pakis tansl:Pakistansr:Пакист� �нfi:Pakistansv:Pakistanta:� �ாகிஸ்தான்te :పాకిస్తాన� �th:ประเทศปา� �ีสถานtl:Pakistanvi: Pakistantr:Pakistanur:پاکس تانzh:巴基斯坦

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