Pakistan

Islamic Republic

Officially known as the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a vibrant country rich in culture, history, and natural beauty. Located in South Asia, it is bordered by India, Afghanistan, Iran, and China, with a coastline along the Arabian Sea. Pakistan was founded on 14th August 1947, when it gained independence from British rule. Since then, it has grown into a nation of resilience, unity, and progress.

A Glimpse into History
The history is deeply rooted in ancient civilizations. From the Indus Valley Civilization — one of the world’s earliest urban cultures — to the arrival of Islam in the 8th century, and the struggle for independence led by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Pakistan’s journey is one of courage and identity.

The history of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan began on 14 August 1947 when the country came into being in the form of the Dominion within the British Commonwealth as the result of the Pakistan Movement and the partition of India. While the history of the nation according to the Pakistan government’s official chronology started with the Islamic rule over Indian subcontinent by Muhammad ibn al-Qasim which reached its zenith during Mughal era.

In 1947 The President of All-India Muslim League and later the Pakistan Muslim League, Muhammad Ali Jinnah became Governor-General while the secretary general of the Muslim League, Liaquat Ali Khan became Prime Minister. The constitution of 1956 made Islamic democratic country. Pakistan faced a civil war and Indian military intervention in 1971 resulting in the secession of East Pakistan as the new country of Bangladesh. The country has also unresolved territorial disputes with India, resulting in four conflicts. Pakistan was closely tied to the United States in the Cold War.

In the Afghan–Soviet War, it supported the Afghan mujahideen and played a vital role in the defeat of Soviet Forces and forced them to withdraw from Afghanistan. The country continues to face challenging problems including terrorism, poverty, illiteracy, corruption and political instability. Terrorism due to war on terror damaged the country’s economy and infrastructure to a great extent from 2001 to 2009 but Pakistan is once again developing.

Pakistan is a nuclear power as well as a declared nuclear-weapon state, having conducted six nuclear tests in response to five nuclear tests of their rival Republic of India in May 1998. The first five tests were conducted on 28 May and the sixth one on 30 May. With this status, seventh in world, second in South Asia and the only country in the Islamic World. Also has the sixth-largest standing armed forces in the world and is spending a major amount of its budget on defense.

Pakistan is the founding member of the OIC, the SAARC and the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition as well as a member of many international organizations including the UN, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Commonwealth of Nations, the ARF, the Economic Cooperation Organization and many more.

Pakistan is a middle power which is ranked among the emerging and growth-leading economies of the world and is backed by one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing middle class. It has a semi-industrialized economy with a well-integrated agriculture sector. It is identified as one of the Next Eleven, a group of eleven countries that, along with the BRICs, have a high potential to become the world’s largest economies in the 21st century.

Although Pakistan faced a severe economic crisis from 2022 to 2024, geographically is an important country and a source of contact between Middle East, Central Asia, South Asia and East Asia.

On 14 August 1947 (27th of Ramadan in 1366 of the Islamic Calendar) gained independence. India gained independence the following day. Two of the provinces of British India, Punjab and Bengal, were divided along religious lines by the Radcliffe Commission. Lord Mountbatten is alleged to have influenced the Radcliffe Commission to draw the lines in India’s favour.

Punjab’s mostly Muslim western part went to Pakistan and its mostly Hindu and Sikh eastern part went to India, but there were significant Muslim minorities in Punjab’s eastern section and light Hindus and Sikhs minorities living in Punjab’s western areas.

There was no conception that population transfers would be necessary because of the partitioning. Religious minorities were expected to stay put in the states they found themselves residing in. However, an exception was made for Punjab which did not apply to other provinces. Intense communal rioting in the Punjab forced the governments of India and Pakistan to agree to a forced population exchange of Muslim and Hindu/Sikh minorities living in Punjab.

After this population exchange only a few thousand low-caste Hindus remained in Pakistani Punjab and only a tiny Muslim population remained in the town of Malerkotla in India’s part of Punjab. Political scientist Ishtiaq Ahmed says that although Muslims started the violence in Punjab, by the end of 1947 more Muslims had been killed by Hindus and Sikhs in East Punjab than the number of Hindus and Sikhs who had been killed by Muslims in West Punjab. Nehru wrote to Gandhi on 22 August that up to then, twice as many Muslims had been killed in East Punjab than Hindus and Sikhs in West Punjab.

Provinces:
Pakistan comprises four provinces, each with its unique culture, language, and traditions:

Punjab – Known for its fertile lands and vibrant culture. Lahore, its capital, is famous for history, food, and architecture.
Sindh – Home to Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city and financial hub. Rich in Sindhi culture and the great Indus River.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) – Famous for its mountainous landscapes and hospitality. Capital: Peshawar.
Balochistan – The largest province by area, rich in minerals and scenic beauty. Capital: Quetta.

Additionally, Islamabad Capital Territory, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu & Kashmir are also important regions under Pakistan’s administrative control.

Cities of Pakistan
Pakistan has over 100 cities, each contributing to the country’s identity. Some major cities include:

Karachi – The economic backbone and port city.
Lahore – Cultural and historical heart of Pakistan.
Islamabad – The modern capital, known for its planning and beauty.
Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Quetta, Multan, Faisalabad, Sialkot, and Gujranwala – Each known for unique traditions and economic contributions.