National Assets

Did you know?

Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, has a 1,046 kilometre (650 mile) coastline along the Arabian Sea and Gulf of Oman in the south, and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and the People's Republic of China in the far northeast. Tajikistan also lies very close to Pakistan but is separated by the narrow Wakhan Corridor. Thus, it occupies a crossroads between South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. The region forming modern Pakistan was at the heart of the ancient Indus Valley Civilisation and then later was the recipient of Vedic, Persian, Indo-Greek, Turco-Mongol, Islamic and Sikh cultures. The area has witnessed invasions and/or settlements by the Indo-Aryans, Persians, Greeks, Arabs, Turks, Afghans, Mongols and the British.

The British granted independence and also the creation of the Muslim majority state of Pakistan that comprised the provinces of Sindh, North-West Frontier Province, West Punjab, Balochistan and East Bengal. With the adoption of its constitution in 1956, Pakistan became an Islamic republic. In 1971, a civil war in East Pakistan resulted in the creation of Bangladesh. It is also the sixth most populous country in the world and has the second largest Muslim population in the world after Indonesia. Pakistan has the second largest Shia Muslim population in the world. It is the world's only Muslim-majority nuclear state. Pakistan is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, Next Eleven economies and the D8.

The name Pakistan means Land of (the) Pure in Urdu and Persian (Farsi). It was coined in 1934 as Pakstan by Choudhary Rahmat Ali, who published it in his pamphlet Now or Never. The name is a portmanteau representing the "thirty million Muslims of PAKISTAN, who live in the five Northern Units of British Raj — Punjab, Afghania (now known as North-West Frontier Province), Kashmir, Sindh, and Balochistan."

Urdu is Pakistan's national language and has been promoted as a token of national unity. More than 95% of Pakistanis can speak or understand Urdu as their second or third language in many cases, though only about 8% of the population of Pakistan has Urdu as its mother tongue. English is Official Language. In addition there are five major provincial languages: Punjabi, Pashto, Saraiki, Sindhi, Kashmiri and Balochi. These and almost all of the other languages spoken in Pakistan belong to the Indo-Iranic language group. Some have a speaking population of hundreds of thousands, while others have only a few thousand or a few hundred speakers. There are approximately 64 languages are spoken throughout the country.

Did you know?

In August 2004, Pakistan unfurled a 340x510 (173,400 square foot) foot National flag. The country held the record for producing the world's largest flag. It was rolled out in National Stadium Karachi in 2004.

The national flag of Pakistan was designed by Syed Amir-uddin Kedwaii and was based on the original flag of the Muslim League, which itself drew inspiration from the flag of the Mughal Empire in India. It was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on August 11, 1947, just days before independence. The flag is referred to in the national anthem as Parcham-e-Sitāra-o-Hilāl in Urdu (Flag of the Crescent and Star). The flag comprises a dark green field, representing the Muslim majority of Pakistan, with a vertical white stripe in the hoist, representing religious minorities. In the center is a white crescent moon and a white five-pointed star, which symbolize progress and light respectively. The flag symbolizes Pakistan's commitment to Islam, the Islamic world, and the rights of religious minorities. The green and white together stand for peace and prosperity. The crescent symbolizes progress, and the star represents light and knowledge.

The Interior Ministry of Pakistan provides dimensions for flags in different circumstances:

For ceremonial occasions. 21' x 14', 18' x 12', 10' x 6-2/3' or 9' x 6 1/4.

For use over buildings. 6' x 4' or 3' x 2'.

For cars 12" x 8".

For tables 10 1/4" x 8 1/4".

Flag flying days are as follows:

March 23 (Full-mast)

Adoption of the Lahore Resolution (1940) and declaration of the Islamic Republic (1956)

April 21 (Half-mast)

Anniversary of the death of the National Poet, Muhammad Iqbal (1938)

July 8 (Half-mast)

Anniversary of the death of the Mother of the Nation Fatima Jinnah (1967)

August 14 (Full-mast)

Independence Day (1947)

September 11 (Half-mast)

Anniversary of the death of the Father of the Nation Muhammad Ali Jinnah (1948)

October 16 (Half-mast)

Anniversary of the death of the first Prime Minister, Liaquat Ali Khan (1951)

December 25 (Full-mast)

Birthday of Muhammad Ali Jinnah (1876)

Any other day notified by the Government

The use of the national flag is regulated by the Pakistan Flag Rules, which were introduced in 2002 by Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali.

Did you know?

The State Emblem of Pakistan was adopted in 1954. The emblem's green colour and the star and crescent at the top are symbols of Islam, the religion with which most Pakistani citizens identify. In the center is a quartered shield, with each quarter containing a major crop of Pakistan at the time of its adoption: cotton, jute, tea, and wheat. The floral wreath around the shield is Poet's Jasmine (the national flower) and represents the Mughal cultural heritage of Pakistan. The scroll at the bottom contains the national motto in Urdu, coined by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, which reads from right to left: (ایمان ، اتحاد ، نظم) Iman, Ittehad, Nazm translated as "Faith, Unity, Discipline".

Did you know?

At independence, on August 14, 1947, Pakistan did not have a National Anthem. The flag itself had only been approved by the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan three days earlier. Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, asked Lahore-based Hindu writer, Jagannath Azad on August 9, 1947 to write a National Anthem for Pakistan in five days. The anthem written by Azad was quickly approved by Jinnah, and it was played on Radio Pakistan. When the flag was hoisted at the independence ceremony it was accompanied by the song, "Pakistan Zindabad, Azadi Paendabad". Azad's work remained as Pakistan’s National Anthem for approximately eighteen months and then the theme song had been named with "Flag Anthem" rather than National Anthem. Flag Anthem written by Azad was as follows:

اے سرزمین پاک - O land of Pakistan,

ذرے تیرے ہیں آج - Each particle of yours

ستاروں سے تابناک - Is more illuminated than stars.

روشن ہے کہکشاں سے کہیں - Today your dust

آج تیری خاک - Is brighter than the galaxy

The National Anthem of Pakisan is known as "Qaumi Tarana". The music composed by Chagla reflects his background in both eastern and western music. The lyrics are written in a highly Persianized form of Urdu. Every word in the entire anthem is a loanword from Persian except the word "ka" ( کا, "of" ). The anthem lasts for 1 minute and 20 seconds and uses twenty one musical instruments and thirty eight different tones. In early 1948, A. R. Ghani from Transvaal, South Africa, offered two prizes of five thousand rupees each for the poet and composer of a new national anthem. The prizes were announced through a Government press note published in June 1948. In December 1948, a National Anthem Committee (NAC) was formed, initially chaired by the Information Secretary, Sheikh Muhammad Ikram. Committee members included several politicians, poets and musicians such as Abdur Rab Nishtar, Ahmed Chagla and Hafeez Jullundhri. The committee had some difficulty at first in finding suitable music and lyrics.The music of the anthem was composed by Ahmed Ghulamali Chagla, with lyrics written by Abu-Al-Asar Hafeez Jullundhri. The three stanza composition was officially adopted in 1954. However, the music for the anthem had been composed in 1950 and had been used on several occasions before official adoption. Here is the timeline for National Anthem.

1949 - Musical composition by Ahmad G. Chagla (running time, 1 minute 20 seconds)

1952 - Verses written by Hafeez Jullundhri, selected from 723 entries

1954 - Released on Radio Pakistan on 13 August. Singers of the anthem were: Ahmad Rushdi, Shamim Bano, Kokab Jehan, Rasheeda Begum, Najam Ara, Naseema Shaheen, Zwar Hussain, Akhtar Abbas, Ghulam Dastgir, Anwar Zaheer and Akhtar Wassi.

Lowari Tunnel

Did you know?

The Lowari Tunnel is the longest tunnel of Pakistan and is 8.6 km (5.3 miles) long located in the NWFP province of Pakistan between Dir and Chitral District. It replaces the entitlement with Khojak Tunnel of being the longest tunnel of Pakistan.

The recently completed tunnel, which is cut through the Lowari Pass, was originally conceived in the 1970s. Work on the tunnel originally began in 1974. However, then-president Zia-ul-Haq stopped construction due to political reasons. In September 2005 work on the tunnel restarted. Construction vehicles transited the completed tunnel in January 2009, and it is expected to open to the public in early 2010 when work on access roads and a rail system, which is planned to convey vehicles through the tunnel, is completed. This mega-project is ranked 5th out of top 20 development projects currently underway.

A South Korean construction company, SAMBU, has been assigned the work on the tunnel. It is expected to be completed at a cost of Rs.8 billion ($133 million US). Currently the project is overseen by Mr. Salman Rashid, General Manager of National Highway Authority (NHA).

The tunnel will reportedly reduce the current 14-hour drive from Chitral to Peshawar by half. Moreover, people of Chitral have to travel from Afghanistan and then enter back in Pakistan during the winter season as Lowari top is closed for any traffic for most part of the year. Chitral remains virtually inaccessible in the winter, the tunnel will also facilitate all-weather transportation. Some Chitrali natives are concerned about the impact the potentially increased tourism will have on the region.

Khojak Tunnel

Did you know?

The Khojak Tunnel is one of the longest tunnels in South Asia, was fourth longest tunnel in the world at the time of built in 1891 and still the longest in Pakistan. It carries a railway track and it is 3.912 kilometres long located in Qilla Abdullah district of Balochistan province of Pakistan. It is located 1,945 meters above sea level.

The tunnel was constructed in 1891. It is expected to be surpassed by the 8.6 km Lowari Tunnel, currently under construction, in 2009. Landscape view of tunnel entrance was used as featured rear side background on the 5 Rupees bank-note.

Lansdowne Bridge

Did you know?

The Lansdowne Bridge was a railway bridge, a marvel of nineteenth century engineering, the 'longest "rigid" girder bridge in the world' at the time of its built in 1887. Built on the cantilever principle, the central span of 200 feet had to be floated into position. From the tower-centres the bridge measures 790 feet across. It was built to use the steam rail service in order to reduce ferry travel time across the Indus River between cities of Rohri and Sukkur. It is basically situated between Rohri and a small island Bukkur and then connects to Sukkur with small bridge named as Sukkur Bridge. It was designed by Sir Alexander Meadows Rendel, the girder work weighing a massive 3,300 tons was erected by F.E. Robertson, and Hecquet.

The construction of Lansdowne bridge claimed 6 lives. Four men fell from the dizzy heights and 2 were knocked out by falling tools on them. The cost of bridge was Rs 2,696,000 including Rs 276,000 that were spent on foundations only.

The Indus Valley State Railway had reached Sukkur in 1879 and the steam ferry which transported eight wagons at a time across the Indus was found to be cumbersome and time consuming. The ferry link between Rohri and Sukkur became redundant when Lord Reay Governor of Bombay. Detutizing for Lord Lansdowne, the viceroy, inaugurated the Bridge on March 25, 1889. The bridge was replaced with road traffic after railway was shifted to newly constructed bridge "Ayub Arch" in 1962.

Great Ayub Arch

Did you know?

The Ayub Arch is the adjacent railway bridge arch, approximately 100 feet apart to the Lansdowse Bridge of Rohri, Sindh, Pakistan. Ayub Arch became the world's third longest railway arch span and the first bridge in the world to have "the Railway desk slung on coiled wire rope suspenders" when completed in 1962. It was built as a replacement for the railway traffic to be shifted from Lansdowne Bridge connecting the historical cities of Rohri and Sukkur since 1889.

Dr. D.D. Steinman of New York, proponent of 'vocational aesthetics' designed this graceful bridge which cost about 20 million rupees. The foundation stone was laid on December 9, 1960; completely made of Steel and about a hundred feet apart, the two bridges seem like one from a distance after its completion in 1962. A tribute to Pakistani, American and British engineers, it was opened by President Muhammad Ayub Khan on May 6, 1962.

Moenjo Daro

Did you know?

Moenjo-daro (Mound of the Dead) was one of the largest city-settlements of the Indus Valley Civilization of south Asia situated in the province of Sindh, Pakistan. Built around 2600 BCE, the city was one of the early urban settlements in the world, existing at the same time as the civilizations of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Crete. The archaeological ruins of the city are designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is sometimes referred to as "An Ancient Indus Valley Metropolis".

Moenjo-daro was built around 2600 BCE and abandoned around 1900 BCE. Mohenjo Daro was created as a very well planned out city, its original purpose was to serve as a major trading spot and for farming. Mohenjo-daro in ancient times was most likely one of the administrative centers of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization.It was the most developed and advanced city in South Asia, and perhaps the world, during its peak. The planning and engineering showed the importance of the city to the people of the Indus valley. The Indus Valley Civilization (c. 3300–1700 BC, flowered 2600–1900 BC), abbreviated IVC, was an ancient riverine civilization that flourished in the Indus river valley in ancient India (now Pakistan and the present north-west India). Another name for this civilization is the "Harappan Civilization."At its peak, some archaeologists opine that the Indus Civilization may have had a population of well over five million.To date, over a thousand cities and settlements have been found, mainly in the Indus River valley in Pakistan and north-western India.

Being an agricultural city, it also featured a large well, and central marketplace. It also had a building with an underground furnace (hypocaust), possibly for heated bathing. Mohenjo-daro was a well fortified city. Lacking actual city walls, it did have towers to the west of the main settlement, and defensive fortifications to the south.

Mohenjo-daro was successively destroyed and rebuilt at least seven times. Each time, the new cities were built directly on top of the old ones. Flooding by the Indus is thought to have been the cause of destruction. The city was divided into two parts, the so-called Citadel and the Lower City. Most of the Lower City is yet to be uncovered, but the Citadel is known to have the public bath, a large residential structure designed to house 5,000 citizens and two large assembly halls.

Mohenjo-daro, Harappa and their civilization, vanished without trace from history until discovered in the 1920s. It was extensively excavated in the 1920s, but no in-depth excavations have been carried out since the 1960s.

Tarbela Dam

Did you know?

Tarbela Dam has a reservoir size of some 95 sq mi (250 km2) makes it the largest earth filled dam in the world. The dam was completed in 1974 and was designed to store water from the Indus River for irrigation and flood control, and for the generation of hydro-electric power.

The reservoir is 50 miles (80.5 km) long 100 square, miles (260 square kilometers) in area and has a gross storage capacity of 11.6 MAF (17.109 million cu. Meters) with a live storage capacity of 9.7 MAF (14,307 million cu. Meters). The total catchment area above Tarbela is spread over 65,000 sq. miles (168,000 sq. kilometers) which largely brings in snowmelt supplied in addition to some monsoon rains. Tarbela Dam is a large dam on the Indus River in Pakistan located in Haripur district of Hazara Division of North-West Frontier Province about 50 km (31 mi) northwest of Islamabad, at height of 485 ft (148 m) above the river bed.

On May 14, 1968, the World’s largest single contract for the construction of civil works at that time, the Tarbela Dam Project was signed at a price of RS.2,965,493,217 ($ 623 Million) between the Water and Power Development Authority of Pakistan and the Tarbela Dam Joint Venture which comprised a group of three Italian and three French heavy construction contractors. Later five German and two Swiss contractors also joined the group making up a consortium of thirteen European firms led by Italian firm namely Impregilo.

Its main spillway has a discharge capacity of 650,000 cusecs (18,406 cumecs) and auxiliary spillway 850,000 cusecs (24,070 cusecs). A group of 4 tunnels (each half a mile long), through the right abutment rock have been constructed for irrigation releases and power generation. During the construction operations, these tunnels were used initially for river diversion. Irrigation tunnel 5 situated on the left bank, for which NESPAK were the Project Consultants, was put into operation in April 1976.

A power station on the right bank near the toe of the main dam houses fourteen(14), power units, out of which 4 units, each with installed generating capacity of 175 MW are installed on tunnel 1, 6 units (NO.5 to 10), 175 MW each on tunnel NO.2 and 4 Units ( NO.11-14) of 432 MW each on Tunnel 3, thus making total generating capacity of Tarbela Power Station as 3478 MW.

Because the source of the Indus River is glacial meltwater from the Himalayas, the river carries huge amounts of sediment. The annual suspended sediment load is about 430 million tons per year. This means that, over time, the reservoir will fill. The useful life of the dam and reservoir was estimated to be somewhere around fifty years, since the dam's completion in 1976, meaning that the reservoir would have been full of sediment by 2030.

Sedimentation, however, has been much lower than predicted, and it is now estimated that the useful lifespan of the dam will be 85 years, to about 2060.

Faisal Mosque

Did you know?

The Faisal Mosque located in capital Islamabad (named after the late King Faisal bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia) is the largest Mosque in Pakistan & South Asia and the sixth largest Mosque in the world. Faisal Mosque is National Mosque of Pakistan completed in 1986 then was also an origin of International Islamic University, now serves as University's old campus. Fasial Mosque held position as the largest Mosque in the world from 1986 to 1993.

It has a covered area of 5,000 m2 (54,000 sq ft)and has a capacity to accommodate approximately 300,000 worshippers (100,000 in its main prayer hall, courtyard and porticoes and another 200,000 in its adjoining grounds). Faisal Mosque has the third largest capacity of accommodating worshippers in its adjoining grounds after the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) of Mecca, the Al-Masjid al-Nabawi (Prophet's Mosque) in Medina. Each of the Mosque's four minarets are 80 m (260 ft) high (the tallest minarets in South Asia) and measure 10 x 10 m in circumference.

The mosque's relatively unusual design fuses contemporary lines with the more traditional look of an Arab Bedouin's tent, with its large triangular prayer hall and four minarets. However, unlike traditional masjid design, it lacks a dome. The minarets borrow their design from Turkish tradition and are thin and pencil like. The interior of this prayer hall holds a very large chandelier and its walls are decorated with mosaics and calligraphy by the famous Pakistani artist Sadequain.

The mosque's architecture is a departure from the long history of South Asian Islamic architecture. It is one of the most outstanding and modern Islamic architecture examples in the world.

Jaglot View Point

Did you know?

Gasho Pahote village is a host village for "View Point" landmark, a junction point of three mountain ranges, the Karakoram, Himalayas and Hindu Kush. A nearly 15 feet higher surface platform made of mountain rocks makes a perfect view-point as center point of these world three tallest ranges of mountains. Standing on platform facing Hindu Kush, left hand side is Himalayas, on right hand side is the Karakoram. View Point was also featured in BBC Saira Khan's Pakistan Adventure documentary.

Gasho Pahote is one of the fifteen villages of Jaglot Town; however it is considered as a part of Jaglot due to its adjacent location. Jaglot is in Gilgit District Pakistan, situated 45km south of Gilgit on the Karakoram Highway (KKH). Jaglot is a fertile valley with rich natural resources and is one of the business hubs of the Gilgit-Baltistan (formely Northern Areas) due to the fact that all six districts have access through Jaglot. The town is also contains the largest oil, wheat and flour depots for the Gilgit-Baltistan. The population of Jaglot, including the suburbs, is approximately 27,000 comprising of three thousand houses and an education ratio of 33%.

The Battle of Chawinda

Did you know?

The Battle of Chawinda in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 was one of the largest tank battles since the Battle of Kursk in World War II. September 6, 1965 India attacked on Pakistan at Sialkot border with 80,000-150,000 infantry holding 708 tanks in an intention of seizing the Grand Trunk Road at Wazirabad. Pakistan defended with 30,000-80,000 infantry holding 600 tanks.

Pakistani forces repulsed Indian attacks on Chawinda. A large Indian assault on 18 September involving India's 1st Armoured and 6th Mountain Divisions was repelled, with the 1st Armoured Division being mauled and being taken out of action, while the 6th Indian mountain division lay disintegrated in front of the Pakistani defences. The Indians withdrew to a defensive position near their original bridgehead. The Pakistanis followed up by launching Operation Windup, which forced the Indians back across the international border for some part, though the coming of the ceasefire meant that the Indians still managed to retain substantial territory.

The Indian Army failed to achieve any of its stated objectives. Their main objective was to capture Sialkot and thus cut the main Grand Trunk Road, splitting Pakistan in two. In the process, they had seen their most powerful formations performing, but even with strategic surprise and a superiority in men and material, the Indian Army had been halted and pushed back for some part.

K2

Did you know?

K2 is the second-highest mountain on Earth (after Mount Everest) With a peak elevation of 8,611 metres (28,251 ft). K2 is part of the Karakoram range located on the border between Gilgit, in Gilgit-Baltistan of Pakistan and the Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County of Xinjiang, China. K2 is just 237 m (778 ft) smaller than the 8,848 m (29,029 ft) tall Mount Everest.

K2 is known as the Savage Mountain due to the difficulty of ascent and the 2nd highest fatality rate among the 'eight thousanders' for those who climb it. For every four people who have reached the summit, one has died trying. Unlike Annapurna, the mountain with the highest fatality rate, K2 has never been climbed in winter.

All major climbing routes lie on the Pakistani side, which is also where the base camp "Abruzzi Spur" is located. Base camp Abruzzi Spur was named after first attempted by Luigi Amedeo, Duke of the Abruzzi in 1909.

There are a number of routes on K2, of somewhat different character, but they all share some key difficulties of extreme high altitude, lack of oxygen, extreme storms of several days, the steep, exposed, and committing nature of all routes on the mountain.

Three hollywood movies have featured K2.

Vertical Limit, 2000

K2, 1992

Karakoram & Himalayas, 2007

Khewra Salt Mines

Did you know?

Khewra Salt Mines is the 2nd largest salt mine in the world & attracts approx. 40,000 visitors per year. The only oldest salt mines in South Asia was discovered by the horses of "Alexandar, The Great" and salt has been mined at Khewra since 320 BC in an underground area of about 110 sq. km.

Situated in the foothills of the Salt Range, Khewra salt mine has estimated total of 220 million tones of rock salt deposits. The current production from the mine is 325,000 tons salt per annum.

The mine-head buildings have 19 stories, with 11 below ground. Only 50% salt is extracted and 50% is left as pillers to keep the mountain. The salt-mine is 288 meters above sea level and extends around 730 meters inside the mountains from the mine-mouth. The cumulative length of all tunnels is more than 40 km. Visitors get guides for a walk tour of an hour or so through the visitors allowed storey of mines with all information and history of Khewra Salt Mines.

Salt occurs in a Pre-Cambrian deposit in the form of an irregular dome like structure. There are seven thick salt seams with a cumulative thickness of about 150 meters. At places the rock salt is 99% pure. Salt is transparent, white, pink, reddish to beef-color red. There are beautiful alternate bands of red and white color salt.

Salt-made attractions like Post office, cafe, cyber-cafe, mosque, salt-lake & Mirror-House (Sheesh Mahal) are the most prominent through the tunnel a visitor come across during their tour.