About Pakistan

Pakistan (پاکِستان‬‎ ) also known as Islamic Republic of Pakistan (اِسلامی جمہوریہ پاکِستان‬) is the country of South Asia which is the sixth most populated country in the world, The total population of Pakistan is 212,742,631 according to 2018 calculation. The total area of Pakistan is 881,913 square kilometers (340,509 square miles). Pakistan is bordered with India to east, Afghanistan to the west, Iran to the southwest, and from far northeast it is attached with China, from south Pakistan has 1046 kilometer (650 miles) of area which is connected with Arabia Sea and Gulf of Oman.

Pakistan is known as a semi-industrialized economy country and a well-integrated agriculture sector. It is also declared as a nuclear-weapons state. It is ranked in an emerging and growing leading economies in the world. Pakistan is also a member of OIC, SAARC, UN, Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition, Commonwealth of Nations and Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Official languages

  • Urdu
  • English

Regional languages

  • Punjabi (39%)
  • Pashto (18%)
  • Sindhi (15%)
  • Saraiki (12%)
  • Balochi (3%)
  • Hindko (2%)
  • Pothwari (1%)
  • Brahui (1%)
  • Kashmiri (0.17%)
  • Balti
  • Burushaski
  • Dameli
  • Domaaki
  • Gawar-Bati
  • Kalasha
  • Khowar
  • Kohistani
  • Kutchi
  • Memoni
  • Shina
  • Wakhi
  • Yidgha

Ethnic groups (2020)

  • 44.7% Punjabis
  • 15.4% Pashtuns
  • 14.1% Sindhis
  • 8.4% Saraikis
  • 7.6% Muhajirs
  • 3.6% Balochs
  • 6.3% Others

Religion (2024)

  • 96.47%
  • Islam (official)
  • 2.14% Hinduism
  • 1.27% Christianity
  • 0.09% Ahmadiyya
  • 0.02% Others

Demonym(s)

Pakistani

Government

Federal Islamic parliamentary republic

President

Asif Ali Zardari

Prime Minister

Shehbaz Sharif

Chairman of the Senate

Sadiq Sanjrani

Speaker of the National Assembly

Raja Pervaiz Ashraf

Chief Justice

Umar Ata Bandial

Legislature

Parliament

Upper house

Senate

Lower house

National Assembly

Independence from the United Kingdom

  • Dominion 14 August 1947
  • Islamic republic 23 March 1956
  • Last polity withdrawn 12 January 1972
  • Current constitution 14 August 1973

Area

  • Total881,913 km2 (340,509 sq mi) (33rd)
  • Water2.86

Population

  • 2022 estimate242,923,845(5th)
  • 2017 census207.8 million

GDP (PPP) 2022 estimate

  • Total$1.468 trillion (24th)
  • Per capita$6,470

GDP (nominal) 2021 estimate

  • Total$347(44th)
  • Per capita$1,562 (178th)

Gini (2018)

  • 31.6 medium

HDI (2019)

0.557 medium 154th

Currency

Pakistani rupee (₨) (PKR)

Time zone

UTC+05:00 (PKT)

DST is not observed

 

Date format

dd-mm-yyyy

Driving side

Left

Calling code

+92

ISO 3166 code

PK

Internet TLD

.pk

Role in Islam

The idea of Pakistan was revised from the big support of Indian Muslims, especially who lived I the provinces of British India. The Pakistan was articulated as an Islamic State by the Pakistan’s Muslim leader Jinnah and some Ulama such as Maulana Shabbir Ahmad Usmani who is known as the greatest Muslim after the Aurangzeb. Muslim League leader Chaudhry Khaliquzzaman said that Pakistan is only truly become an Islamic country after united all the believers of Islam in one unit. In 1970s, the Pakistan became an international organization of Muslim counters when Organization Of Islamic Conference (OIC) was formed.

After the Pakistan’s first general election in 1973, the Constitution declared Pakistan as an Islamic Republic country and Islam is the religion in state. It is also stated that all the laws and rules to be followed in Pakistan according to the Quran and Sunnah. According to the survey of PEW The Pakistanis support and follow the Sharia as their official law in the land. It also found that Pakistan identifies itself with the religion Islam more than its nationality.

Military

Pakistan Armed Force is the eighth largest force in the world, when it comes to spend full time service, about 617,000 personnel on duty and 513,000 reservists. The chain of command of military I controlled under the Joint Chief of Staff Committee, and branches joint works, joint missions, co-ordination and military logistic works under Joint Staff HQ. It composed the Air Force, Navy Force, and Army Force.

The Turkey, United States and China maintain themselves the military relations and exportation of equipment and technology transfer to Pakistan. Pakistan military has been engaged in North-West Pakistan war and also against to the homegrown Taliban factions since 2004. The major operation taken placed by Pakistan Military are Operation Rah-e-Nijat, Black Thunderstorm and Operation Zarb-e-Azb.

Relation with China

Pakistan is known as the first country who established formal diplomatic relation with People’s Republic Of China and it continuous as a warm relation since a war of China-India in 1962. Pakistan formed a special relation with China during 1960s to 1980s when Pakistan helped China in reaching to the World’s major countries and also helped facilitate US President Nixon’s state visit to China.

China policy always continues in Pakistan as a dominant factor all the time. China is also known as a Pakistan’s economic largest trading partner. China also invested in Pakistan’s infrastructural expansion like Deep-water port in Gawadar. Their relationship touched a new heights when they signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and 51 agreements. In 2000s, both the countries singed the Free Trade Agreement and in 2016 China announced that they will set up an anti-terrorism alliance with Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Pakistan.

Culture

Culture of Pakistan comprises numerous groups such as the Punjabis, Sindhis, Muhajirs, Saraikis, Baloch, Hazaras, Pashtuns and more. They all have different culture and society.

There are so much difference in their cultures such as their dresses, foods and functions. Shalwar Kameez is a national dress of Pakistan which is worn by all ethnic groups. Truck Art is also a very distinctive feature of culture of Pakistanis. Pakistan is a country full of with colors, activities and functions. The main cultural events celebrated by Pakistanis as a Muslim are Eid-Ul-Fitr, Eid-Ul-Azha, Ramadan Kareem and more. Basant is also a very famous event in Pakistani culture.

History

The history of Pakistan is associated with the Classical India, British India, Ancient India and Medieval India. The trade routes of Pakistan traverse the Indus Valley that links with the Indian subcontinent, Central Asia and Orient which always attract people of Mongolia and Greece. The Pakistan independence movement began in the early of 20th century to create a separate nation for Muslim called Pakistan. One the day of 14 August 1947, British declared the Pakistan as an Islamic Pakistan and in 1971, the Pakistan’s province of East Pakistan separated from Pakistan in a war and formed as a separate nation called Bangladesh.