Portal:Pakistan

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THE PAKISTAN PORTAL

Shortcut: WP:PKWNB

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. Its strategic location at a crossroads of political and religious ideologies has kept it at the forefront of world events. Its culture and history have been enriched by the countless invaders, traders, and settlers who have been a part of the region’s past. The country borders India, Afghanistan, Iran (Persia), China and the Arabian Sea. With around 162 million inhabitants, it is the sixth most populous country, the second most populous Muslim-majority nation. It is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations and the OIC.

Pakistan became independent on 14 August 1947 as one of two successor states to British India. (The other successor state was the Union of India, which became the Republic of India in 1950.) Pakistan has a long history of settlement and civilisation that includes some of the most ancient cultures. The region was invaded by Mongols, Greeks, Persians, Arabs, and Turks before being invaded by the British Raj in the Eighteenth century. Following independence, Pakistan has seen the loss of East Pakistan in 1971, repeated military coups, widespread Islamic fundamentalism and significant military and economic growth, with the second-fastest growing economy amongst the ten most populous countries in the world in 2005 and the twenty-seventh largest economy in terms of purchasing power parity. Pakistan has the seventh largest armed forces in the world and is one of eight declared nuclear weapons states.

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Ghauri (Urdu: غوری) is a medium-range ballistic missile developed by Kahuta Research Laboratories (KRL) of Pakistan. The designation of Hatf-V is also used for Ghauri. The Ghauri-I has an optimum range of 1,500 km and can carry both a conventional and non-conventional payload. It is powered by a liquid propellant engine. Pakistan successfully carried out the test of the surface-to-surface Ghauri-I Missile with a range of 1500 km and a payload of 700 kg on April 6, 1998. This test represented a step forward in Pakistan's indigenous missile and satellite launch programme. Ghauri-II is a longer ranged variant of the Ghauri-I missile. It was developed by increasing the length of the motor assembly and using improved propellants. The Ghauri-II missile has a range of 2,300 km (1,429 miles). Ghauri-III with a range of 3500 km - 4000 km is under development. Ghauri-I was test launched on April 6, 1998 from Malute, near the city of Jhelum, about 76 miles south of the Capital Islamabad. It climbed to a height of 350 km before hitting its designated target in the desert of Balochistan. The reports state that the missile was flight tested to a distance of 1,100 km/682 miles. The test flight was carried out completely overland. No advance notice of the actual flight test was given by Pakistani authorities. Pakistani sources also report that the flight test lasted 9 minutes and 58 seconds. Ghauri-I missile weighes 16 tons and consists of 13 tons of fuel, 700 kg warhead and the remaining weight is of the casing and equipment. The missile can carry a nuclear, chemical, or anti-tank warhead. The Ghauri missile was test fired from a mobile launcher. (More...)

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The tomb of Shah Rukn-e-Alam (among the eminent Sufi saints from Multan, Pakistan) was built between 1320 and 1324, is an unmatched pre-Moghul masterpiece. The Mausoleum of Rukn-i-Alam could possibly be considered as the glory of Multan. From whichever side the city is approached, the most prominent thing that can be seen from miles all around is a huge dome. This dome is the Shrine of the saint. The tomb is located on the southwest side of the Fort premises. This elegant building is an octagon, 51 feet 9 inches in diameter internally, with walls 41 feet 4 inches high and 13 feet 3 inches thick, supported at the angles by sloping towers.

Photo credit: Zeeshan Javeed

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Did you know

... that Tajammul Hussain Malik headed an unsuccessful coup attempt against Pakistani dictator General Zia-ul-Haq in 1980? (22 September, 2009)

... that the Pakistan National Congress represented Hindus and other minorities and won 28 seats in the East Bengal Legislature in 1954? (17 September, 2009)

... that the Legal Framework Order, 1970, issued by Gen. Yahya Khan, set the rules for the first direct popular elections in the history of Pakistan? (14 September 2009)

... that in 1881 in the village of Bakhshali in northern Pakistan, the Bakhshali manuscript, the oldest surviving example of Indian mathematics, was discovered written on birch bark? (1 September, 2008)

... that the original images of Lord Swaminarayan at the Shri Swaminarayan Temple in Karachi, Pakistan were removed and taken to India during the turbulent times of its partition? (1 September, 2008)

... that Saudi Arabia promised to supply 50,000 barrels of free oil per day to help Pakistan if economic sanctions were imposed after its 1998 nuclear tests? (1 September, 2008)

... that Pakistani actress Veena Malik has emerged as one of the leading women on Pakistani television with her abilities in improvisational mimicry? (1 September, 2008)

... that in a major improvement in bilateral relations in 2008, Pakistan proposed sharing nuclear technology with Bangladesh? (31 August, 2008)

... that Abdur Rashid Kardar, a pioneer of the Pakistani film industry in Lahore, was a calligraphist who prepared posters for foreign-made films? (11 July 2008)

... that the Nigar Awards are the oldest awards of merit in the Pakistani film industry? (10 July 2008)

... that Syed Wajid Ali was the longest serving President of the Pakistan Olympic Association with a tenure of 26 years? (7 July 2008)

... that the 1948 film Teri Yaad was the first feature film to be released in Pakistan after the partition of India? (06 July 2008)

... that almost all Pakistani pop music videos were forbidden to air on local television after Zia-ul-Haq's military coup in 1977? (01 June 2008)

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Things you can do

Pakistan noticeboard

Layout: Pakistan noticeboard, Geography,
Peer review:
NPOV:
Wikify: Etiquette in Pakistan
Cleanup: Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad District, Pakistan
Merge:
Pakistan Politics: Allama Mashriqi
Expand: Ahmad Hasan Dani, Portal:Faisalabad, Portal:Sialkot
Stubs: Many

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Provinces and Territories

Provinces:

Balochistan and KPK also have Provincially Administered Tribal Areas(PATA) which are being developed into regular districts.

Territories:

Pakistani-administered portions of the Kashmir:

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This week in history

8 October 2005: The Kashmir earthquake (also known as the South Asia earthquake or the Great Pakistan earthquake) of 2005, was a major earthquake, of which the epicentre was the Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The earthquake occurred at 08:50:38 Pakistan Standard Time (03:50:38 UTC) on 8 October 2005. It registered 7.6 on the richter scale making it a major earthquake similar in intensity to the 1935 Quetta earthquake, the 2001 Gujarat earthquake, and the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. The Pakistani government's official death toll was 73,276, while officials say nearly 1,400 people died in Jammu and Kashmir and fourteen people in Afghanistan. Most of the affected people lived in mountainous regions with access impeded by landslides that blocked the roads, leaving an estimated 3.3 million homeless in Pakistan.