PAKISTAN - Land and People

PAKISTAN

LAND AND PEOPLE

INDEPENDENCE FROM UK

August 14, 1947 (Ramazan 27, 1366 A.H.) is the most memorable date when the India subcontinent was divided into two countries, and Pakistan emerged not only as a sovereign state but also the world’s largest Islamic state on the world map.

ETYMOLOGY

The name Pakistan was coined by Ch, Rahmat Ali, a Cambridge student, in 1933, by talking the initial letters of PAK from the Punjab, Afghan (Pathan of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and Kashmir, and adding the remainder STAN from the last four words of Balochistan, Actually it mean “the land of pious people” Or “the land of the pure”

LONG FROM NAME

According to the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan, the official name of the country is Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

TYPE OF GOVERNMENT

Federal system of government with Prime Minister as Head of the government and President as Head of the State.

LOCATION AND BOUNDARIES

Pakistan lies in the middle of South Asia. It comprises of four provinces Blochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh while Gilgit-Baltistan has autonomous status. Pakistan lies between latitude 23∞30 and 36∞45 North and longitude 61∞and 75∞31 East.

The country borders Iran on the west, India on the east and southeast, Afghanistan on the north and northwest and Peoples’s Republic of China along Gilgit-Baltistan on the north.

Tajikistan is separated from Pakistan by narrow strip of Afghan territory called “Wakhan” the nearest point of the belt between the two countries is from 16 to 19 kilometers and farthest point 80 kilometers, respectively. According to the 1981’s pact signed between USSR and Afghanistan this narrow belt became under the direct control of USSR, but after the independence of Tajikistan from USSR, it became part of Tajikistan.

PHYSICAL FEATURES

Comprising the four provinces of the Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Balochistan, autonomous Gilgit-Baltistan and the Federally Administered Taliban Area (FATA), Pakistan presents a variety of landscape. The north of north-western mountains belt is largely a barren region known for its rugged grandeur that features many of the world’s tallest peaks like Trichmir, Nanga Parbat, and K2(mt.Godwin Austin). On three sides this hilly ascension, surrounds the sand stream stony plateau of Balochistan. Rainfall in both these arid regions is negligible but mineral potential, both known and untapped, is immense. Agriculture activity is limited to scattered subsistence farming and cattle grazing.

The land beneath the lofty peaks of Himalays, Karakoram and the Hindukush, however, is fertile land with tree-clad captivating slopes and vallys, tumbling steams well-stocked with fish and forest abounding with small and big game. The vast glaciers, large lakes, thick forest and green valleys in the region have indeed combined to create Chitral, Kaghan, Swat, Hunza, and Gilgit into one of the world’s most enchanting tourist resorts. The area grows in abundance immense varity of fruits and sugarcane, tobacco, cotton, rice, and wheat.

Downward towards the south spread the vast plain of river Indus across the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh. Served by an extensive irrigation network, built up on the Indus basin, is a thickly populated and extensively farmed area, producing the country’s main food and cash crops. It is also the centre of the country’s main urban industrial complexes. In the south east of Indus plain lies the desert of Thar and to the east of Indus Delta lies the marshy Rann of Kutch. The southern coastline is washed by Arabian sea.   

LAHORE ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT

MOSQUE SARDAR JAHAN 1880s

There are some other reasons also which make it probable that these suppositions may be correct. It is probable that there was an old city of Lahore somewhere in the vicinity of Ichra now a “muhalla” (Ward) of city. In the first place, there was a tradition in old local inhabitants of Ichra and Muzang (another ‘Muhalla’ of the city) to this effect. It is also said that the old name of Ichra was Ichrah Lahore, Which is still found in old documents. Besides, the oldest and sacred Hindu shrines were also found in these localities. These stories and suppositions, however cannot be considered as history, but they show some intimate connection of Lahore with semi-mythic period of the sub-continent’s history.

Nowhere, Lahore has been mentioned as a glorious city, say a thousand years ago. Yet Lahore existed, and it is mentioned under different names. Nevertheless the recorded history seems to make a beginning with the dawn of Muslim rule in the sub-continent. It appears that before the Muslim invasion, Lahore was a ordinary town of no importance at all.

So beyond the fact of its Rajput origin hardly anything can be recorded with certainty of history or even of existence of Lahore until the period of Muslim conquests. It is neither mentioned in connection with the Alexander nor described by Strabo or Pliny. The first connection record of Lahore is that of Hiuen T’ sang, the Chinese Pilgrim, who visited the city in 630 A.D. About this time it is probably that the capital of the kingdom of Lahore was transferred to Sialkot, as Alberuni speaks of Lahore as a province with its capital at Mandhukur (ancient name of Sialkot).

Lahore as a town was first mentioned in 882 A.D. in the book “Hadood-e-Aalam”.

It was then under the ruler of Mooltan (Old name of Multan). It simply mean that it was then not an important town. Beside that there is no mention of Lahore in the geography of Masudi, the “Herodotus” of Arabs, who wrote in th 10^th Century, and himself sojournes at Mooltan. Had Lahore any important at that time, Masudi would  have mentioned it particularly which he was only two hundred miles away from the spot.

JAHGIR TOMB 1870s

These facts coupled with the silence of earlier writers, lead to the conclusion that Lahore, by the end of the tenth century, through a place of considerable importance, was not remarkable for its extent, beauty, trade or commerce.

Around the end of the tenth century, the kingdom of Lahore was in hands of Brahman King, and in 988 A.D. Jai Pal, the reigning monarch, was decisively beaten by Sabuktagin (the father of Mahmud Ghaznavi). The first Muslim king to conquer Lahore was Mahmud of Ghazna in1021 A.D.

DAI (NURSE) ANGHAS TOMB 1880s

He was followed by a long line of conquerors until the city passed into the hand of Mughals in1524 A.D. and rose to its greatest glory as the centre of art, culture, trade and commerce during the next two hundred years of their domination.

  

Throughout its hoary past Lahore, however, suffered extensively due to its location. Being on the direct trade rout it was looted again and gain by hordes of invaders from the north. Since all area around the city is flat, so its defence was problem in the past and so it is even today.

CITADEL OF LAHORE FROM THE HAZOORI BAGH

The second factor is the river Ravi which, during the good old days, flowed by the grand old Fort. The river, however, Changed its course and now it flows about a mile further down separating the old Fort and Shahi Mosque from the other two major Mughal monuments, that is, the tombs of Emperor Jahangir and his Empress Nur Jahan. In the process of changing to course, the river has eaten up the famous historical Mughal landmark, known as Kamran’s Baradari and garden. This monument was supposed to be the first Mughal monument constructed on the soil of Lahore. It is now right in the middle of the river as it has been reconstructed by the Government of Pakistan.

The city is now so near the Indian boarder that its development and progress have been actually affected, otherwise this city would have had a phenomenal growth after independence. But right or wrong, it is the location of Lahore which made it so important, from the historical, cultural, commercial and defence point of view.

GULABI BAGH GATE WAY LAHORE

The role of Lahore cannot be ignored in the early Muslim history of subcontinent because its name is associated with every Muslim Dynasty of North Asia right from the Ghaznavides to the Mughals.  It was some time the seat of the government, sometimes the second capital, but it was always the place of importance. It was here, at Lahore, that Pakistan Resolution was passed on March 23, 1940 at Manto Park, now known as Iqbal Park, in the presence of millions of peoples who gathered there from all parts of the India and Minar-i-Pakistan has been constructed right at the spot where Pakistan Resolution was passed.

But Lahore is the city which claims attention not only of the students of history, archaeology and antiquities, but also of the general and even casual visitor as it offers many interesting places and faces. It is full of life and attracts millions of visitors of every class and creed every year from all parts of Pakistan as well as abroad.

HAZOORI BAGH

It is believed that the Lahore was built by Rajputs but deserted by them. It was then occupied by Hindus but invaded, damaged, captured and rebuilt by Muslims. It was damaged by Tartars, repaired by Pathans but plundered by Changez Khan, rebuilt by Khiljis and Tughlaks but looted and destroyed by Ghakhars. The city survived for some time but it was invaded and destroyed by Timur’s forces. Repaired by its residents but ransacked, looted and burnt by Babur, Repaired and developed by Akbar and his successors but invaded and captured by Afghans and Sikhs. It was conquered by the British in 1846 and finally taken over by Muslim in 1947.

Such has been the chequered history of this city but through the dust of confusion, barbarism, tyranny and the game of power it always sprang up glistening, glittering, and smiling. It was perhaps these qualities of the city which induced scores of invaders to conquer it.

CHIBURJI

The city now enjoys a central position as it is more or less right in the centre of the country and very well connected by road, rail and air with all the other major cities and town of Pakistan. The national highway and the main Karachi – Peshawar Railways run through the heart of Lahore. A ‘Motorway” from Islamabad to Lahore has already been constructed and it will be extended to other cities as well.

LAHORE ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT

GREAT LAHORE

ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT

Origin of Lahore, the famous imperial city of the past, fades away in the mist of time and mythology. Though much could be attributed to legend and conjecture, but history reveals that Lahore was not an important town even in thousand years ago. Form mythology to living history is a long way down, but then a city like Lahore has long memories, same of which are indelible.

If legends have some truth and sometime they do, then Lahore and kasoor, the two neighboring cities, were founded by Loh and Kash, the two sons of Rama, the popular Hindu god. According to Hindu mythology Rama was the king of Ayodhya (Oudth) and the hero of Ramanaya the famous Hindu epic. But at the same time most of Hindus believe that Rama was a ‘god’ and he never lived in the form of a human being or even in form of king through myths are attributed to him. So if this theory could be accepted as correct then the founding of Lahore by the sons of Rama, as mentioned by some earlier authors, would be nothing but simply a fabrication of imagination.

Beside, in the balled Poetry of the northern borders, “the forest near Lahore”, then called Udenagar, figures as the battle-ground where Rasalu son of Sal Vahan the eponymic here of Sialkot, fought and slew the monster Rakhshas. Exactly a similar legend is connected with Mankiala which is located about 18 miles south of Rawalpindi. No one can say with certainty that whether this legendary forest was around Lahore or around  Mankiala, the famous Buddhist monastery.

Again, to descend the more historic times, it is recorded in the annals of the Mewar State, in Rajputana (India), that the founder of the royal line, Kanaksen, a solar Rajput price, had migrated from Lahore. Besides, the Bhaties of Jaisalmer, (now in India), point to Lahore as the seat of their earlier location. One of the main city gateways of Lahore bears their name. It is called Bhati Gate even today.

There is yet another legends, which indicate that the present city and Fortress of Lahore where founded by Ayaz, the famous slave, friend and counselor of Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni. Ayaz governed Lahore some time and died here. His Tomb by the Taksali Gate is still revered by Lahorites  as the burial place of the Oecist of Lahore.

These Legends or local tales may be reconciled by supposing that the Hindu city of Lahore did occupy exactly its present site. May be, the city might have been deserted or destroyed during a natural disaster, such as floods or earthquakes or its final captured by the Muslims and was founded by them de nova.