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.