Portal:Pakistan
Introduction
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Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the second-largest Muslim population as of 2023. Islamabad is the nation's capital, while Karachi is its largest city and financial centre. Pakistan is the 33rd-largest country by area. Bounded by the Arabian Sea on the south, the Gulf of Oman on the southwest, and the Sir Creek on the southeast, it shares land borders with India to the east; Afghanistan to the west; Iran to the southwest; and China to the northeast. It shares a maritime border with Oman in the Gulf of Oman, and is separated from Tajikistan in the northwest by Afghanistan's narrow Wakhan Corridor.
Pakistan is the site of several ancient cultures, including the 8,500-year-old Neolithic site of Mehrgarh in Balochistan, the Indus Valley Civilisation of the Bronze Age, and the ancient Gandhara civilisation. The regions that compose the modern state of Pakistan were the realm of multiple empires and dynasties, including the Achaemenid, the Maurya, the Kushan, the Gupta; the Umayyad Caliphate in its southern regions, the Hindu Shahis, the Ghaznavids, the Delhi Sultanate, the Samma, the Shah Miris, the Mughals, and finally, the British Raj from 1858 to 1947. (Full article...)
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The Al-Khalid/VT-1A (Urdu: الخالد ٹینک—Al-Xālid Ṫaiŋk, pronounced [əlˈxaːlɪd̪ ʈɛːŋk], lit. 'The Eternal Tank') is a main battle tank family developed jointly by Norinco of China and Heavy Industries Taxila of Pakistan. The tank is based on the Type 90-II tank. Around 310 Al-Khalid MBTs had been produced by 2014. The tank has been exported to Bangladesh, Morocco and Myanmar by China. The VT-1A is also known as MBT-2000.
The Bangladesh Army ordered 44 MBT-2000s from China in 2011. The Norinco-made MBT-2000 is also used by the Royal Moroccan Army. It was trialed by the Peruvian Army for possible acquisition, but was not purchased due to financial problems. (Full article...)
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The Margalla Hills are a series of hills located north of Islamabad, Pakistan. The Margallas are excellent for hiking purposes and cater to both the serious hiker and the less serious enthusiast. The forests of Margalla combine foliate trees with randomly occurring palm trees. The best season to hike are the mild winter months when there is less rain and the days are extremely pleasant. Photo credit: Obaid747 | |
General images
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Srinagar Highway, Islamabad (from Islamabad) -
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Schoolgirls in Abbottabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, in shalwars with cuffed hems, and kameez with western-style collars. (from Culture of Pakistan) -
Islamabad's annual precipitation allows for the growth of lush forests in the city's hills. (from Islamabad) -
Islamabad skyline (from Islamabad) -
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The Tomb of Shah Rukn-e-Alam is part of Pakistan's Sufi heritage. (from Culture of Pakistan) -
The Lahore Fort, a landmark built during the Mughal era, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (from Culture of Pakistan) -
Jinnah Sports Stadium (from Islamabad) -
A sitar workshop in Islamabad, Pakistan. (from Culture of Pakistan) -
Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore is the third-largest cricket stadium in Pakistan with a seating capacity of 27,000 spectators. (from Culture of Pakistan) -
Topography of Pakistan (from Geography of Pakistan) -
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The caves at Shah Allah Ditta, on Islamabad's outskirts, were part of an ancient Buddhist monastic community (from Islamabad) -
Islamabad Metrobus (from Islamabad) -
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Muhammad Iqbal, Pakistan's national poet who conceived the idea of Pakistan (from Culture of Pakistan) -
Located on the bank of Arabian Sea in Karachi, Port Grand is one of the largest food streets of Asia. (from Culture of Pakistan) -
Satellite image of the Sulaiman Range (from Geography of Pakistan) -
Faisal Mosque as seen from Margalla Hills (from Islamabad) -
Pakistan is the fifteenth most water stressed country in the world. (from Geography of Pakistan) -
Trail 3 Islamabad (from Islamabad) -
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Dewan Masjid Islamabad (from Islamabad) -
Daman-e-Koh Park (from Islamabad) -
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Dust storm over Pakistan and surrounding countries, 7 April 2005 (from Geography of Pakistan) -
Islamabad Golf Club (from Islamabad) -
A traditional cup of black tea (from Culture of Pakistan) -
The Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metrobus was built in 2015 to connect Islamabad with neighbouring Rawalpindi. (from Islamabad) -
Monument in F-9 Park (from Islamabad) -
K2, at 8,611 metres (28,251 feet), is the world's second highest peak (from Geography of Pakistan) -
Artistic depiction of Sindhi soldiers during medieval times (from Culture of Pakistan) -
Truck art is a distinctive feature of Pakistani culture. (from Culture of Pakistan) -
Islamabad Zones (from Islamabad) -
The five zones and sectors of Islamabad (from Islamabad) -
Distribution of Pakistani diasporaPakistan+ 1,000,000+ 100,000+ 10,000+ 1,000(from Pakistanis) -
Pakistan map of climate classification zones (from Geography of Pakistan)
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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.
Provinces and Territories
Clickable map of the four provinces and three federal territories of Pakistan.
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Provinces: Territories: Pakistani-administered portions of the Kashmir: | |
Things you can do
Selected biography -
Muhammad Iqbal (9 November 1877 – 21 April 1938) was a South Asian Islamic philosopher, poet and politician. His poetry in Urdu is considered to be among the greatest of the 20th century, and his vision of a cultural and political ideal for the Muslims of British-ruled India is widely regarded as having animated the impulse for the Pakistan Movement. He is commonly referred to by the honorific Allama (Persian: علامه, transl. "learned") and widely considered one of the most important and influential Muslim thinkers and Islamic religious philosophers of the 20th century.
Born and raised in Sialkot, Punjab, Iqbal completed his BA and MA at the Government College in Lahore. He taught Arabic at the Oriental College in Lahore from 1899 until 1903, during which time he wrote prolifically. Notable among his Urdu poems from this period are "Parinde ki Faryad" (translated as "A Bird's Prayer"), an early contemplation on animal rights, and "Tarana-e-Hindi" (translated as "Anthem of India"), a patriotic poem—both composed for children. In 1905, he departed from India to pursue further education in Europe, first in England and later in Germany. In England, he earned a second BA at Trinity College, Cambridge, and subsequently qualified as a barrister at Lincoln's Inn. In Germany, he obtained a PhD in philosophy at the University of Munich, with his thesis focusing on "The Development of Metaphysics in Persia" in 1908. Upon his return to Lahore in 1908, Iqbal established a law practice but primarily focused on producing scholarly works on politics, economics, history, philosophy, and religion. He is most renowned for his poetic compositions, including "Asrar-e-Khudi," for which he was honored with a British knighthood upon its publication, "Rumuz-e-Bekhudi," and "Bang-e-Dara." His literary works in the Persian language garnered him recognition in Iran, where he is commonly known as Eghbal-e Lahouri (Persian: اقبال لهوری), meaning "Iqbal of Lahore." (Full article...)
Did you know?
- ... that Rehri Goth, one of the poor neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Karachi, is one of the oldest settlements dating back to the 13th century? (31 March 2024)
- ... that Burushaski, a predominantly in northern Gilgit-Baltistan spoken rather than written language, has not more than 120,000 native speakers? (9 July 2023)
- ... that the MagnifiScience Centre in Karachi is the only science center in the country, and, unlike a museum, visitors are encouraged to touch and learn from the interaction with the exhibits? (11 June 2023)
- ... that Ruth Katherina Martha Pfau, the famous German–Pakistani Catholic nun who devoted more than 55 years of her life to fighting leprosy was the first Christian and first non-Muslim to have a state funeral in Pakistan? (2 September 2021)
- ... that Lahore Metrobus open in 2013, was modelled after the Istanbul Bus Rapid Transit System. Plans were developed in the last quarter of 2011 by both local and Turkish experts.[1] (31 August 2021)
- ... that Lahore Knowledge Park is an actualization of Triple Helix configuration; a framework to create synergies between government, academia and industry to operate into an interactive rather than linear model for the establishment of social formats and entities to promote commercial innovation and R&D. [2] (27 January 2017)
- ... that Karachi Kings is the most expensive franchise team of Pakistan Super League? (04 December 2015)
- ... that Sialkot is the world's largest producer of hand-sewed footballs, with local factories manufacturing 40~60 million footballs a year, amounting to roughly 60% of world production. (4 December 2017)
- ... that Hafiz Muhammad Fazal Azim Taha, the famous living Pakistani poet said about Iqbal's work that "He not only dreamed for Pakistan but also got the nation up for their rights". This famous saying is regarded as Iqbal's definition. (14 July 2014)
- ... that Tajammul Hussain Malik headed an unsuccessful coup attempt against Pakistani dictator General Zia-ul-Haq in 1980? (22 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 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? (6 July 2008)
- ... that The Edhi Foundation, founded by Edhi, runs the world's largest volunteer ambulance service operating 1,800 of them with upto 6,000 a day in Karachi alone. (4 December 2017)
Pakistan news
- 21 June 2025 – Pakistan–United States relations
- Pakistan announces that it will formally nominate U.S. president Donald Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize, citing his mediation during the 2025 India–Pakistan conflict. (BBC News)
- 3 June 2025 –
- Two hundred and sixteen prisoners escape from a prison in the Malir District, Pakistan. During the escape, which was a result of panic caused by an earthquake, one prisoner is killed and two prison officers are injured. A search operation is ongoing and 80 prisoners have been recaptured. (BBC News)
- 30 May 2025 – Insurgency in Balochistan
- The Balochistan Liberation Army briefly seizes control of a high-security area in Sorab in southwestern Pakistan, killing a government official and looting a bank before fleeing. (AP)
- 21 May 2025 – Insurgency in Balochistan
- At least six people are killed, including four children, and 38 others are injured, in an improvised explosive device bombing targeting an army-operated school bus in Khuzdar District, Balochistan, Pakistan. (Al Jazeera)
- 18 May 2025 – Insurgency in Balochistan
- Four people are killed and twenty others are injured in a bombing near a market in Killa Abdullah District, Balochistan, Pakistan. Several shops collapsed, fires were started and buildings were damaged. (The Hindu)
- 16 May 2025 – Persecution of Ahmadis in Pakistan
- A locally renowned doctor in Sargodha, Pakistan, belonging to the Ahmadiyya community, is killed after an unknown assailant shoots him twice in the back. (Dawn)
Quote of the Day -
| “ | People who have no hold over their process of thinking are likely to be ruined by liberty of thought. If thought is immature, liberty of thought becomes a method of converting men into animals. | ” |
| — Allama Iqbal (National Poet of Pakistan) | ||
Subcategories
Pakistan topics
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Recognized content
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Related portals
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Religions in Pakistan
Indian Subcontinent
Other countries
WikiProjects
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You are cordially invited to join and contribute to WikiProject Pakistan, a WikiProject dedicated to the development and improvement of articles relating to Pakistan.
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Associated Wikimedia
The following Wikimedia Foundation sister projects provide more on this subject:
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Commons
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Wikibooks
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Wikidata
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Wikinews
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Wikiquote
Collection of quotations -
Wikisource
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Wikiversity
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Wikivoyage
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Wiktionary
Dictionary and thesaurus
Wikipedias in Pakistani languages
Sources
- ^ Mahendra, Anjali. "The Metro Bus System comes to Lahore, Pakistan". TheCityFix. World Resources Institute. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
- ^ "Lahore Knowledge Park Company".
