Urdu and English are the official languages of Pakistan. English is primarily used in official business and government, and in legal contracts;
the local variety is known as Pakistani English. Punjabi language, Punjabi, the most common language and the first language of 38.78% of the population,
is mostly spoken in the Punjab. Saraiki language, Saraiki is mainly spoken in South Punjab, and Hindko is predominant in the Hazara Division, Hazara region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Pashto
Pashto (,; , ) is an Eastern Iranian language in the Indo-European language family. It is known in historical Persian literature as Afghani ().
Spoken as a native language mostly by ethnic Pashtuns, it is one of the two official languages ...
is the provincial language of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Sindhi language, Sindhi is commonly spoken in Sindh, while Balochi language, Balochi is dominant in Balochistan. Brahui language, Brahui, a Dravidian language, is spoken by the Brahui people who live in Balochistan.
There are also speakers of Gujarati language, Gujarati in Karachi. Marwari language, Marwari, a Rajasthani language, is also spoken in parts of Sindh. Various languages such as Shina language, Shina, Balti language, Balti, and Burushaski are spoken in
Gilgit-Baltistan
Gilgit-Baltistan (; ), formerly known as the Northern Areas, is a region administered by Pakistan as an administrative territory, and constituting the northern portion of the larger Kashmir region which has been the subject of a dispute bet ...
, whilst languages such as Pahari language (Azad Kashmir), Pahari, Gojri language, Gojri, and Kashmiri language, Kashmiri are spoken by many in
Azad Kashmir
Azad Jammu and Kashmir (; ), abbreviated as AJK and colloquially referred to as simply Azad Kashmir, is a region administered by Pakistan as a nominally self-governing entitySee:
*
*
* and constituting the western portion of the larger Ka ...
.
Arabic is officially recognised by the constitution of Pakistan. It declares in article 31 No. 2 that "The State shall endeavour, as respects the Muslims of Pakistan (a) to make the teaching of the Holy Quran and Islamiat compulsory, to encourage and facilitate the learning of Arabic language ..."
Ethnic groups
The major ethnic groups are Punjabi people, Punjabis (44.7% of the country's population), Pashtuns, also known as Pathans (15.4%), Sindhi people, Sindhis (14.1%), Saraiki people, Saraikis (8.4%), Muhajir (Pakistan), Muhajirs (the Indian Muslims in Pakistan, Indian emigrants, mostly Urdu-speaking), who make up 7.6% of the population, and the
Baloch with 3.6%.
The remaining 6.3% consist of a number of ethnic minorities such as the Brahui people, Brahuis,
the Hindkowans, the various peoples of Gilgit-Baltistan, the Kashmiris, the Siddi, Sheedis (who are of African descent), and the Hazara people, Hazaras. There is also a large Pakistani diaspora worldwide, numbering over seven million, which has been recorded as the sixth largest diaspora in the world.
Immigration
![Tarbela Dam Area](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d8/Tarbela_Dam_Area.JPG)
Even after partition in 1947, Indian Muslims continued to migrate to Pakistan throughout the 1950s and 1960s, and these migrants settled mainly in Karachi and other towns of Sindh province. The wars in neighboring Afghanistan during the 1980s and 1990s also forced millions of Afghan refugees into Pakistan. The Census in Pakistan, Pakistan census excludes the 1.41 million registered Afghans in Pakistan, refugees from Afghanistan, who are found mainly in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Federally Administered Tribal Areas, tribal belt, with small numbers residing in
Karachi
Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former cap ...
and Quetta. Pakistan is home to one of the world's largest refugee populations. In addition to Afghans, around 2 million Bangladeshis in Pakistan, Bangladeshis and half a million other undocumented people live in Pakistan. They are claimed to be from other areas such as Myanmar, Iran, Iraq, and Africa.
Experts say that the migration of both Bengalis and Burmese (Rohingya people, Rohingya) to Pakistan started in the 1980s and continued until 1998. Shaikh Muhammad Feroze, the chairman of the Pakistani Bengali Action Committee, claims that there are 200 settlements of Bengali-speaking people in Pakistan, of which 132 are in Karachi. They are also found in various other areas of Pakistan such as Thatta, Badin, Hyderabad, Tando Adam, and Lahore. Large-scale Rohingya migration to Karachi made that city one of the largest population centres of Rohingyas in the world after Myanmar. The Burmese community of Karachi is spread out over 60 of the city's slums such as the Burmi Colony in Korangi, Arakanabad, Machchar colony, Bilal colony, Ziaul Haq Colony, and Godhra Camp.
Thousands of
Uyghur Muslims have also migrated to the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan, fleeing religious and cultural persecution in Xinjiang, China. Since 1989 thousands of Kashmiris, Kashmiri Muslim refugees have sought refuge in Pakistan, complaining that many of the refugee women had been raped by Indian soldiers and that they were forced out of their homes by the soldiers.
Urbanisation
![Kalma Underpass1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4a/Kalma_Underpass1.jpg)
Since Independence of Pakistan, achieving independence as a result of the partition of India, the Urbanisation in Pakistan, urbanisation has increased exponentially, with several different causes. The majority of the population in the south resides along the Indus River, with
Karachi
Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former cap ...
the most populous commercial city.
In the east, west, and north, most of the population lives in an arc formed by the cities of
Lahore
Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city. ...
, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi,
Islamabad
Islamabad (; ur, , ) is the capital city of Pakistan. It is the country's ninth-most populous city, with a population of over 1.2 million people, and is federally administered by the Pakistani government as part of the Islamabad Capital T ...
, Sargodha, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Gujrat city, Gujrat, Jhelum, Sheikhupura, Nowshera, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Nowshera, Mardan, and Peshawar. During the period 1990–2008, city dwellers made up 36% of Pakistan's population, making it the most urbanised nation in South Asia. Furthermore, more than 50% of Pakistanis live in towns of 5,000 people or more.
Immigration to Pakistan, Immigration, from both within and outside the country, is regarded as one of the main factors contributing to urbanisation in Pakistan. One analysis of the 1998 Pakistan Census, 1998 national census highlighted the significance of the partition of India in the 1940s as it relates to urban change in Pakistan.
During and after the independence period, Muhajir (Urdu-speaking people), Urdu speaking Muslims from India migrated in large numbers to Pakistan, especially to the port city of
Karachi
Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former cap ...
, which is today the largest metropolis in Pakistan. Immigration to Pakistan, Migration from other countries, mainly from those nearby, has further accelerated the process of urbanisation in Pakistani cities. Inevitably, the rapid urbanisation caused by these large population movements has also created new political and socio-economic challenges. In addition to immigration, economic trends such as the green revolution and political developments, among a host of other factors, are also important causes of urbanisation.
Religion
The state religion in Pakistan is Islam in Pakistan, Islam. Freedom of religion is guaranteed by the
Constitution of Pakistan
The Constitution of Pakistan ( ur, ), also known as the 1973 Constitution, is the supreme law of Pakistan. Drafted by the government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, with additional assistance from the country's Pakistani political parties, opposition ...
, which provides all its citizens the right to profess, practice and propagate their religion subject to law, public order, and morality.
The majority of Pakistanis are Muslims (96.47%) followed by Hinduism in Pakistan, Hindus (2.14%) and Christianity in Pakistan, Christians (1.27%). There are also people in Pakistan who follow other religions, such as Sikhism in Pakistan, Sikhism, Buddhism in Pakistan, Buddhism, Jainism in Pakistan, Jainism and the minority of Parsi (who follow Zoroastrianism). The Kalash people maintain a unique identity and religion within Pakistan.
Hinduism is mostly associated with Sindhis, and Pakistan hosts major events such as the Hinglaj Mata mandir#Annual pilgrimage (Hinglaj Yatra or Theerth Yatra), Hinglaj Yatra pilgrimage. Hindu temples may be found Hinduism in Sindh Province, throughout Sindh, where the dharma features prominently. Many Hindus in Pakistan complain about the prospect of religious violence against them and being treated like second-class citizens, and many have emigrated to India or further abroad.
In addition, some Pakistanis also do not profess any faith (such as atheism, atheists and agnosticism, agnostics) in Pakistan. According to the 1998 census, people who did not state their religion accounted for 0.5% of the population.
Islam
![Faisal Masjid](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/Faisal_Masjid.jpg)
Islam is the dominant religion. About 96.47% of Pakistanis are Muslim, according to the 2017 Census.
Pakistan has the second-largest number of Muslims in the world after Indonesia. and home for (10.5%) of the world's Muslim population. The majority of them are Sunni Islam, Sunni and mostly follow Sufism (estimated between 75 and 95%)
while Shia Islam, Shias represent between 5–25%.
In 2019, the Shia population in Pakistan was estimated to be 42 million out of total population of 210 million. Pakistan also has the largest Muslim city in the world (
Karachi
Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former cap ...
).
The Ahmadiyya in Pakistan, Ahmadis, a small minority representing 0.22–2% of Pakistan's population, are officially considered non-Muslims by virtue of the Second Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan, constitutional amendment. The Ahmadis are particularly persecuted, especially since 1974 when they were Second Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan, banned from calling themselves Muslims. In 1984, Ahmadiyya places of worship were banned from being called "mosques". , 12% of Pakistani Muslims self-identify as non-denominational Muslims. There are also several Quraniyoon communities. They are mainly concentratd in the Lalian Tehsil, Chiniot District, where approximately 13% of the population.
![Qadiani Proportion by Pakistani District - 2017 Census](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c4/Qadiani_Proportion_by_Pakistani_District_-_2017_Census.svg)
Sufism, a mystical Islamic tradition, has a long history and a large following among the Sunni Muslims in Pakistan, at both the academic and popular levels. Popular Sufi culture is centered around gatherings and celebrations at the shrines of saints and annual festivals that feature Sufi music and dance. Two Sufis whose shrines receive much national attention are Ali Hajweri in
Lahore
Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city. ...
(c. 12th century) and Shahbaz Qalander in Sehwan, Sindh (c. 12th century).
There are two levels of Sufism in Pakistan. The first is the 'populist' Sufism of the rural population. This level of Sufism involves belief in intercession through saints, veneration of their shrines, and forming bonds (Mureed) with a ''pir'' (saint). Many rural Pakistani Muslims associate with Pir (Sufism), ''pirs'' and seek their intercession. The second level of Sufism in Pakistan is 'intellectual Sufism', which is growing among the urban and educated population. They are influenced by the writings of Sufis such as the medieval theologian al-Ghazali, the Sufi reformer Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi, Shaykh Aḥmad Sirhindi, and Shah Wali Allah. Contemporary Islamic fundamentalists criticise Sufism's popular character, which in their view does not accurately reflect the teachings and practice of Muhammad and his companions.
Hinduism
![Hindu Proportion by Pakistani District - 2017 Census](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/Hindu_Proportion_by_Pakistani_District_-_2017_Census.svg)
Hinduism in Pakistan, Hinduism is the second-largest religion in Pakistan after Islam and is followed by 2.14% of the population according to the 2017 census.
According to the 2010 Pew report, Pakistan had the fifth-largest Hindu population in the world. In the 2017 census, the Hindu population was found to be 4,444,437. Hindus are found in all provinces of Pakistan but are mostly concentrated in
Sindh
Sindh (; ; ur, , ; historically romanized as Sind) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the southeastern region of the country, Sindh is the third-largest province of Pakistan by land area and the second-largest province ...
, where they account for 8.73% of the population.
[ Umerkot District, Umerkot district (52.15%) is the only Hindu majority district in Pakistan. Tharparkar District, Tharparkar district has the highest population of Hindus in terms of absolute terms. The four districts in Sindh- Umerkot District, Umerkot, Tharparkar District, Tharparkar, Mirpurkhas District, Mirpurkhas and Sanghar District, Sanghar hosts more than half of the Hindu population in Pakistan.]
At the time of Pakistan's creation, the 'hostage theory' gained currency. According to this theory, the Hindu minority in Pakistan was to be given a fair deal in Pakistan in order to ensure the protection of the Muslim minority in India. However, Khawaja Nazimuddin, the List of Prime Ministers of Pakistan, second Prime Minister of Pakistan
The prime minister of Pakistan ( ur, , romanized: Wazīr ē Aʿẓam , ) is the head of government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Executive authority is vested in the prime minister and his chosen cabinet, despite the president of Paki ...
, stated: Some Hindus in Pakistan feel that they are treated as second-class citizens and many have continued to migrate to India. Pakistani Hindus faced riots after the Demolition of the Babri Masjid, Babri Masjid demolition and have experienced other attacks, Forced conversion of minority girls in Pakistan, forced conversions, and abductions.
Christianity and other religions
Christians formed the next largest religious minority after Hindus, with 1.27% of the population following it. The highest concentration of Christians in Pakistan is in Lahore District (5%) in Punjab province and in Islamabad Capital Territory
The Islamabad Capital Territory ( ur, , translit=Vafāqī Dār-alhakūmat) is the only federal territory of Pakistan. Located between the provinces of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, it includes the country's capital city of Islamabad. The terr ...
(over 4% Christian). There is a Roman Catholicism in Pakistan, Roman Catholic community in Karachi
Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former cap ...
that was established by Goan and Tamil people, Tamil migrants when Karachi's infrastructure was being developed by the British during the colonial administration between World War I and World War II.
They are followed by the Bahá'í Faith in Pakistan, Bahá'í Faith, which had a following of 30,000, then Sikhism, Buddhism, and Zoroastrianism, each back then claiming 20,000 adherents, and a very small Jainism in Pakistan, community of Jains.
1.0% of the population identified as atheist in 2005. However, the figure rose to 2.0% in 2012 according to WIN/GIA, Gallup.
Culture and society
Pakistani society, Civil society in Pakistan is largely hierarchical, emphasising Etiquette in Pakistan, local cultural etiquette and traditional Islamic values that govern personal and political life. The basic family unit is the extended family, although for socio-economic reasons there has been a growing trend towards Nuclear family, nuclear families. The traditional dress for both men and women is the ''Shalwar Kameez''; trousers, jeans, and shirts are also popular among men. In recent decades, the middle class has increased to around 35 million and the upper and upper-middle classes to around 17 million, and power is shifting from rural landowners to the urbanised elites. Pakistani festivals, including Eid ul-Fitr, ''Eid-ul-Fitr'', Eid al-Adha, ''Eid-ul-Azha'', Ramadan, ''Ramazan'', Christmas, Easter, Holi, and Diwali, are mostly religious in origin. Increasing globalisation has resulted in Pakistan ranking 56th on the A.T. Kearney/FP Globalization Index.
Clothing, arts, and fashion
The Shalwar kameez, ''Shalwar Kameez'' is the national dress of Pakistan and is worn by both men and women in all four provinces: Punjab
Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
, Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and Azad Kashmir
Azad Jammu and Kashmir (; ), abbreviated as AJK and colloquially referred to as simply Azad Kashmir, is a region administered by Pakistan as a nominally self-governing entitySee:
*
*
* and constituting the western portion of the larger Ka ...
. Each province has its own style of ''Shalwar Kameez''. Pakistanis wear clothes in a range of exquisite colours and designs and in type of fabric (silk, chiffon (fabric), chiffon, cotton, etc.). Besides the national dress, domestically tailored Suit (clothing), suits and neckties are often worn by men, and are customary in offices, schools, and social gatherings.
The Pakistani fashion, fashion industry has flourished in the changing environment of the fashion world. Since Pakistan came into being, its fashion has evolved in different phases and developed a unique identity. Today, Pakistani fashion is a combination of traditional and modern dress and has become a mark of Pakistani culture. Despite modern trends, regional and traditional forms of dress have developed their own significance as a symbol of native tradition. This regional fashion continues to evolve into both more modern and purer forms. The Pakistan Fashion Design Council based in Lahore
Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city. ...
organizes PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week, PFDC Fashion Week and the Fashion Pakistan Council based in Karachi
Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former cap ...
organizes Fashion Pakistan Week. Pakistan's first fashion week was held in November 2009.
Media and entertainment
The private Newspapers in Pakistan, print media, state-owned Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV), and Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) for Radio Pakistan, radio were the dominant media outlets until the beginning of the 21st century. Pakistan now has a large network of domestic, privately owned 24-hour News channels in Pakistan, news media and Television in Pakistan, television channels. A 2016 report by the Reporters Without Borders ranked Pakistan 147th on the Press Freedom Index, while at the same time terming the Pakistani media "among the freest in Asia when it comes to covering the squabbling among politicians." The BBC terms the Pakistani media "among the most outspoken in South Asia". Pakistani media has also played a vital role in exposing corruption.
The Lollywood, Kariwood, Punjabi and Pashto cinema, Pashto film industry is based in Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar. While Bollywood films were banned from public cinemas from 1965 until 2008, they have remained an important part of popular culture. In contrast to the ailing Pakistani film industry, Urdu Pakistani dramas, televised dramas and theatrical performances continue to be popular, as many Television in Pakistan, entertainment media outlets air them regularly. Pakistani dramas, Urdu dramas dominate the Television in Pakistan, television entertainment industry, which has launched critically acclaimed miniseries and featured popular actors and actresses since the 1990s. In the 1960s–1970s, Pakistani pop music, pop music and Disco Deewane, disco (1970s) dominated the country's music industry. In the 1980s–1990s, new wave of British heavy metal, British influenced Pakistani rock, rock music appeared and jolted the country's entertainment industry. In the 2000s, heavy metal music gained popular and critical acclaim.
Pakistani music ranges from diverse forms of provincial folk music and traditional styles such as Qawwali and Ghazal Gayaki to modern musical forms that fuse traditional and western music. Pakistan has many famous folk singers. The arrival of Afghan refugees in the western provinces has stimulated interest in Pashto music, although there has been intolerance of it in some places.
Diaspora
According to the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Pakistan has the sixth-largest diaspora in the world. Statistics gathered by the Pakistani government show that there are around 7 million Pakistani people, Pakistanis residing abroad, with the vast majority living in the Middle East, Europe, and North America. Pakistan ranks 10th in the world for remittances sent home. The largest inflow of remittances, , is from Saudi Arabia, amounting to $5.9 billion. The term ''Overseas Pakistani'' is officially recognised by the Government of Pakistan
The Government of Pakistan ( ur, , translit=hakúmat-e pákistán) abbreviated as GoP, is a federal government established by the Constitution of Pakistan as a constituted governing authority of the Administrative units of Pakistan, four provin ...
. The Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis was established in 2008 to deal exclusively with all matters of overseas Pakistanis such as attending to their needs and problems, developing projects for their welfare, and working for resolution of their problems and issues. Overseas Pakistanis are the second-largest source of foreign exchange remittances to Pakistan after exports. Over the last several years, home remittances have maintained a steadily rising trend, with a more than 100% increase from US$8.9 billion in 2009–10 to US$19.9 billion in 2015–16.
The Overseas Pakistani Division (OPD) was created in September 2004 within the Ministry of Labour (Pakistan), Ministry of Labour (MoL). It has since recognised the importance of overseas Pakistanis and their contribution to the nation's economy. Together with Community Welfare Attaches (CWAs) and the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF), the OPD is making efforts to improve the welfare of Pakistanis who reside abroad. The division aims to provide better services through improved facilities at airports, and suitable schemes for housing, education, and health care. It also facilitates the reintegration into society of returning overseas Pakistanis. Notable members of the Pakistani diaspora include the London Mayor Sadiq Khan, the UK cabinet member Sajid Javid, the former UK Conservative Party chair Sayeeda Warsi, Baroness Warsi, Baroness Warsi, the singers Zayn Malik and Nadia Ali (singer), Nadia Ali, MIT physics Professor Nergis Mavalvala, Dr. Nergis Mavalvala, the actors Riz Ahmed and Kumail Nanjiani, the businessmen Shahid Khan and Sir Anwar Pervez, Boston University professors Adil Najam and Hamid Nawab, Texas A&M University, Texas A&M professor Muhammad Suhail Zubairy, Yale professor Sara Suleri, UC San Diego professor Farooq Azam and the historian Ayesha Jalal.
Literature and philosophy
Pakistan has literature in Urdu literature, Urdu, Sindhi literature, Sindhi, Punjabi literature, Punjabi, Pashto literature and poetry, Pashto, Balochi Academy, Baluchi, Persian literature, Persian, Pakistani English literature, English, and many other languages. The Pakistan Academy of Letters is a large literary community that promotes literature and poetry in Pakistan and abroad. The National Library of Pakistan, National Library publishes and promotes literature in the country. Before the 19th century, Pakistani literature consisted mainly of lyric poetry, lyric and Sufi poetry, religious poetry and mystical and Pakistani folklore, folkloric works. During the colonial period, native literary figures were influenced by western literary realism and took up increasingly varied topics and narrative forms. Prose fiction is now very popular.
The List of national poets, national poet of Pakistan, Muhammad Iqbal, wrote poetry in Urdu and Persian. He was a strong proponent of the political and spiritual revival of Islamic civilisation and encouraged Muslims all over the world to bring about a successful revolution. Well-known figures in contemporary Pakistani Urdu literature include Josh Malihabadi Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Saadat Hasan Manto. Sadequain and Gulgee are known for their calligraphy and paintings. The Sufi poets Shah Abdul Latif, Bulleh Shah, Mian Muhammad Bakhsh, and Khawaja Farid enjoy considerable popularity in Pakistan. Mirza Kalich Beg has been termed the father of modern Sindhi prose. Historically, philosophical development in the country was dominated by Muhammad Iqbal, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, Muhammad Asad, Abu Ala' Mawdudi, Maududi, and Mohammad Ali Jouhar, Mohammad Ali Johar.
Ideas from British philosophy, British and American philosophy greatly shaped Pakistani philosophy, philosophical development in Pakistan. Analysts such as M. M. Sharif and Syed Zafarul Hasan, Zafar Hassan established the first major Pakistani philosophical movement in 1947. After the 1971 war, philosophers such as Jalaludin Abdur Rahim, Sobho Gianchandani, Gianchandani, and Malik Meraj Khalid, Malik Khalid incorporated Marxism into Pakistan's philosophical thinking. Influential work by Manzoor Ahmad, Jon Elia, Hasan Askari Rizvi, and Abdul Khaliq brought mainstream Social philosophy, social, Political thought, political, and analytical philosophy to the fore in academia. Works by Noam Chomsky have influenced philosophical ideas in various fields of social and political philosophy.
Architecture
Four periods are recognised in Pakistani architecture: History of Pakistan#Early history, pre-Islamic, History of Pakistan#Muslim period, Islamic, History of Pakistan#Colonial era, colonial, and History of Pakistan#Independence, post-colonial. With the beginning of the Indus civilization around the middle of the 3rd millennium BCE, an advanced urban culture developed for the first time in the region, with large buildings, some of which survive to this day. Mohenjo-daro, Mohenjo Daro, Harappa, and Kot Diji are among the pre-Islamic settlements that are now tourist attractions. The rise of Buddhism and the influence of Indian campaign of Alexander the Great, Greek civilisation led to the development of a Greco-Buddhist
Greco-Buddhism, or Graeco-Buddhism, is the cultural syncretism between Hellenistic culture and Buddhism, which developed between the fourth century BC and the fifth century AD in Gandhara, in present-day north-western Pakistan and parts of nort ...
style, starting from the 1st century CE. The high point of this era was the Gandara art, Gandhara style. An example of Buddhist architecture is the ruins of the Buddhist monastery Takht Bhai, Takht-i-Bahi in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
The arrival of Islam in what is today Pakistan meant the sudden end of Buddhist architecture in the area and a smooth transition to the predominantly pictureless Islamic architecture. The most important Indo-Islamic architecture, Indo-Islamic-style building still standing is the Rukn-e-Alam, tomb of the Shah Rukn-i-Alam in Multan. During the Mughal era, design elements of Persian-Islamic architecture were fused with and often produced playful forms of Hindustani art. Lahore, as the occasional residence of Mughal rulers, contains many important buildings from the empire. Most prominent among them are the Badshahi Mosque, the Lahore Fort, fortress of Lahore with the famous Alamgiri Gate, the colourful, Mughal architecture, Mughal-style Wazir Khan Mosque, the Shalimar Gardens (Lahore), Shalimar Gardens in Lahore, and the Shahjahan Mosque in Thatta
Thatta ( sd, ٺٽو; ) is a city in the Pakistani province of Sindh. Thatta was the medieval capital of Sindh, and served as the seat of power for three successive dynasties. Thatta's historic significance has yielded several monuments in and ...
. In the British colonial period, predominantly functional buildings of the Indo-European representative style developed from a mixture of European and Indian-Islamic components. Post-colonial national identity is expressed in modern structures such as the Faisal Mosque, the Minar-e-Pakistan, and the Mazar-e-Quaid. Several examples of architectural infrastructure demonstrating the influence of Architecture of the United Kingdom, British design can be found in Lahore
Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city. ...
, Peshawar, and Karachi
Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former cap ...
.
Food and drink
Traditional food
Pakistani cuisine is similar to that of other regions of South Asia, with some of it being originated from the royal kitchens of 16th-century Mughal emperors. Most of those dishes have their roots in British cuisine, British, Indian cuisine, Indian, Central Asian cuisine, Central Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine. Unlike Middle Eastern cuisine, Pakistani cooking uses large quantities of spices, herbs, and seasoning. Garlic, ginger, turmeric, red Chili powder, chili, and garam masala are used in most dishes, and home cooking regularly includes curry, pita bread, ''roti'', a thin flatbread made from wheat, is a staple food, usually served with curry, meat, vegetables, and lentils. Rice is also common; it is served plain, fried with spices, and in sweet dishes.
Lassi is a traditional drink in the Punjab region. Pakistani tea culture, Black tea with milk and sugar is popular throughout Pakistan and is consumed daily by most of the population. Sohan halwa is a popular sweet dish from the southern region of Punjab province and is enjoyed all over Pakistan.
Sports
Most sports played in Pakistan originated and were substantially developed by athletes and sports fans from the United Kingdom who introduced them during the British Raj
The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent;
*
* it is also called Crown rule in India,
*
*
*
*
or Direct rule in India,
* Quote: "Mill, who was himsel ...
. Field hockey is the national sport of Pakistan; it has won three gold medals in the Olympic Games held in Field hockey at the 1960 Summer Olympics, 1960, Field hockey at the 1968 Summer Olympics, 1968, and Field hockey at the 1984 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament, 1984. Pakistan has also won the Hockey World Cup a record four times, held in 1971 Men's Hockey World Cup, 1971, 1978 Men's Hockey World Cup, 1978, 1982 Men's Hockey World Cup, 1982, and 1994 Men's Hockey World Cup, 1994.
Cricket, however, is the most popular game across the country. The country has had an array of success in the sport over the years, and has the distinct achievement of having won each of the major International Cricket Council, ICC international cricket tournaments: ICC Cricket World Cup, ICC World Twenty20, and ICC Champions Trophy; as well as the ICC Test Championship. The Pakistan national cricket team, cricket team (known as Shaheen falcon, ''Shaheens'') won the Cricket World Cup held in 1992 Cricket World Cup, 1992; it was runner-up once, in 1999 Cricket World Cup, 1999. Pakistan was runner-up in the inaugural 2007 ICC World Twenty20, World Twenty20 (2007) in South Africa and won the 2009 ICC World Twenty20, 2009 World Twenty20 in England. In March 2009, militants 2009 attack on the Sri Lanka national cricket team, attacked the touring Sri Lankan cricket team, after which no international cricket was played in Pakistan until May 2015, when the Zimbabwean cricket team in Pakistan in 2015, Zimbabwean team agreed to a tour. Pakistan also won the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy by defeating arch-rivals India national cricket team, India in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy Final, final.
Pakistan Super League is one of the largest List of T20 cricket competitions, cricket leagues of the world with a brand value of about .
Association football is the second-most played sports in Pakistan, and is organised and regulated by the Pakistan Football Federation. Football in Pakistan is as old as the country itself. Shortly after the creation of Pakistan in 1947, the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) was created, and Muhammad Ali Jinnah became its first Patron-in-Chief. The highest football division in Pakistan is the Pakistan Premier League. Pakistan is known as one of the best manufactures of the official FIFA World Cup ball.
Pakistan has hosted or co-hosted several international sporting events: the 1989 South Asian Games, 1989 and 2004 South Asian Games; the 1984 Men's World Open Squash Championship, 1984, 1993 Men's World Open Squash Championship, 1993, 1996 Men's World Open Squash Championship, 1996 and 2003 Men's World Open Squash Championship, 2003 World Squash Championships; the 1987 Cricket World Cup, 1987 and 1996 Cricket World Cup; and the 1990 Men's Hockey World Cup, 1990 Hockey World Cup. Pakistan is set to host the 2023 South Asian Games, the 2023 Asia Cup, and the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.
There are also some Traditional games of Pakistan, traditional Pakistani games that are commonly played, with kabaddi being foremost among them.
See also
* Outline of Pakistan
* Crime in Pakistan
Notes
References
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External links
Government
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Pakistan Public Policies & Researches
General information
Pakistan
''The World Factbook''. Central Intelligence Agency.
Pakistan
from ''UCB Libraries GovPubs''
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Pakistan
from BBC News
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Key Development Forecasts for Pakistan
from International Futures
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