Pakistan encapsulates great variety, from
hidden bazaars in the narrow streets of Rawalpindi to
architecture that rivals the Taj Mahal in Lahore. It is a land enriched by
friendly people and
magnificent landscapes. Opportunity for
adventure is as high as its mighty mountain ranges, with
watersports,
mountaineering and trekking all popular and rewarding activities. Coupled with this is a profound sense of cultural concoction, Pakistan once being home to several
ancient civilizations, and witness to the rise and fall of dynasties.
In ancient times,
the area that now comprises Pakistan marked the farthest reaches of the conquests of
Alexander the Great. It was also the home of
Buddhist Ghandaran culture. It was the independence of India in 1947 that catalysed Pakistan’s nationhood. Under pressure from Indian
Muslims, the British created a separate Muslim state. Originally, it consisted of two parts, East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) and West Pakistan (now a single unitary state).
Following military rule and civil war, Bangladesh became independent, truncating Pakistan. Today, the long-running Indo-Pakistan conflict continues, with the status of Kashmir at its heart. Although it has a majority Muslim population, Kashmir became part of India in 1947.
Pakistan’s landscape is as fractured and unsettled as its history.
GeographyPakistan has borders to the north with Afghanistan, to the east with India and to the west with Iran; the Arabian Sea lies to the south. In the northeast is the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir, bounded by Afghanistan, China and India. Pakistan comprises distinct regions. The northern highlands, the Hindu Kush, are rugged and mountainous; the Indus Valley is a flat, alluvial plain with five major rivers dominating the upper region, eventually joining the Indus River and flowing south to the Makran coast; Sindh is bounded on the east by the Thar Desert and the Rann of Kutch, and on the west by the Kirthar Range; the Baluchistan Plateau is an arid tableland encircled by mountains.
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