Pakistan

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{{Infobox Country or territory|native_name =
Islāmī Jumhūrīyah Pākistān|conventional_long_name = Islamic Republic of Pakistan|common_name = Pakistan|image_flag = Flag of Pakistan.svg|image_coat = Coat of arms of Pakistan.png|image = K2 8611.jpg|symbol_type = State Emblem|image_map = LocationPakistan.svg|national_motto = اتحاد، تنظيم، يقين محکم
Ittehad, Tanzim, Yaqeen-e-Muhkam(Urdu)
"Unity, Discipline and Faith"]"|official_languages = Urdu language, English language|demonym = Pakistani|official_religion = Islam|latd=33 |latm=40 |latNS=N |longd=73 |longm=10 |longEW=E|largest_city = [Karachi [republic|leader_name1 = [Pervez Musharraf|leader_name2 = [Shaukat Aziz|established_event1 = [Pakistan Movement|established_date1 = from the United Kingdom|established_date2 = [August 14 1947|established_date3 = [March 23 1956 (AJK) and the [Northern Areas (Pakistan).|area_magnitude =|percent_water = 3.1|population_estimate = 161,488,000 Estimate of Pakistan Economic Survey of 2006–2007, prepared by the Ministry of Finance |population_estimate_year = 2007|population_estimate_rank = 6th|population_census =|population_census_year =|population_density_km2 = 206|population_density_sq_mi = 534|population_density_rank = 53rd|GDP_PPP_year = 2007|GDP_PPP = $475.6 billion |GDP_PPP_rank = 25th|GDP_PPP_per_capita = $3,004.5 |GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 128th|HDI_year = 2006|HDI = 0.539|HDI_rank = 134th|HDI_category = medium|Gini = 30.6|Gini_year = 2002|Gini_category = medium|currency = Pakistani Rupee (Rs.)|currency_code = PKR|time_zone = Pakistan Standard Time|utc_offset = +5|time_zone_DST = not observed|utc_offset_DST = +6|cctld = .pk of Pakistan (), is a [republic in South Asia. It has a 1,046 kilometer (650 mile) coastline along the Arabian Sea in the south, and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and People's Republic of China in the far northeast.The Kashmir region is claimed by India and Pakistan. Both countries and China separately administer parts of the region with the Indian and Pakistani-held areas defined by the Line of Control. The Pakistani-Chinese border is not recognized by India. India refers to Azad Kashmir and the Northern Areas as Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK)

Pakistan is the List of countries by population in the world and is the Islam by country. Its territory was a part of the partition of India British Raj and has a long history of settlement and civilisation including the Indus Valley Civilisation. Most of its current territory was conquered in the 1st millennium BCE by Achaemenid Empire and Indo-Greek Kingdom and ruled by them for a few centuries. For the rest of history the region was part of a various local and Central Asian dynasties. Later arrivals and conquests include those by the Arabs, Demographics of Afghanistans, Turkic peoples, Baloch and Mongols. The territory was incorporated into British Raj in the nineteenth century. Since its independence, the country has experienced both periods of significant military and economic growth and has also experienced times of significant instability.

Etymology The name "Pakistan" () means "-stan" in Urdu, and Persian language. It was coined in 1934 as "Pakstan" by Choudhary Rahmat Ali, who published it in the pamphlet Now or Never; Are we to live or perish forever?. Text of the Now or Never pamphlet, issued on January 28, [1933 The name represented, according to Ali, the "thirty million Muslims of PAKSTAN, who live in the five Northern Units of (British) India—Punjab, N.W.F.P. (Afghania), Kashmir, Sindh, and Baluchistan."Wolpert, Stanley. 1984. Jinnah of Pakistan. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press. 421 pages. ISBN 0195678591.The nation was founded officially as the Dominion of Pakistan in 1947, and was renamed the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in 1956.

History Modern day Pakistan consists of four major parts called provinces Sindh, Punjab (Pakistan), Balochistan (Pakistan) and North-West Frontier Province. It also governs part of Kashmir region which is currently split between Pakistan and India. The Indus River was the site of several ancient cultures including Mehrgarh, one of the world's earliest known towns, and the Indus Valley Civilization (2500 BCE - 1500 BCE) at Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. Minnesota State University page on Mohenjo-Daro

(in green) standing behind him. On the Sultan's right is Shah Abbas I, who reigned 600 years later

Waves of conquerors and migrants including Harappan, Indo-Aryans, Persian empire, Greece, Saka, Parthian, Kushan, White Hun, Demography of Afghanistan, Arab, Turkic peoples, and Mughal settled in the region throughout the centuries, influencing the locals and being absorbed among them. However, while the eastern provinces of Punjab and Sind became aligned with Islam in India, the western areas became culturally allied with the Iranian peoples of Afghanistan and Iran. The modern state of Pakistan was established on 14 August 1947. The region is a crossroads of historic trade routes, including the Silk Road.

The Indus Valley Civilization collapsed in the middle of the second millennium BCE and was followed by the Vedic Civilization, which extended over much of the Indo-Gangetic plains. Successive empires and kingdoms ruled the region from the Achaemenid Persian empire Livius.org on the extent of the Achaemenid Empire around 543 BCE, to Alexander the Great Plutarch's Life of Alexander in 326 BCE and the Mauryan empire. The Indo-Greek Kingdom founded by Demetrius I of Bactria included Gandhara and Punjab region from 184 BCE, and reached its greatest extent under Menander I, establishing the Greco-Buddhism period with advances in trade and culture. The city of Taxila (Takshashila) became a major centre of learning in ancient times - the remains of the city, located to the west of Islamabad, are one of the country's major archaeological sites.

In 712 Common Era, the Arab general Muhammad bin Qasim Infinity Foundation's translation of the Chach-Nama conquered Sindh and Multan in southern Punjab (Pakistan). The Pakistan government's official chronology states that "its foundation was laid" as a result of this invasion. This would set the stage for several successive Muslim empires in the Indian subcontinent, including the Ghaznavid Empire, the Muhammad of Ghor Kingdom, the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal Empire. During this period, Sufi missionaries played a pivotal role in converting a majority of the regional Buddhist and Hindu population to Islam. The gradual decline of the Mughal Empire in the early eighteenth century provided opportunities for the Durrani Empire, Balochis and Sikhs to exercise control over large areas until the British East India Company Library of Congress study of Pakistan gained ascendancy over South Asia.

The Indian Rebellion of 1857, also known as the Indian Mutiny, in 1857 was the region's last major armed struggle against the British Raj, and it laid the foundations for the generally unarmed freedom struggle led by the Indian National Congress. However, the All India Muslim League rose to popularity in the late 1930s amid fears of under-representation and neglect of Muslims in politics. On 29 December 1930, Allama Iqbal's presidential address called for an autonomous "state in northwestern India for Indian Muslims, within the body politic of India."{{cite web| url=http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00islamlinks/txt_iqbal_1930.html | title=Sir Muhammad Iqbal's 1930 Presidential Address | accessdate=2006-12-19 | format=HTML | work=Speeches, Writings, and Statements of Iqbal --> Muhammad Ali Jinnah espoused the Two Nation Theory and led the Muslim League to adopt the Lahore Resolution Jang.com page on the Lahore Resolution of 1940 (popularly known as the Pakistan Resolution), which ultimately led to the formation of an independent Pakistan.

Pakistan was formed on 14 August 1947 with two Muslim-majority wings in the eastern and northwestern regions of the British Raj, separated from the rest of the country with a Hindu majority, and comprising the provinces of Balochistan (Pakistan), East Bengal, the North-West Frontier Province, Punjab (Pakistan) and Sindh. The Partition of India resulted in communal riots Estimates for the 1947 death toll across India and Pakistan—millions of Muslims moved to Pakistan and millions of Hindus and Sikhs moved to India. Disputes arose over several princely states including Jammu and Kashmir whose ruler had acceded to India following an invasion by Pashtun warriors, leading to the First Kashmir War (1948) ending with Pakistan occupying roughly one-third of the state. From 1947 to 1956, Pakistan was a Dominion in the Commonwealth of Nations. The republic declared in 1956 was stalled by a coup d'etat by Ayub Khan (1958–69), who was president during a period of internal instability and a Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 with India in 1965. His successor, Yahya Khan (1969–71) had to deal with the 1970 Bhola cyclone which caused 500,000 deaths "Community participation in disaster management can reduce the losses" in East Pakistan.

Jinnah delivering the opening address on 11 August 1947 to the new state of Pakistan.Economic and political dissent in East Pakistan led to violent political repression and tensions escalating into civil war 1971 war summary by BBC website (Bangladesh War of Independence) (see also Causes of Separation of East Pakistan) and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 and ultimately the secession of East Pakistan as the independent state of Bangladesh. US Country Studies article on the Bangladesh War Estimates of the number of people killed during this episode vary greatly, from ~30,000 to over 2 million depending on the source.

separated from the West wing in 1971 as an independent Bangladesh.

Civilian rule resumed from 1972 to 1977 under Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, until he was deposed and later sentenced to death in what amounted to a judicial murder in 1979 by General Zia-ul-Haq, who became the country's third military president. Pakistan's secular policies were replaced by Zia's introduction of the Islamic Shariat legal code, which increased religious influences on the civil service and the military. With the death of General Zia in a plane crash in 1988, Benazir Bhutto, daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, was elected as the first female Prime Minister of Pakistan. Over the next decade, she alternated power with Nawaz Sharif, as the country's political and economic situation worsened. Pakistan sent 5,000 troops to the 1991 Gulf War as part of a US led coalition and specifically for the defence of Saudi Arabia. The 1991 Gulf war Military tensions in the Kargil War Kargil conflict timeline on the BBC website with India were followed by a 1999 Pakistani coup d'état Daily Telegraph (UK) article on the 1999 coup in which General Pervez Musharraf assumed executive powers. In 2001, Musharraf named himself President of Pakistan after the forced resignation of Rafiq Tarar. After the 2002 parliamentary elections, Musharraf transferred executive powers to newly elected Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali, who was succeeded in the 2004 Prime-Ministerial election by Shaukat Aziz, followed by a temporary period in office by Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain.

Government and politics The Muslim League formed Pakistan's first government under the leadership of Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Liaquat Ali Khan. The Muslim League's leadership of Pakistani politics decreased significantly with the rise of other political parties, including the Pakistan People's Party in West Pakistan, and the Awami League in East Pakistan, which would ultimately led to the creation of Bangladesh. The first Constitution of Pakistan was adopted in 1956, but was suspended in 1958 by Ayub Khan. The Constitution of 1973, suspended in 1977 by Zia-ul-Haq, was re-instated in 1991 and is the country's most important document, laying the foundations of government. Pakistan is a Federal republic democratic republic with Islam as the state religion. The semi-presidential system includes a bicameral legislature consisting of a 100-member Senate of Pakistan and a 342-member National Assembly of Pakistan. The President of Pakistan is the Head of State and the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces and is elected by an Electoral College of Pakistan. The Prime Minister of Pakistan is usually the leader of the largest party in the National Assembly. Each province has a similar system of government with a directly elected Provincial Assembly in which the leader of the largest party or alliance becomes Chief Minister. Provincial Governors are appointed by the President.The Military of Pakistan has played an influential role in mainstream Politics of Pakistan throughout Pakistan's history, with military presidents ruling from 1958–71, 1977–88 and from 1999 onwards. The leftist Pakistan People's Party (PPP), led by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, emerged as a major political player during the 1970s. Under the military rule of Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, Pakistan began a marked shift from the British-era secular politics and policies, to the adoption of Shariat and other laws based on Islam. During the 1980s, the anti-feudal, pro-Muhajir Urdu Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) was started by unorthodox and educated urban dwellers of Sindh and particularly Karachi. The 1990s were characterized by coalition politics dominated by the PPP and a rejuvenated Muslim League.

In the October 2002 general elections, the Pakistan Muslim League (Q) (PML-Q) won a plurality of National Assembly seats with the second-largest group being the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPPP), a sub-party of the PPP. Zafarullah Khan Jamali of PML-Q emerged as Prime Minister but resigned on 26 June 2004 and was replaced by PML-Q leader Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain as interim Prime Minister. On 28 August, 2004 the National Assembly voted 191 to 151 to elect the Finance Minister of Pakistan and former Citibank Vice President Shaukat Aziz as Prime Minister. Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, a coalition of Islamic religious parties, won elections in North-West Frontier Province, and increased their representation in the National Assembly of Pakistan.

and Musharraf in late 2006.Pakistan is an active member of the United Nations (UN) and the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), the latter of which Pakistan has used as a forum for Enlightened Moderation, President Musharraf on Enlightened Moderation a plan to promote a renaissance and Age of Enlightenment in the Muslim world. Pakistan is also a member of the major regional organisations of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO). In the past, Pakistan has had mixed relations with the United States especially in the early 1950s when Pakistan was the United States' "most allied ally in Asia" Pakistan: The Most Allied Ally in Asia and a member of both the Central Treaty Organisation (CENTO) and the Southeast Asia Treaty Organisation (SEATO). During the Soviet-Afghan War in the 1980s Pakistan was a crucial US ally, but relations soured in the 1990s, when sanctions were applied by the US over suspicions of Pakistan's nuclear activities. The September 11 attacks and the subsequent War on Terrorism have seen an improvement in US–Pakistan ties, especially after Pakistan ended its support of the Taliban regime in Kabul. This was evidenced by a drastic increase in American military aid, which saw Pakistan take in $4 billion more in three years after the 9/11 attacks than in the three years before.{{cite news| coauthors = Nathaniel Heller, Sarah Fort, Marina Walker Guevara, Ben Welsh | title = Pakistan's $4.2 Billion 'Blank Check' for U.S. Military Aid, After 9/11, funding to country soars with little oversight | publisher = [Center for Public Integrity | date = March 27 [ | language = [English language | url = http://www.publicintegrity.org/icij/default.aspx -->Pakistan has long had troubled relations with Relations between India and Pakistan. The long-running dispute over Kashmir resulted in full fledged wars in Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 and Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. Civil war in 1971 flared into the simultaneous Bangladesh War of Independence and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. Pakistan conducted Nuclear testing in 1998 to counterbalance India's nuclear explosion (Smiling Buddha) of 1974 and Pokhran-II of 1998 respectively. The Canadian Encyclopedia Historica, India's Nuclear Test Maclean's Magazine, William Lowther, Nomi Morris, and Sankarshan Thakur, 25 May 1998 and became the only Muslim declared nuclear states. The relations with India are steadily improving following peace initiatives in 2002. Pakistan maintains close economic, military and political relationships with the People's Republic of China.

Pakistan also faces instability in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, where some tribal leaders support the Taliban. Pakistan has had to deploy the army in these regions to suppress the local unrest, in Waziristan. The Waziristan conflict ended with a recently declared Waziristan Accord between the tribal leaders and the Pakistani government that is expected to bring back stability to the region. 'Taliban' gain sway in tribal region. Daily Times. 31 December 2005.

Additionally, the country has long faced instability in its largest province, Balochistan (Pakistan). The army was deployed to fight a serious insurgency within the province from 1973–76. Social stability resumed after Rahimuddin Khan was appointed martial law administrator beginning in 1977. After relative peace throughout the 1980s and 1990s, some influential Baloch tribal leaders restarted a separatist movement after Pervez Musharraf took over in 1999. In a recent incident Nawab Akbar Bugti, the leader of the Baloch insurgency, was killed in August 2006 by Pakistani military forces.

Administrative divisions Pakistan is a federation The Constitutional basis of the Federation of Pakistan of four provinces, a capital territory and federally administered tribal areas. Pakistan exercises de facto jurisdiction over the western parts of the Kashmir region, organised as two separate political entities (Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas), which are also claimed by India. Pakistan also claims Jammu and Kashmir, which is a portion of Kashmir that is administered by India.

In 2001 the federal government abolished the administrative entities called "Divisions of Pakistan", which used to be the third tier of government. The entities called "Districts of Pakistan", which used to be the fourth tier, became the new third tier. The provinces and the capital territory are subdivided into a total of Districts of Pakistan which contain numerous tehsils and local governments. The tribal areas comprise seven tribal agencies and six small frontier regions detached from neighbouring districts whilst Azad Kashmir comprises seven districts and Northern Areas comprises six districts.

Provinces:

Balochistan (Pakistan)

North-West Frontier Province (NWFP)

Punjab (Pakistan)

Sindh

* Balochistan and NWFP also have Provincially Administered Tribal Areas Constitutional article 246(b) on the Provincially Administered Tribal Areas (PATA) which are being developed into regular districts.

Territories:

Islamabad Capital Territory

Federally Administered Tribal Areas

Pakistani-administered portions of Kashmir:

Azad Kashmir

Northern Areas

Geography and climate , at 8,611 metres (28,251 ft), is the 2nd highest peak in the world.Pakistan covers The area of Pakistan proper excludes the regions administered in Kashmir URL accessed on November 03, 2006, approximately the combined land areas of France and the United Kingdom, with its eastern regions located on the Indian plate and the western and northern regions on the Iranian plateau and Eurasian landplate. Apart from the 1,046 kilometre (650 mi) Arabian Sea coastline, Pakistan's land borders total 6,774 kilometres—2,430 kilometres (1,509 mi) with Afghanistan to the northwest, 523 kilometres (325 mi) with China to the northeast, 2,912 kilometres (1,809 mi) with India to the east and 909 kilometres (565 mi) with Iran to the southwest. CIA World Factbook URL accessed on March 20, 2006

The different types of natural features range from the sandy beaches, lagoons, and mangrove swamps of the southern coast to preserved beautiful moist temperate forests and the icy peaks of the Himalaya, Karakoram and Hindu Kush mountains in the north. There are an estimated 108 peaks above 7,000 metres (23,000 ft) high that are covered in snow and glaciers. Five of the mountains in Pakistan (including Nanga Parbat) are over 8,000 metres (26,000 ft). Indian-controlled Kashmir to the Northern Areas and running the length of the country is the Indus River with its many tributaries. The northern parts of Pakistan attract a large number of foreign tourists. To the west of the Indus are the dry, hilly deserts of Balochistan (Pakistan); to the east are the rolling sand dunes of the Thar Desert. The Tharparkar desert in the southern province of Sindh, is the only fertile desert in the world. Most areas of Punjab and parts of Sindh are fertile plains where agriculture is of great importance.

The climate varies as much as the scenery, with cold winters and hot summers in the north and a mild climate in the south, moderated by the influence of the ocean. The central parts have extremely hot summers with temperatures rising to 45 °C (113 °F), followed by very cold winters, often falling below freezing. Officially the highest temperature recorded in Pakistan is 52.8 °C at Jacobabad. There is very little rainfall ranging from less than 250 millimetres to more than 1,250 millimetres (9.8–49.2 in), mostly brought by the unreliable south-westerly monsoon winds during the late summer. The construction of dams on the rivers and the drilling of water wells in many drier areas have eased water shortages.

Flora and fauna valley in northern Pakistan. — Agricultural and scenicThe wide variety of landscapes and climates in Pakistan allows for a wide variety of wild animals and birds. The forests range from coniferous alpine and subalpine trees such as spruce, pine, and deodar cedar in the northern mountains to deciduous trees such as the mulberry-type Shisham in the Sulaiman Mountains in the south. The western hills have juniper and tamarisk as well as coarse grasses and scrub plants. Along the coast are mangrove forests which form much of the coastal wetlands.

In the south, there are crocodiles in the murky waters at the mouth of the Indus River whilst on the banks of the river, there are boars, deer, porcupines, and small rodents. In the sandy scrublands of central Pakistan are found jackals, hyenas, wild cats, panthers, and leopards while the clear blue skies abound with hawks, falcons, and eagles. In the southwestern deserts are rare Asiatic cheetahs. In the northern mountains are a variety of endangered animals including Marco Polo sheep, Urial, Markhor and Ibex goats, Asiatic black bear and Brown bear Himalayan bears, and the rare Snow Leopard. During August 2006, Pakistan donated an orphaned snow leopard cub called Leo to USA. Leo the snow leopard is US-bound Another rare species is the blind Indus River Dolphin of which there are believed to be about 1,000 remaining, protected in two major sanctuaries. In recent years the number of wild animals being killed for fur and leather trading led to a new law banning the hunting of wild animals and birds and the establishment of several wildlife sanctuaries and game reserves. Wildlife Sanctuaries of Pakistan

Economy Pakistan is a rapidly developing country which has faced a number of challenges on both political and economic fronts. Despite being a very poor country in 1947, Pakistan's economic growth rate was better than the global average during the subsequent four decades, but imprudent policies led to a slowdown in the late 1990s. Recently, wide-ranging economic reforms have resulted in a stronger economic outlook and accelerated growth especially in the manufacturing and financial services List of recognized economic sectorss. There has been great improvement in the Foreign exchange market position and rapid growth in hard currency reserves in recent years. The 2005 estimate of foreign debt was close to US$40 billion. However, this has decreased in recent years with assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and significant debt-relief from the United States. Pakistan's gross domestic product, as measured by purchasing power parity (PPP), is estimated to be US$478.7 billion while its per capita income (PCI) stands at $3,403. Despite clear progress, reports by the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank and the UN Development Program place the Poverty in Pakistan between 25% – 28%.http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/135153/1/1893 The CIA factbook places the poverty rate at 24% in 2006,https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pk.html#People and notes that levels have fallen by ten percent since 2001. Pakistan's GDP growth rates have seen a steady increase over the last 5 years. However, inflationary pressures and a low savings rate, among other economic factors, could make it difficult to sustain a high growth rate, according to some analysts.{{cite web|url=http://www.worldbank.org.pk/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/SOUTHASIAEXT/PAKISTANEXTN/0,,contentMDK:20918063~menuPK:293074~pagePK:2865066~piPK:2865079~theSitePK:293052,00.html|title=Concluding Remarks at the Pakistan Development Forum 2006 by John Wall, World Bank Country Director for Pakistan|accessdate=2006-12-20|format=html|work=World Bank-->

The growth of non-agricultural sectors has changed the structure of the economy, and agriculture now only accounts for roughly 20% of the GDP. The service sector accounts for 53% of the country's GDP with wholesale and retail trade forming 30% of this sector. In recent times, the Karachi Stock Exchange has soared, along with most of the world's emerging markets. Large amounts of foreign investments have been made into several industries. The top industries in Pakistan are telecom, software, automotives, textiles, cement, fertilizer, steel, ship building, and more recently, aerospace.

. Pakistan has accomplished many engineering feats such as construction of the world's largest earth filled dam Tarbela Dam, the world's twelfth largest dam Mangla Dam, as well as, with collaboration with China, the world's highest international road: the Karakoram Highway. There are also half a dozen additional dams planned such as Kalabagh Dam, Diamer-Bhasha dam, Munda, Akhori and Skardu Katzara. Water Strategy - 2020 URL Accessed 20 November 2006

In November of 2006 People's Republic of China and Pakistan signed a Free Trade Agreement hoping to triple bilateral trade from $4.2 billion (USD) to $15 billion (USD) within the next five years; Experts: Enhance economic linksPakistan's annual exports in 2005 amounted to $15 billion (USD), CIA Factbook and is poised to cross $18 billion (USD) in 2006 and $20 billion (USD) in 2007. Pakistan hopes to achieve $18 bln exports this year Pakistan is also home to a thriving arms industry which exports $200 million (USD) annually, mostly defence equipment and arms to countries in the Middle East and South Asia, and its defence officials are hopeful that these exports will surpass $500 million (USD) a year within the next five years.

In keeping with its rapid economic development in recent years, Pakistan registered an economic growth rate of 7 percent in the financial year 2006–07, the fourth consecutive year of seven percent growth. 7% growth achieved in FY 05–06http://www.pakistantimes.net/2007/06/02/business1.htm In its June 2006 Economic Survey global finance giant Morgan Stanley listed Pakistan on its list of major emerging markets in the world economy, placing it on a list of 25 countries displaying continued moderate to strong growth over a sustained period of time.http://www.msci.com/equity/indexdesc.html The report noted "its economy has been growing quickly in recent periods and corporate direct investors have taken notice".http://www.ssga.com/library/mkcm/bradahamemergingmarketswallsofworry20060930/page.html Concurrently, highlighting the strides made on the economic front in recent times, Moody's Investors Service in December 2006 upgraded Pakistan's credit rating from B2 to B1, noting a "positive outlook".http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=36489

In late March 2007, the Asian Development Bank "Outlook 2007" report predicted that strong growth would continue in 2007 and 2008 with growth rates of 6.5 to 7 percent, with manufacturing, exports and consumer expenditure leading the way.http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007%5C03%5C28%5Cstory_28-3-2007_pg5_2 Further progress was highlighted by news that the FDI for FY 2006/7 would touch $7 billion, eclipsing the targeted $4 billion. Telecoms, real estate and energy are major industries for FDI.http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\04\01\story_1-4-2007_pg5_2http://www.paktribune.com/news/index.shtml?173789

Demographics Pakistan has an estimated population of 164,742,000 as of 2007. Pakistan has the world's sixth largest population, placing it higher than Russia, and lower than Brazil. Pakistan is expected to surpass Brazil in population by the year 2020 because of the high growth rate. Population projections for Pakistan are relatively difficult because of the apparent differences in the accuracy of each census and the inconsistencies between various surveys related to the fertility rate, but it is likely that the rate of growth peaked in the 1980s and has since declined significantly. Feeney and Alam, 2003 The population was estimated at 162,400,000 Population Reference Bureau's 2005 World Data Sheet on July 1, 2005, with a fertility rate of 34 per thousand, a death rate of 10 per thousand, and the rate of natural increase at 2.4%. Pakistan also has a high infant mortality rate of 70 per thousand births. International Data Base U.S. Census Bureau. URL accessed on 17 October 2006.

The major ethnic groups are - Punjabis (44.68)% of the population, Pashtuns (15.42%), Sindhis (14.1%), Seraikis (10.53%), Muhajir Urdus (7.57%), Balochis (3.57%) and others (4.66%). As of 2007, about 2.5 million registered Afghan refugees — approximately 81.5% being ethnic Pashtuns — remain in Pakistan as a result of the wars in Afghanistan.Pajhwok Afghan News, Trilateral agreement on refugee repatriation extended

Primary mother tongue language usage largely corresponds to ethnic groups. Despite being a native language of a relatively small minority, Urdu is the Languages of Pakistan and lingua franca of Pakistan, while English language is the official language, used in the Constitution of Pakistan and widely used by corporate businesses, the educated urban elite, and most universities. Punjabi language is spoken by over 60 million people, but has no official recognition in the country. Ethnologue Western Punjabi

The demographics of religion in Pakistan were significantly influenced in 1947 by the movement of Muslims to Pakistan, and Hindus and Sikhs to India. Census data Census results for religions of Pakistan indicates that 96% of the population are Islam in Pakistans, (nearly 77% are Sunni Muslims and Shi'a population are Shi'a Muslims according to CIA estimates Estimate from CIA World Factbook ). Minority religions include Hinduism in Pakistan (1.85%), Christianity in Pakistan (1.6%), as well as much smaller numbers of Sikhism in Pakistans, Parsis, Ahmadis, Buddhists,History of the Jews in Pakistans, and Animists (mainly the Kalasha of Chitral). Pakistan is the second most populous Islam by country#Top sixtyRobert Ayres, Turning Point: The End of the Growth Paradigm, James & James/Earthscan, 1998, pp. 63. ISBN 1853834394 and also has one of the largest Shi'a populations of any country.

Society and culture in Islamabad. Islam has had an extensive impact on the culture of Pakistan.Pakistan has a rich and unique culture that has preserved established traditions throughout history. Many cultural practices, foods, monuments, and shrines were inherited from the rule of Muslim Mughal and Afghan emperors. The national dress of shalwar qamiz is originally of Central Asian origin derived from Turko-Iranian nomadic invaders and is today worn in all parts of Pakistan. Women wear brightly coloured shalwar qamiz, while men often wear solid-coloured ones. In cities western dress is also popular among the youth and the business sector.

The variety of Music of Pakistan ranges from diverse provincial folk music and traditional styles such as Qawwali and Ghazal to modern forms fusing traditional and western music, such as the synchronisation of Qawwali and western music by the world renowned Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. In addition Pakistan is home to many famous folk singers such as the late Alam Lohar, who is also well known in Punjab (India). The arrival of Afghan refugees in the western provinces has rekindled Pashto and Persians music and established Peshawar as a hub for Afghan musicians and a distribution centre for Afghan music abroad.

Until the 1990s, the state-owned Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) and Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation were the dominant media outlets, but there are now numerous List of Pakistani TV and radio Channels. Various American, European, and Asian television channels and movies are available to the majority of the Pakistani population via private Television Networks, cable TV, and satellite television. There are also small indigenous movie industries based in Lahore and Peshawar (often referred to as Lollywood). Although Bollywood movies are banned from being displayed in public cinemas since 1965, Pakistan to show Bollywood film Pakistan banned Indian movies following the Second Kashmir War Indian film stars are still generally popular in Pakistan due to the fact that Pakistanis are easily able to buy Bollywood movies from local shops for private home viewing.

Pakistani society is largely multilingual and predominantly Muslim, with high regard for traditional family values, although urban families have grown into a nuclear family system due to the socio-economic constraints imposed by the traditional joint family system. Recent decades have seen the emergence of a middle class in cities like Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Hyderabad, Pakistan, Faisalabad, and Peshawar that wish to move in a more liberal direction,Beinart, Peter. "Understate". The New Republic Online. July 01, 2002. as opposed to the northwestern regions bordering Afghanistan that remain highly conservative and dominated by centuries-old regional Tribal Areas of Pakistan customs. Increasing globalization has increased the influence of "Western culture" with Pakistan ranking 46th on the Kearney/FP Globalization Index. Kearney Foreign Policy Globalization Index There are an approximated four million Pakistanis living abroad,Aslam, S.M., Expatriates to Build Better Pakistan, Pakistan & Gulf Economist, 11–17 December 2000, URL accessed March 17, 2006 with close to a half-million expatriates living in the United StatesAhmed, Faish. "U.S. Rules Give Pakistan a Windfall". Wall Street Journal. New York, New York. October 22, 2003. Page A18. and around a million living in Saudi Arabia.Hussain, Shaiq. Musharraf to focus on Palestine in Saudia visit from today. The Nation. June 25, 2005. URL accessed March 17, 2006 As well as nearly one million people of Pakistani descent in the United Kingdom, there are burgeoning cultural connections.Howells, Kim. Kim Howells arrives in Pakistan. Foreign and Commonwealth Office (National). September 6, 2006. URL accessed October 22, 2006

Tourism , was rebuilt by the Mughal emperor Akbar in 1566. Tourism is a growing industry in Pakistan, based on its diverse cultures, peoples and landscapes. The variety of attractions range from the ruins of ancient civilizations such as Mohenjo-daro, Harappa and Taxila, to the Himalayan hill stations, which attract those interested in field and winter sports. Pakistan is home to several Mountain ranges of Pakistan over , which attracts adventurers and mountaineers from around the world, especially K2. PTDC page on mountaineering The people of northern areas depend on tourism also. From April to September tourist of domestic and international type visited these areas which became the earn of living for local people. The northern parts of Pakistan have many old fortresses, towers and other architecture as well as the Hunza Valley and Chitral valleys, the latter being home to the small pre-Islamic Animist Kalasha community who claim descent from the army of Alexander the Great. In the Punjab (Pakistan) is the site of Alexander's battle of the Hydaspes River on the Jhelum River and the historic city Lahore, Pakistan's cultural capital with many examples of

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