Pakistan: COUNTRY PROFILE

COUNTRY PROFILE: PAKISTAN

February 2005

COUNTRY

Formal Name: Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

Short Form: Pakistan.

Term for Citizen(s): Pakistani(s).

Capital: Islamabad (Islamabad Capital Territory).

Major Cities: Pakistan has seven cities with a population

of 1 million or more: Karachi (9,339,023), Lahore (5,143,495),

Faisalabad (2,008,861), Rawalpindi (1,409,768), Multan

(1,197,384), Hyderabad (1,166,894), and Gujranwala (1,132,509).

Independence: Proclaimed August 14, 1947, from Britain.

Public Holidays: Eid-ul-Azha (Feast of the Sacrifice of Abraham, movable date); Muharram (Islamic New Year, movable date); Kashmir Day (February 5); Ashura (movable date); Pakistan Day (signing of first constitution and proclamation of the republic, March 23); Labour Day (May 1); Eid-i-Milad-un-Nabi (Birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, movable date); Independence Day (August 14); Ramadan commencement (movable date); Iqbal Day (Birthday of Muhammad Iqbal, November 9); Eid-ul-Fitr (end of Ramadan, movable date); Birthday of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and Christmas (December 25). Muslim holidays are observed nationally, and Christian holidays are elective for Christians only.

Flag:

Pakistan’s flag is green with a narrow vertical white band on its left side.

A white crescent and star are in the center of the green band. Green

signifies the Muslim majority, white denotes minorities, the crescent

represents progress, and the star symbolizes light and knowledge.

RECENT NEWS ARTICLES

Pakistan takes to alternative software  -  24 Oct 2006
Monsters and Critics.com,New Delhi, Oct 24 (IANS) Pakistan, often criticised for software 'piracy', is placing its faith on the Free Software and Open Source options to get out of this ...

CNPC unit starts exploration project in Eni's Pakistan block  -  24 Oct 2006
MarketWatchBEIJING (MarketWatch) -- China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC.YY) started an exploration project in a block in Pakistan owned by Eni SpA (ENI.MI), Italy's ...

The future of Sufism in Pakistan  -  24 Oct 2006
The News - International,Another irrefutable truth is that Pakistan basically is a religious society. ... The following steps can help in laying the foundation of a pro-Sufi Pakistan. ...

Pakistan’s earthquake survivors receive Southern Baptists’ ...  -  24 Oct 2006
BP News,ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (BP)--On the first anniversary of Pakistan’s October 2005 earthquake, politicians cut ribbons at ceremonies and Christians gathered in ...

Over to Mohali, the climes change for NZ, Pakistan  -  24 Oct 2006
Ludhiana Newsline,When New Zealand take on Pakistan here Wednesday, the Pakistanis will miss their pace duo of Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif, while pacer Shane Bond and all ...

Pakistan to celebrate Eid Wednesday  -  24 Oct 2006
India eNews.com,Pakistan's moon sighting authority, the Ruet-i-Hilal committee, said here the Shawal moon was not sighted anywhere in the country and so Eid will be celebrated ...

Pakistan Wants to Shed AQ Khan Proliferation Stigma  -  24 Oct 2006
Men's News Daily,A senior Pakistani military official says Pakistan wants to put what he calls the “sordid chapter� of proliferation by one of its top scientists behind it ...

Opportunities with Pakistan  -  24 Oct 2006
ic Huddersfield.co.uk,By The Huddersfield Daily Examiner. TRADING opportunities with Pakistan are being flagged up for UK firms by a Huddersfield businessman. ...

Touchstone Communications Taking Spanish to Pakistan  -  24 Oct 2006
Business Wire (press release),ISLAMABAD, Pakistan--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Touchstone Communications II, LLC, a Fort Worth, Texas-based business process outsourcing company, has hired Waseem Waqar ...

Pakistan's 'spy' driver asked to leave India  -  24 Oct 2006
Zee News,New Delhi, Oct 24: India on Tuesday declared Mohd Farooq, a driver with the Pakistan High Commission here, as a persona non grata and asked him to leave the ...

Cotton Yarn Prices in Pakistan Statistical Report  -  24 Oct 2006
EmergingTextiles.com (subscription),Cotton Yarn prices were slightly up in the past days in Pakistan with stronger demand ahead of Eid holidays. Buyers are however ...

Pakistan police arrest son of retired brigadier, two others over ...  -  24 Oct 2006
International Herald Tribune,ISLAMABAD, Pakistan Pakistani police said Tuesday they have arrested three main suspects, including son of a retired Pakistan army brigadier, over this month's ...

Younis condones Malik incident  -  24 Oct 2006
Hindu,24 (PTI): Pakistan skipper Younis Khan today condoned players demanding money in exchange of interviews, saying they were justified in encashing their ...



This series of profiles of foreign nations is part of the Country Studies Program, formerly the Army Area Handbook Program. The profiles offer brief, summarized information on a country’s historical background, geography, society, economy, transportation and telecommunications, government and politics, and national security. In addition to being featured in the front matter of published Country Studies, they are now being prepared as stand-alone reference aides for all countries in the series, as well as for a number of additional countries of interest. The profiles offer reasonably current country information independent of the existence of a recently published Country Study and will be updated annually or more frequently as events warrant.

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