PAKISTAN A variety of cultures Pakistan is divided into four main provinces see map page 7 and three smaller territories the Federally Administrated Tribal Areas FATA the Northern Areas and the Islamabad Capital Territory These provinces and territories are home to a great diversity of ethnic groups Predominant are the Punjabis but there are other important ethnic groups such as the Pashtuns Sindhis Muhajirs and Balochis All of these ethnic groups can be subdivided and there are many smaller groups Punjabis The Punjabis make up the largest ethnic group accounting for 44 percent of the population of Pakistan The Punjab is situated in eastern 8 Main ethnic groups Balochis 3 7 Muhajirs 7 5 Others 4 7 Seraikis 10 5 Sindhis 14 1 Punjabis 44 1 Pashtuns 15 4 Source Government of Pakistan Federal Bureau of Statistics Pakistan but the region also extends across the border into northwest India Traditionally the Punjabis have been farmers and solidiers dominating the officer class of Pakistan’s army The Pashtuns The Pashtuns or Pathans live in northeast Pakistan and are thought to originate from eastern Iran Pashtuns are the second-largest ethnic group in Pakistan although many also live in Afghanistan Many Pashtuns serve in the armed forces Sindhis Muhajir and Baloch Sindhis come from southern Pakistan and many such as the Bhutto family have prominent roles in political life Another important group is the Muhajir an Urdu This elderly Pashtun man comes from the mountains of northern Pakistan and is dressed for the cold winter Pashtun men often dye their beards orange using henna
INTRODUCTION speaking group that migrated to Pakistan when it became an independent state in 1947 This group has often dominated official positions within the state administration The Baloch live in the southwest near Iran Balochistan is the largest province in Pakistan although many people in the region have sought independence from Pakistan for some time Languages The fact that there are about six main languages and a total of approximately 80 languages spoken in Pakistan gives some idea of the diversity of cultures within the country Most Pakistanis speak or understand the official language Urdu as well as one other language English is used as the official administrative language further complicating matters Language has often been a matter of considerable political importance in Pakistan In 1962 Sindhis protested when Urdu was made a compulsory subject in elementary schools In 1972 Prime Minister Zulfikar Bhutto made the study of Sindhi compulsory provoking protests by Urdu-speaking Mujahirs In 1947 many Bengalis in East Pakistan wanted Bengali to be the joint national language alongside Urdu Protests and riots followed when Urdu was declared the sole national language Despite all these differences the languages of Pakistan have many shared elements Most of the languages are written using the Arabic alphabet and have common linguistic roots These women are from the Sindh province of southern Pakistan Like most Pakistani women they wear the national dress of shalwar kameez pajama-like pants and a long shirt with a head scarf called a dupatta
CHAPTER 2 History Pakistan standing at the gateway to central Asia has been invaded and settled by many different armies throughout its history At one time or another it has been invaded by Persians Aryans Greeks Scythians Arabs Huns and also the British Ancient civilizations The first settlements in Pakistan date to about 6500 BCE when Pakistan was populated by Neolithic farming communities By 3000 BCE the Indus Valley was populated by many farming communities The remains of two cities from around this time have been found at Mohenjo KEY DATES IN PAKISTAN’S EARLY HISTORY 6500 5000 BCE Agriculture established in the Indus Valley 2600 1800 BCE Indus Valley Civilization 514 BCE Persians invade 326 BCE Alexander the Great invades c 711 Arabs introduce Islam 1526 The Mughal dynasty begins Daro in Sindh and Harappa in the Punjab Both cities contained sophisticated brick buildings an administrative center an efficient sewage system and neatly ordered residential areas Sometime between 1900 and1800 BCE what is known as the Indus Valley The site of Mohenjo Daro or Mound of the Dead was discovered in Pakistan in the 1920s This ancient city of the Indus Valley Civilization flourished between 2600 and 1900 BCE
This image depicts the first Mughal emperor Babur at the head of his army Babur engaged in many battles to dominate central Asia and the Indian subcontinent Civilization seems to have declined though the causes are not clear It is thought that the Indus river changed course and several earthquakes occurred This could explain why the civilization died out Early invaders After the decline of the Indus Valley Civilization Pakistan came under the influence of semi-nomadic Aryan tribes migrating from central Asia In the fifth century BCE Pakistan was part of the Persian Empire and by the fourth century BCE it was conquered by Alexander the Great For the next few centuries Pakistan was subject to more invasions and a succession of dynasties and empires Scythians Kushans Sassanians and Huns By the sixth century CE Pakistan already had a rich and complex history but the arrival of the Islamic faith in the seventh century CE was to have an important and long-lasting influence The coming of Islam The Muslim faith was first brought to Pakistan by Arab invaders led by Muhammad bin Qasim in about 711 Before that Hinduism and Buddhism were important religions but Islam spread quickly through the region once it was introduced By the fifteenth century Islam was well established as a major religion in the country The Mughal Empire Of all the dynasties and empires in Pakistan’s early history the Mughal Empire is perhaps best known The first of the Mughal the word comes from Mongol emperors Babur descended from the Mongol leader Ghengis Khan He swept through the Khyber Pass with his army in 1526 and defeated the last of the Delhi sultans at the Battle of Panipat At the height of their power in 1700 the Mughal dynasty controlled most of the Indian subcontinent The six Mughal emperors introduced the game of polo built fine forts and palaces and also created an administrative system that helped create the building blocks of a modern state a tax system roads and a well-organized army 11
