A glimpse of Pakistan

Official Name: Islamic Republic of Pakistan (اسلامی جمہوریہ پاکستان)

A look at the history of Pakistan

• 8000 B.C,  Mehrgarh is an ancient city built with red bricks
• 3000 B.C,  Indus Valley Civilization, Mohen Jodaro, and Harappan Civilizations
• 1700 BC, the Arrival of Aryans from Central Asia. Arya wrote Rigveda Maha Bharat
• 516 B.C., Gandhara civilization. Pushkalavati (Charsadda) and Taxila are is to be its capital.
• 325 B.C., The arrival of Alexander the Great in Hund, Taxila, Salt Range, and returning through  Makran Desert.
• 321 B.C., Chandragupta Maurya founded the Moorish Empire. His grandson Ashoka converted to Buddhism and spread Buddhism in the subcontinent.
• 60 AD, the Arrival of Kashan from Central Asia. They made Kabul their main capital while Peshawar was called their winter capital
• 711 A.D,  Muhammad Bin Qasim entered Pakistan till Multan and Islam flourished in that era.
• In 870 AD, Hindu Shahi made Hund the capital and ruled for about 1020 days.
• During 979-1030, Mehmood Ghaznavid attacked the subcontinent for 17 times.
• 1129 A.D,  Shahabuddin Ghori, Khilji, Tughluq, Lodhi and Suri dynasties.
• 1221 AD, the Arrival of Genghis.
• 1469,  Birth year of Baba Guru Nanak of Sikh religion
• 1526, defeating Ibrahim Lodhi in the field of Panipat and Zaheer Uddin Babar set the foundation of
• the Mughal Empire.
• 1540-45, Sher Shah Suri and Babur fight
• 1556-1605, Mughal Emperor Jalaluddin Akbar took over the government.
• 1605-1627, Jhangir’s era ( A true lover of art) He promoted the Persian language and worked for it.
• 1627-1658, Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal, Agra, Shalimar Bagh, Lahore, Jahangir tomb, and Shahi mosque Thatta.
• 1658-1707 AD, Aurangzeb Alamgir’s reign. Shahi Masjid Lahore was built
• In 1739 D, Arrival of Nader shah from Iran.
• In 11740-1773, Ahmad Shah Durrani, the ruler of Afghanistan, conquered Punjab, Kashmir, and Sindh.
• In 1799-1 839, Ranjit Singh ruled as Maharaja.
• In 1843, Sir Charles Napier captured Sindh.
• In 1846, The British gave Kashmir to Gulab Singh.
• In 1849, the British occupation of Punjab.
• In 1857, the war of independence was fought.
• In 1858, British rule was established.
• In 1877, Queen Vitoria assumed the title of” queen of India “.
• In 1887, Balochistan came under the control of the British.
• In 1906, the All India Muslim League was established.
• In 1940, The Pakistan resolution was presented.
• In 1947, On August 14, the Islamic state of Pakistan came into being on the world map.
• 1948, Death of Quaid-e-Azam. Pakistan and India fought over the Kashmir issue.
• In 195, Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan was martyred in Liaqat Bagh Rawalpindi.
• In 1956, The Constitution was passed.
• In 1965, On September 6, India attacked Pakistan in the dark of night.  (The war ended after 17 days with the intervention of the United Nations).
• In 1969, Yahya khan took over the government.
• 1970-1977, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was the Prime Minister.
• In 1972, The region of East Pakistan separated from West Pakistan and became Bangladesh,
• 88, General Zia-ul- Haq imposed martial law.
• In 1979, Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was hanged.
• In 1988, General Zia-ul-Haq died in a plane crash along with top military leadership.
• During 1988-1990, Ms. Benazir Bhutto was elected as the first woman Prime Minister.
• 1990-1993, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif assumed the post of Prime Minister.
• 1993-1996, Mrs, Benazir Bhutto became the Prime Minister for the second time.
• During 1997-99 Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif became the Prime Minister for the second time.
• In 1998, Pakistan responded to India’s five nuclear blasts with seven blasts and received the honor of being the first ever atomic power among the Muslim States.
• 1999-2008 General Pervez Musharraf took over the elected government of Mian Muhammad Nawaz and he was sent to Saudi Arabia.
• In 2001, 9/11 happened.
• On 8^th September 2005, more than 80,000 People lost their lives to severe earthquakes.
• In 2007, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Shan returned from Saudi Arabia.
• In 2008, Ms. Benazir Bhutto left the world at Liaquat Bagh Rawalpindi and Asif Ali Zardari was elected President.
• During 2008-2013, Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani became the prime minister.
• In 2013, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif will be elected Prime Minister for the third time with a huge majority.
• In 2013 ‘Mamnoon Hussain was elected as the President of Pakistan.

Languages & Dialects

Urdu, English, Punjabi, Sindhi, Balochi, Pashtu, Saraiki, Shina, Balti, and Khwar in northern areas.

Major Cities

• Islamabad
• Karachi
• Lahore
• Faisalabad
• Rawalpindi
• Peshawar
• Quetta
• Multan
• Hyderabad

Archaeological Sites or Traces

Mohan Jodaro, Harappa ,Taxila, Digikot, Mahar Garh, Takht Bhai, Swat

Ancient & Modern Masterpieces of Architecture

Faisal Mosque Islamabad

Shah Jahan Mosque Thatta

Makli Graveyard Thatta

Rani Kot Fort Dadu

Shrines or cemeteries in Uch Sharif

Badshahi Mosque in Lahore

Shahi Qila Lahore

Shalimar Garden Lahore

Masjid Wazir Khan

Jahangir’s tomb in Lahore

Rohtas Fort Jhelum

Derawar Fort in Cholistan, Bahawalpur

Noor Mahal Bahawalpur

Bhong Mosque in Rahim Yar Khan

Famous Glaciers

Large Rivers

Elevated Peaks (more than 8000 meters)

Famous Passes in Pakistan

 Deserts in Pakistan

Beautiful Lakes in Pakistan

Museums of Pakistan

• Museum of natural history (Bahawalpur zoo) (1942) Bahawalpur
• Archaeological Museum (the 1960s) Bhumbore Thatta
• Bhatt Shah Cultural Museum. Local art and musical instruments (1962) Bhat Shah
• Dir Museum Archaeological Chakdra. Dir
• Agricultural Museum (University of Agriculture) Agriculture(1909) Faisalabad
• Gaddu Barrage Museum (Barrage-related items)
• Archaeological Museum (1926) Harappa Sahiwal
• Education Museum (University of Sindh) (1959) Hyderabad
• Sindh Provincial Museum (related to Indus Civilization, Islamic and British), Hyderabad
• Talpur Museum (Fort Museum) Talpur Family Items Hyderabad
• Folk and Heritage Museum (Folk Heritage, Culture of Pakistan) (1973) Islamabad
• Pakistan Railway Heritage Museum (Golra Station) History of Railways Islamabad
• National Museum of Natural History Islamabad
• Pakistan monument museum Reflecting the History of Pakistan Islamabad”
• Aiwan Rifaf and Art Gallery Painting Karachi
• Maritime Museum Karachi Associated with Pakistan Navy
• PAF Museum Karachi Associated with Pakistan Air Force
• Archaeological Museum (Karachi University) (1955) Karachi
• Karachi Municipal Aquarium (Clifton) Karachi
• Karachi Zoological Gardens (Mammals, Reptiles, Birds, and Fish)
• National Museum of Pakistan (1950) Karachi
• Natural History Museum (Karachi University) (1950 ) Karachi
• Quaid-e-Azam Birth Palace (Wazir Mansion) (1953) Karachi
• Quaid e Azam Museum (Personal belongings of the founder of Pakistan)
• State Bank Museum (Information from the beginning of currency to today’s) Karachi
• Fort Museum (Shahi Qila) (1928) Lahore
• Chaughtai Museum Artworks of painter Abdul Rahman Chaghtai (1977 Lahore)
• Lahore Faqir Khan Museum ( brought rare art pieces of Muslim, British and Sikh eras)
• Natural History Museum (Jaloo Park) (1987) Lahore
• Allama Iqbal Museum ( Personal items of Allama Iqbal (1976)) Lahore
• Lahore  Archaeological Museum ( Muslim, Buddhist, and English period items (1864)) Lahore
• Islamic Museum (Badshahi Masjid),(Islamic holy objects) Lahore
• Science Museum (Engineering University Lahore
• Natural History Museum (Government College University) (1910) Lahore
• Shah Karmii Museum Personal belongings of artist Shakir Ali (1975) Lahore
• Mangla Dam Site Museum Mangla Dam related to the construction of Mangla Dam
• Archaeological Museum (1925) Moin Jo Daro
• Air Force Museum (1964) Peshawar
• Archaeological Museum (University of Peshawar) Peshawar
• Islamia College University Museum (1934), Peshawar
• Air Force Museum (1962), Peshawar
• Archaeological Museum (Muslim, Buddhist Periods (1907 AD)) Peshawar
• Archaeological Museum (1972) Quetta
• Botanical Museum (Garden College) (the 1930s) Rawalpindi
• Forest Museum (1962), Peshawar
• Army Museum (1961), Rawalpindi
• Swat Museum (Muslim, Gandhara Civilization (1959))
• LAYOD Museum Sukkur, related to Sukkur Barrage
• Talpur House Museum Personal Items – Tando Muhammad Khan – Hyderabad
• Taxila Museum Gandhara Civilization (1918) Taxila
• Umarkot Museum Umarkot related to the reign of King Akbar
• Allama Iqbal Museum (at Allama Iqbal Birthplace) Sialkot