What is the capital of Pakistan?
List of capitals in Pakistan
Islamabad officially became the capital of Pakistan on 14 August 1967, exactly 20 years after the country's independence. Previously, Rawalpindi was the capital, designated in 1958. The first capital of Pakistan was the coastal city of Karachi, which was selected by Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Karachi was and still is the largest city and economic capital of Pakistan. It remained the seat of government until 1959, when the military president, Ayub Khan, decided to build a new capital in the north of Pakistan, near the general headquarters of the Pakistani Armed Forces at Rawalpindi.
Developments in Islamabad
The government is working on the feasibility of the mass transit rail system between Pakistan's capital city of Islamabad and its twin Rawalpindi city.
Quetta (disambiguation)
Quetta is the capital city of the Pakistani province of Balochistan. Quetta may also refer to:
Chakwal
Chakwal (Punjabi and ) is the capital and main city of Chakwal District, Punjab, Pakistan. It is located 90 kilometres south-east of the federal capital, Islamabad and 270 kilometres from the provincial capital, Lahore.
Karachi
Karachi is home to several of Pakistan's most important museums. The National Museum of Pakistan and Mohatta Palace display artwork, while the city also has several private art galleries. The city is also home to the Pakistan Airforce Museum and Pakistan Maritime Museum are also located in the city. Wazir Mansion, the birthplace of Pakistan's founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah has also been preserved as a museum open to the public.
Iqbal Academy Pakistan
Iqbal Academy Pakistan was originally established in 1951, under the administrative authority of the education department of the central government of Pakistan, in Karachi. When the capital of Pakistan was moved to Islamabad, the government decided to move Iqbal Academy from Karachi to Lahore, as Muhammad Iqbal, for whom the academy is named, was from Lahore. In 1976, the Academy moved to 116 McLeod Road, Lahore, to the old residence of Allama Iqbal. The federal government of Pakistan made a gift of a piece of land from a major estate in Lahore, behind one of the Avari Hotels and opposite Faletti's Hotel, to build a state-of-the-art building named Aiwan-e-Iqbal, as a monument and memorial to Iqbal. In 1996, the new building was formally opened by Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, and the Academy moved to the sixth floor.
2010 Karachi riots
Karachi, which is provincial Capital of Sindh and Pakistan's commercial capital and largest city, has a population of and contributes about 70% of the country's tax income. The city has seen a wave of political killings in 2010 which have deepened ethnic tensions.
2014 Peshawar school massacre
Protesters in Pakistan's capital Islamabad surrounded a pro-Taliban mosque and reclaimed the space.
Geography of Lahore
Lahore is the capital of Pakistan's largest province, Punjab; with a population exceeding 10 million, it is a megacity and ranked as the country's second largest metropolis (after Karachi). Collectively, it is also the fifth largest city in South Asia and the 26th largest city in the world in terms of population. As a major urban centre of Pakistan, it was graded in 2008 as a city with high sufficiency to become a Gamma world city.
Controlled-access highway
Pakistan's first motorway, the M2, was inaugurated in November 1997; it is a , six-lane motorway that links Pakistan's federal capital, Islamabad, with Punjab's provincial capital, Lahore. Other completed motorways and expressways are M1 Peshawar–Islamabad Motorway, M3 Pindi–Faislabad Motorway, E13 Islamabad≠–Murree–Kashmir Expressway, M4 Faisalabad–Multan Motorway, M8 Ratadero–Gawader Motorway, E8 Islamabad Expressway and few others.
Revenue stamps of Pakistan
Pakistan first issued revenue stamps when it became independent in 1947 and continues to issue revenues to this day. In addition to national issues, the provinces of Balochistan, North West Frontier, Punjab, Sindh, as well as Azad Jammu and Kashmir, West Pakistan and the capital Islamabad also have or had their own stamps.
Sikhism in Pakistan
In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Sikh community became a powerful political force, with Sikh leader Ranjit Singh founding the first Sikh empire, which had its capital in Lahore, the second-largest city in Pakistan today. Significant populations of Sikhs inhabited the largest cities in the Punjab such as Lahore, Rawalpindi and Faisalabad. After the Partition of India in 1947, the minority Hindus and Sikhs migrated to India while many Muslim refugees from India settled in Pakistan.
Dhaka Residential Model College
Field marshal Ayub Khan, the second president of Pakistan was the founder of Dhaka Residential Model College.
Dhaka Residential Model College was established in 1960, in an area of about 60 acre beside Mirpur Road near Sher-e-Bangla Nagor in Dhaka by the then central government of Pakistan. Dhaka was the capital and the largest city of East Pakistan. In 1962, the administration of DRMC was assumed by the provincial government of East Pakistan. In 1965, the government converted the institution into an autonomous body and its administration was relegated to a board of governors with the Chief Secretary of East Pakistan as its chairman. In 1967, the government of Pakistan again took control of the school. At that time, a new board of governors was constituted with the Education Secretary of Pakistan as its Chairman.
Climate of Pakistan
The climate in the capital city of Islamabad varies from an average daily low of 2 °C in January to an average daily high of 38 °C in June. Half of the annual rainfall occurs in July and August, averaging about 255 millimeters in each of those two months. The remainder of the year has significantly less rain, amounting to about fifty millimeters per month. Hailstorms are common in the spring.
Muslim Kayasths
After the independence in 1947, many Muslim Kayasthas migrated and settled in the provinces of Sindh and Punjab in Pakistan. In Sindh province, they are mainly settled in the urban centers especially in Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur. In Punjab province, they have settled in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan and Faisalabad. There is also large community also in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan.
Cinema of Pakistan
The Cinema of Pakistan or Pakistani cinema () refers to the filmmaking industry in Pakistan. Pakistan is home to several film studios centres, primarily located in its two largest cities - Karachi and Lahore. Pakistani cinema has played an important part in Pakistani culture, and in recent years has begun flourishing again after years of decline, delivering entertainment to audiences in Pakistan and expatriates abroad. Several film industries are based in Pakistan, which tend to be regional and niche in nature. Over 10,000 Urdu feature-films have been produced in Pakistan since 1948, as well as over 8000 Punjabi, 6000 Pashto and 2000 Sindhi feature-length films. The first film ever produced was "Husn Ka Daku" in 1930, directed by Abdur Rashid Kardar in Lahore. The first Pakistani-film produced was "Teri Yaad", directed by Daud Chand in 1948. Between 1947 and 2007, Pakistani cinema was based in Lahore, home to the nation's largest film industry (nicknamed Lollywood). Pakistani films during this period attracted large audiences and had a strong cult following, was part of the cultural mainstream, widely available and imitated by the masses. During the early 1970s, Pakistan was the world's fourth largest producer of feature films. However, between 1977 and 2007, the film industry of Pakistan went into decline due to Islamization, strengthening of censorship laws and an overall lack of quality. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the film industry went through several periods of ups and downs, a reflection of its dependency on state funding and incentives. By 2000, the film industry in Lahore had collapsed and saw a gradual shift of Pakistani actors, actresses, producers and filmmakers from Lahore to Karachi. By 2007, the wounds of Pakistan's collapsed film industry began to heal and Karachi had cemented itself as the centre of Pakistani cinema. Quality and new technology led to an explosion of alternative form of Pakistani cinema. The shift has been seen by many as the leading cause for the "resurgence of Pakistani cinema". Despite the industry crisis starting in the mid-1980s, Pakistani films have retained much of their distinctive identity. Since the shift to Karachi, Pakistani films have once again began attracting a strong cult following.
Bahawalpur
Bahawalpur (Punjabi: بہاولپور),(), is a city located in the Punjab province of Pakistan. Bahawalpur is the 11th largest city in Pakistan with an estimated population of 798,509.
Sindh
Sindh has Pakistan's second largest economy, while its provincial capital Karachi is Pakistan's largest city and financial hub, and hosts the headquarters of several multinational banks. Sindh is home to a large portion of Pakistan's industrial sector and contains two of Pakistan's commercial seaports, Port Bin Qasim and the Karachi Port. The remainder of Sindh has an agriculture based economy, and produces fruit, food consumer items, and vegetables for the consumption other parts of the country.
Pakistan at the 1978 Asian Games
Pakistan participated in the 8th Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand in 1978. These games were originally scheduled to be held in its capital, Islamabad.
Skardu Airport
Skardu Airport is a domestic civil airport and military airbase in Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. It is connected with Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, and Gilgit, the provincial capital of Gilgit-Baltistan, through regular Pakistan International Airlines flights. It also serves as a forward operating base of the Pakistan Air Force.
High Courts of Pakistan
There are five High Courts of Pakistan, each of four based in the capital city of one of the four provinces. The government has proposed a fifth high court to cover the Islamabad Capital Territory. This proposal was blocked by the Lahore High Court but that decision was overturned by the Supreme Court of Pakistan on 24 December 2007. In 18th Constitutional amendment, Islamabad High Court is established.
Tourism in Pakistan
Tourism in Punjab is regulated by the Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab. There are a number of large cosmopolitan cities in Punjab. The provincial capital, Lahore is the second largest city of Pakistan as is known to the "Cultural Heart of Pakistan". The Mughal Empire left behind the Lahore Fort and Shalimar Gardens which are now recognised World Heritage Sites. The Walled City of Lahore, Badshahi Mosque, Wazir Khan Mosque, Tomb of Jahangir and Nur Jahan, Tomb of Asaf Khan and Chauburji are other major sites visited by tourists each year. The tomb of Qutb-ud-din Aibak from the Delhi Sultanate is located in the historical market of Anarkali Bazaar in Lahore. The Samadhi of Ranjit Singh and Hazuri Bagh Baradari are prime example of Sikh architecture during the rule of the Sikh Empire. There a number of other sites within Lahore such as Minar-e-Pakistan, Lahore Museum, Data Durbar Complex, Tomb of Muhammad Iqbal, Bagh-e-Jinnah, Lahore Zoo, Tomb of Shah Jamal, Sukh Chayn Gardens, Gaddafi Stadium which all create a large number of visitors annually.
City region
Pakistan
Jauharabad
Jauharabad was developed in 1953 under a master plan. Because of its planned design including open spaces and wide avenues, the district headquarters of Khushab District was shifted from Khushab city to Jauharabad. It was planned to be the capital city of Pakistan before Islamabad. Jauharabad is one of the few planned urban settlements in Pakistan (others being Faisalabad, Islamabad and Gwadar), developed from scratch under an urban master plan.
Construction of the 26th Safari Park of Pakistan is about to end.
Climate of Pakistan
Pakistan's largest city, Karachi, which is also the country's industrial center, is more humid than Islamabad but gets less rain. Only July and August average more than twenty-five millimeters of rain in the Karachi area; the remaining months are exceedingly dry. The temperature is also more uniform in Karachi than in Islamabad, ranging from an average daily low of 13 °C during winter evenings to an average daily high of 34 °C on summer days. Although the summer temperatures do not get as high as those in Punjab, the high humidity causes the residents a great deal of discomfort. In Islamabad, there are cold winds from the north of Pakistan.
Islamabad-Rawalpindi metropolitan area
Covering the Pothohar Plateau, the area consists of the ancient town of Taxila, which is a World Heritage Site; the colonial cities of Rawalpindi and Murree, and the modern planned city of Islamabad. The region received a major boom with the construction of Islamabad as the capital city of Pakistan in the 1960s.
Nawabshah
It is roughly the geographical center of Sindh province of Pakistan. By road it is 4 hours' drive from the country's largest city and commercial capital Karachi on the National Highway N-5, roughly 50 kilometres from left bank of River Indus. The central geographical location of the city makes it a major train and road transportation hub in the province. It was established by the British Government in 1913.
List of national monuments of Pakistan
According to Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency, as of October 1997, there are 9 National Monuments within the country. An additional monument, Pakistan Monument was built in the capital, Islamabad, during the 2000s. There are four monuments in Sindh (all in Karachi), four in Punjab (out of which three are in Lahore), and only one in Balochistan.
Tourism in Punjab, Pakistan
Tourism in Punjab is regulated by the Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab. There are a number of large cosmopolitan cities in Punjab. The provincial capital, Lahore is the second largest city of Pakistan as is known to the "Cultural Heart of Pakistan". The Mughal Empire left behind the Lahore Fort and Shalimar Gardens which are now recognised World Heritage Sites. The Walled City of Lahore, Badshahi Mosque, Wazir Khan Mosque, Tomb of Jahangir and Nur Jahan, Tomb of Asaf Khan and Chauburji are other major sites visited by tourists each year. The tomb of Qutb-ud-din Aibak from the Delhi Sultanate is located in the historical market of Anarkali Bazaar in Lahore. The Samadhi of Ranjit Singh and Hazuri Bagh Baradari are prime example of Sikh architecture during the rule of the Sikh Empire. There a number of other sites within Lahore such as Minar-e-Pakistan, Lahore Museum, Data Durbar Complex, Tomb of Muhammad Iqbal, Bagh-e-Jinnah, Lahore Zoo, Tomb of Shah Jamal, Sukh Chayn Gardens, Gaddafi Stadium which all create a large number of visitors annually.
History of Karachi
Karachi was chosen as the capital city of Pakistan. After the independence of Pakistan, the city population increased dramatically when hundreds of thousands of Muslim Muhajirs from India fleeing from anti-Muslim pogroms and from other parts of South Asia came to settle in Karachi. As a consequence, the demographics of the city also changed drastically. The Government of Pakistan through Public Works Department bought land to settle the Muslim refugees. However, it still maintained a great cultural diversity as its new inhabitants arrived from the different parts of the South Asia. In 1959, the capital of Pakistan was shifted from Karachi to Islamabad and Karachi became the capital of Sindh.
Karachi
Karachi (; ALA-LC: , ; ) is the capital of the Pakistani province of Sindh. It is the most populous city in Pakistan, and fifth-most-populous city proper in the world. Ranked as a beta world city, the city is Pakistan's premier industrial and financial centre and is considered as the cultural, economic, philanthropic, educational, and political hub of the country. Karachi is also Pakistan's most cosmopolitan city. Situated on the Arabian Sea, Karachi serves as a transport hub, and is home to Pakistan's two largest seaports, the Port of Karachi and Port Bin Qasim, as well as the Pakistan's busiest airport, Jinnah International Airport.
Pakistan Day
The celebrations regarding the holiday include a full military and civilian parade in the capital, Islamabad. These are presided by the President of Pakistan and are held early in the morning. After the parade, the President confers national awards and medals on the awardees at the Presidency. Wreaths are also laid at the mausoleums of Muhammad Iqbal and Muhammad Ali Jinnah founder of Pakistan. In very rare times and significance, foreign dignitaries have been invited to attend the military parade.
January 2013 Pakistan bombings
On 10 January 2013, several bombings took place in the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta the capital of Balochistan Province, killing a total of 130 people and injuring at least 270. The Quetta bombings led to protests by the city's Shia Muslim Hazara community; Prime Minister of Pakistan Raja Pervez Ashraf responded by dismissing the Chief Minister of Baluchistan, Aslam Raisani, and replacing him with Zulfikar Ali Magsi.
Charra Pani
It is located about 15 km from Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan, en route to Murree and Galyat. A fairly fast water stream runs through the park. Water here is usually very cold as it originates in the hills. People from the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad often visit this place.
Faletti's Hotel
Faletti's is situated in Lahore, Pakistan's second largest city and the provincial capital of Pakistan's Punjab province. Lahore is also known as the cultural and literary capital of Pakistan.
Dhaka
As early as 1947, there were demands for Dhaka to host the parliament of the federation of Pakistan. Shaista Suhrawardy Ikramullah stated that the country's Constituent Assembly should meet in East Bengal due to the region's large population. In 1962, President Ayub Khan designated Dhaka as the seat of the proposed National Assembly outlined in the 1962 Constitution. The government appointed Louis Kahn and Muzharul Islam to design a capitol complex in Dhaka. The city was declared as the country's legislative capital. The Inter-Continental Hotel of Dhaka, designed by William B. Tabler, opened in 1966 in Ramna. The East Pakistan Helicopter Service connected Dhaka with other regional cities as part of the largest commercial helicopter network in the world.
Duber Khwar Hydroelectric Plant
Duber Khwar Hydropower Plant is located near the town of Pattan in Kohistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan on the Duber Khwar River, a right bank tributary of Indus River. It is approximately 300 km NW from Islamabad, the federal capital of Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
Districts of Balochistan (Pakistan)
Balochistan is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. It is situated in the South Eastern part of the country. Quetta is the provincial capital and largest city of the province. It occupies the very southeastern-most portion of the Iranian Plateau, the site of the earliest known farming settlements in the pre-Indus Valley Civilization era, the earliest of which was Mehrgarh, dated at 7000 BC, located in modern-day Pakistani province of Balochistan. It covers an area of 347,190 square kilometres (134,050 sq mi) and it is Pakistan's largest province by area, constituting 44% of Pakistan's total land mass. Balochistan is divided into 34 districts.
Culture of Lahore
Lahore's culture is unique. It is sometimes referred as the cultural capital or the heart of Pakistan, the city was a seat of the Mughal Empire and the Sikh Empire as well as the capital of Punjab in Mahmud Ghaznavi's 11th century empire and in the British Empire. Presently, it is the capital of the Punjab province of Pakistan.
History of Lahore
The recorded history of Lahore (, ), the second largest city-district of Pakistan, covers thousands of years. Originally the capital and largest city of the Punjab region, it has since its creation changed hands from Jain, Hindu, Buddhist, Greek, Muslim, Mughal, Afghan, Sikh and the British, thereby becoming the cultural capital and the heart of modern-day Pakistan.
Punjab, Pakistan
Punjab (Urdu, Punjabi: , "panj-āb", "five waters": ) is Pakistan's second largest province by area, after Balochistan, and it is the most populated province, with an estimated population of 110,012,442 as of 2017. Forming the bulk of the transnational Punjab region, it is bordered by the Pakistan provinces of Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the enclave of Islamabad, and Azad Kashmir. It also shares borders with the Indian states of Punjab, Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashmir. The provincial capital of Punjab is the city Lahore, a cultural, historical, economic and cosmopolitan centre of Pakistan where the country's cinema industry, and much of its fashion industry, are based.
Azerbaijan–Pakistan relations
XIII Summit of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) took place on March 1, 2017, in the capital of Pakistan – the city of Islamabad. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan – Ilham Aliyev also attended the Summit. At the meeting, the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan – Mohammad Nawaz Sharif and the President of Azerbaijan – Ilham Aliyev came to a mutual agreement to import products of the military-industrial complex of Pakistan into Azerbaijan. Issues related to the defense industry and economy were also discussed.
Islamabad Express
Islamabad Express () is a passenger train operated daily by Pakistan Railways between Lahore and Islamabad. The trip takes approximately 4 hours, 15 minutes to cover a published distance of , traveling along a stretch of the Karachi–Peshawar Railway Line. The train named after the capital city of Pakistan, Islamabad.
Peshawar Golf Club
Peshawar Golf Club also called PAF Golf Course is a golf course located in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is located on Grand Trunk (GT) Road, adjacent to Pearl Continental Hotel and Radio Pakistan, Peshawar.
Administrative units of Pakistan
In 1960, the federal capital moved from Karachi to Rawalpindi and in 1961, the Federal Capital Territory was merged into West Pakistan. In 1966, the capital was again moved to Islamabad. In 1962, Dacca was made the legislative capital of the country due to East Pakistan's high population.
Karachi
Karachi is Pakistan's financial and commercial capital. Since Pakistan's independence, Karachi has been the centre of the nation's economy, and remain's Pakistan's largest urban economy despite the economic stagnation caused by sociopolitical unrest during the late 1980s and 1990s. The city forms the centre of an economic corridor stretching from Karachi to nearby Hyderabad, and Thatta.
Bacha Khan International Airport
Strategically situated in the heart of Peshawar, Bacha Khan International Airport is located approximately 180 km from Islamabad (federal capital of Pakistan) which makes it about two hours drive from the capital via M-1 motorway. Since Peshawar is the capital of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, it provides world connections for the majority of the northwest region of the country and adjoining areas of Afghanistan. Since the province has a large Afghan Pashtun community residing within KPK, Afghanistan flights have always been on the rise.
Economic history of Pakistan
In 1959, the country began the construction of its new capital city. A Greek firm of architects, Konstantinos Apostolos Doxiadis, designed the master plan of the city based on a grid plan which was triangular in shape with its apex towards the Margalla Hills. The capital was not moved directly from Karachi to Islamabad; it was first shifted temporarily to Rawalpindi in the early sixties and then to Islamabad when the essential development work was completed in 1966.
Ahmedpur East
Ahmedpur East (Saraiki, ) is a city located in Punjab, Pakistan and the capital of Ahmadpur East Tehsil in Bahawalpur District, Punjab, Pakistan. Ahmadpur East, which has the historical Sadiq Garh Palace, which was the center of ruling Nawabs of the state of Bahawalpur. It is 38th biggest city in Pakistan in terms of population. The city is Undeveloped but developing very fast.
Azadi Chowk
Azadi Chowk (, ""Liberty Interchange""; also known as Minar-e-Pakistan Chowk, ""Minar-e-Pakistan Interchange""), is a large elevated roundabout in Lahore, capital of Punjab, Pakistan. Azadi Chowk is near the Minar-e-Pakistan monument, where the ceremony of the Pakistan Resolution was conducted, resulting in the creation of Pakistan. As one of the Lahore's major entry points, the interchange is usually busy. 
Statistics
Lahore
Lahore (; ; ) is a city in the Pakistani province of Punjab. Lahore is the country's second-most populous city after Karachi, and is one of Pakistan's wealthiest cities with an estimated GDP of $58.14 billion (PPP) as of 2015. Lahore is the largest city, and historic cultural centre of the Punjab region, and one of Pakistan's most socially liberal, progressive, and cosmopolitan cities.
Lal Masjid, Islamabad
The Lal Masjid (; translated: Red Mosque) is a mosque located in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.
Pashtuns
Important metropolitan centres of Pashtun culture include Peshawar, Kabul, Quetta, Kandahar, Mardan, Mingora, and Jalalabad. In Pakistan, the city of Karachi in Sindh province has the largest Pashtun diaspora communities in the world, with as much as 7 million Pashtuns living in Karachi according to some estimates. Several cities in Pakistan's Punjab province also have sizeable Pashtun populations, in particular Lahore.
Culture of Islamabad
Islamabad (Urdu: اسلام آباد کی ثقافت) is the capital city of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan that has a modern culture by synchronising itself with other capitals around the globe. Islamabad lies in a province of its own called Islamabad Capital Territory.
Americans in Pakistan
According to early statistics of 1999 based on registrations with the local American embassy and consulates, there were over 4,200 Americans in the country, with 2,100 in Pakistan's financial capital Karachi, about 1,250 in Lahore, 506 in Islamabad and 375 in Peshawar.
Gilli Wala
Gilli Wala is a village in Punjab, Pakistan, east-northeast of Gujrat city, north of Lahore, the capital city of the province, and southeast of Islamabad, the national capital city of Pakistan.
Suspension of Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry
As of 12 May 2007, at least 42 people had been killed,140 injured in riots erupting across the city of Karachi—capital of the Sindh province and the most populous city in the country of Pakistan. Roads had been blocked, cars burned and hundreds of people injured and arrested. As soon as the CJP Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry's plane touched down in Karachi airport, The city erupted in violence, especially the famous Karachi road of 'Shahray-e-Faisal' as armed mobs fired indiscriminately at the people due to receive CJP. Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry had come to address the city bar association on the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Pakistani Supreme Court.
List of capitals in Pakistan
The capitals of the provinces and territories of Pakistan have remained the same since the 1970s when the current administrative structure was established. All four provincial capitals are the largest cities of their respective provinces.Pakistan has a total population of 207,774,520 according to 2017 census estimate.
Lahore (disambiguation)
Lahore is a major metropolis and the capital of Punjab, Pakistan.
Rawalpindi
Construction of Pakistan's new capital city of Islamabad in 1961 led to greater investment in Rawalpindi. Rawalpindi remained the headquarters of the Pakistani Army after the capital shifted to Islamabad in 1969, while the Pakistan Air Force continues to maintain an airbase in the Chaklala district of Rawalpindi. The military dictatorship of General Zia ul Haq hanged Pakistan's deposed Prime Minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, in Rawalpindi in 1979.
Parachinar
Pāṛachinār (; ), is the capital city of Kurram District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Parachinar is situated on a neck of Pakistani territory west of Peshawar, that juts into the Logar and Nangarhar provinces of Afghanistan. With a distance of from the Afghan capital Kabul, Parachinar is the closest point in Pakistan to Kabul.
Geography of Pakistan
Pakistan's largest city, Karachi, which is also the country's industrial center, is more humid than Islamabad but gets significantly lesser rainfall. Only July and August average more than of rainfall in the Karachi area; the remaining months are exceedingly dry with little rainfall. The temperature is also more uniform in Karachi than in Islamabad, ranging from an average daily low of during winter evenings to an average daily high of on summer days. Although the summer temperatures do not get as high as those in Punjab, the high humidity causes the residents a great deal of discomfort.
Government of Pakistan
The full name of the country is the "Islamic Republic of Pakistan". No other name appears in the Constitution, and this is the name that appears on money, in treaties, and in legal cases. The "Pakistan Government" or "Government of Pakistan" are often used in official documents representing the federal government collectively. Also, the terms "Federal" and "National" in government institutions or program names generally indicate affiliation with the federal government. As the seat of government is in Islamabad, "Islamabad" is commonly used as a metonym for the federal government.
Buffer Zone, Karachi
Buffer Zone () is one of the neighbourhoods of North Nazimabad Town in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan, namely it's UC9. The Government of Pakistan reserved this land in 1950s as "Buffer Zone" from Urban sprawl in Karachi for future construction of Government offices and residential neighborhood for bureaucrats but in early 1960 the capital of Pakistan was transferred from Karachi to newly built Islamabad and this land was sold to land developers. This is where the Pakistani cricket star Sarfraz Ahmed lives.
Islamabad-Rawalpindi metropolitan area
As Pakistan's capital city, Islamabad serves as the seat of the federal government and is the country's political center. Rawalpindi has remained important historically, as it hosts the headquarters of Pakistan's army. Rawalpindi also temporarily served as the federal capital when Islamabad was being built in the 1960s, to replace Karachi as the capital.
Divisions of Pakistan
In the recent past (i.e. in last three decades), Naseerabad Division was split from Sibi Division; Zhob Division was split from Quetta Division; Bannu Division was split from Dera Ismail Khan Division; Mardan Division was split from Peshawar Division; Larkana Division and Shaheed Benazirabad Division were split from Sukkur Division; Mirpur Khas Division and Banbhore Division were split from Hyderabad Division. The capital of Kalat Division was moved from Kalat to Khuzdar.
West Pakistan
Under the One Unit policy announced by Prime Minister Chaudhry Muhammad Ali on 22 November 1954, the four provinces and territories of western Pakistan were integrated into one unit to mirror the single province in the east. The state of West Pakistan was established by the merger of the provinces, states, and tribal areas of West Pakistan. The province was composed of twelve divisions and the provincial capital was established at Karachi. Later the state capital moved to Lahore, and it was finally established in Islamabad in 1965. The province of East Bengal was renamed East Pakistan with the provincial state capital at Dhaka (Dacca).
Targeted killings in Pakistan
Karachi is a cosmopolitan city and consists of many ethnic communities; the city's demographics play an important role in its politics. Ethnic politics have resulted in sporadic violence throughout Karachi's history, often leading to bloody conflicts. Following the independence of Pakistan in 1947, Muslim immigrants from areas constituting modern-day India migrated in large numbers to the Muslim nation of Pakistan and became settled in Karachi, the historical capital of the Sindh province. The early migrants who came and settled are known as Muhajirs, something which was resented by a portion of the province's native Sindhi people and radical Sindhi nationalists. After the breakaway of East Pakistan in 1971 and the formation of Bangladesh, Pakistan accepted a large number of Biharis (known as "Stranded Pakistanis") loyal to the country, trapped in Bangladesh and offered them citizenship. The Bihari migrants assimilated into the diverse Urdu-speaking Muhajir population. Some Bengalis in Pakistan also stayed behind. 
The Pashtuns (Pakhtuns or Pathans), originally from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, FATA and northern Balochistan, are now the city's second largest ethnic group in Karachi after Muhajirs. With as high as 7 million by some estimates, the city of Karachi in Pakistan has the largest concentration of urban Pakhtun population in the world, including 50,000 registered Afghan refugees in the city. As per current demographic ratio Pashtuns are about 25% of Karachi's population.
Independence Day (Pakistan)
The official festivities take place in Islamabad and commence with the raising of the national flag on the Parliament House and the Presidency followed by a 31-gun salute in the capital and a 21-gun salute in provincial capitals. The President and Prime Minister of Pakistan address the nation in live telecasts. Government officials, political leaders and celebrities deliver messages or speeches during rallies, ceremonies and events, highlighting Pakistani achievements, goals set for the future, and praise the sacrifices and efforts of national heroes. Government buildings including the Parliament House, Supreme Court, President House and Prime Minister's Secretariat are decorated and illuminated with lights and bright colours. A change of guard takes place at national monuments by the Armed Forces. The Army, Air Force and Navy feature prominently in independence day parades. In the cities around the country, the flag hoisting ceremony is carried out by the nazim (mayor) belonging to the respective constituency, and at various public and private departments the ceremony is conducted by a senior officer of that organisation. In 2017, the Pakistan International Airlines introduced a special in-flight jam session to entertain passengers traveling on Independence Day, featuring artists singing national songs on board a domestic flight.
West Pakistan
After gaining independence from the British in 1947, the State of Pakistan was physically separated into two exclaves, with the western and eastern wings separated from each other by the Republic of India. The western wing of Pakistan comprised three Governor's provinces (North-West Frontier, West-Punjab and Sindh Province), one Chief Commissioner's province (Baluchistan Province), and the Baluchistan States Union along with several other independent princely states (notably Bahawalpur, Chitral, Dir, Hunza, Khairpur and Swat), the Federal Capital Territory around Karachi, and the tribal areas. The eastern wing of the new country – East Pakistan – formed the single province of East Bengal (including the former Assam district of Sylhet).
List of capitals in Pakistan
The reasons for relocating the capital from Karachi are that it would reflect the diversity of the Pakistani people, it would be separated from the business and commercial activity of Karachi, and also it would be easily accessible from all parts of the country. The move to Islamabad was not completed until the late 1960s and for some years several government ministries were based in nearby Rawalpindi.
Hurnamaira
Hurnamaira is approximately 67 kilometers (or 42 miles) from the capital of Pakistan, Islamabad.
Targeted killings in Pakistan
Targeted killings in Pakistan (Urdu: نشانی قاتلوں or ہدفی ہلاکتو) have been a rising form of violence and have contributed to security instability in the country. They have become common and have gained attention especially in Karachi, Pakistan's largest city, economic capital and capital city of the Sindh province. Several targeted killings have also occurred in Quetta, the capital of the southern province of Balochistan. Police and law enforcement agencies have sometimes come under criticism for their ineffectiveness in locating the perpetrators and investigating their motives. For most part, targeted killings in Karachi have been attributed to political, religious and ethnic reasons. There are speculations about the killing but no real proof has been found against any party.
Ali Ahmed Fazeel
Pakistan was born on August 1947, and Mr Fazeel moved to Karachi, Pakistan's capital city, in November 1947. There, he became Joint Secretary for Karachi Muslim League and Zonal Secretary for the Zonal Muslim League.
Jamia Al-Kauthar Mosque
The AL Kauthar Mosque is located in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. This mosque is adjacent to the Shia seminary Al-Kauthar University.
List of tallest buildings in Islamabad
This list of tallest buildings in Islamabad, ranks skyscrapers in Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan as well as some highrises in the neighbouring twin city of Rawalpindi.
Administrative units of Pakistan
In 1955, the "One Unit Policy" was launched by Muhammad Ali Bogra, whereby all the provinces and princely states of the western wing were merged and formed West Pakistan, with Lahore as the provincial capital. Simultaneously, East Bengal (including Sylhet and the Hill Tracts) was renamed to East Pakistan, with Dacca as the provincial capital. The One Unit Policy aimed to reduce expenditure and to eliminate provincial prejudices, but the military coup of 1958 signaled difficulties when the first military President, Ayub Khan, abolished the office of Chief Minister of West Pakistan in favour of Governor's rule.
West Pakistan
The twelve divisions of West Pakistan province were Bahawalpur, Dera Ismail Khan, Hyderabad, Kalat, Khairpur, Lahore, Malakand, Multan, Peshawar, Quetta, Rawalpindi, and Sargodha; all named after their capitals except the capital of Malakand was Saidu, and Rawalpindi was administered from Islamabad. The province also incorporated the former Omani enclave of Gwadar following its purchase in 1958, and the former Federal Capital Territory (Karachi) in 1961; the latter forming a new division in its own right.
Federal B. Area
When Pakistan came into being the port city of Karachi was chosen as the capital of the federation. An area within Karachi was selected to serve as the home of federal government offices and employees and house other important buildings. This area was named as Federal Capital Area or F.C. Area. The residential area around F.C. Area came to be known by the people as Federal B Area or F.B. Area. Block 14 has a notable Ansari House near Falah Mosque and Talimi Bagh which is famous in Dastagir.
Hashoo Group
On September 20, 2008, a Hashoo Group-owned hotel in Pakistan's capital Islamabad was bombed when a suicide attacker with an explosive-laden truck detonated the explosives, killing at least 53 people and injuring no less than 266, including many foreign guests. The explosion, a truck bomb heard away in Rawalpindi, occurred at 7:40 P.M. PDT, just hours after newly elected President Asif Ali Zardari addressed Parliament of Pakistan, promising to end terrorism in the country. On 23 September 2008, Sadruddin Hashwani promised to reopen the hotel on 31 December 2008, which would be accompanied by a celebration. Keeping his promise, the hotel was reopened before the end of 2008.
Kahuta
Kahuta is situated in the Himalayan foothills in Rawalpindi District of Pakistan's Punjab Province, approximately 30 km southeast of Pakistan's capital, Islamabad. There are many picnic spots like Narar (Narh), Azad Pattan, Tlaitar and Beyore Salitha kotli sattian. The area is noted for its wildlife and hunting. Pahari-Potwari is spoken in this region.
Former administrative units of Pakistan
The western wing eventually included thirteen princely states, one union of states, Gwadar enclave, Gilgit agency and parts of Kashmir:Simmering tensions between the eastern and western wings of Pakistan led to the One Unit policy announced by Prime Minister Muhammad Ali Bogra. The states and provinces of the western wing merged in 1955 to become divisions of the new province of West Pakistan with the provincial capital at Lahore. At the same time, East Bengal became the new province of East Pakistan with the provincial capital at Dhaka. West Pakistan annexed the former Omani enclave of Gwadar (on the Balochistan coast) in 1958 as part of Kalat division. In 1960 the federal government moved from Karachi to Rawalpindi (the provisional capital pending the completion of Islamabad), whilst the federal legislature moved to Dhaka. The Federal Capital Territory was merged with West Pakistan in 1961 to form the new division of Karachi. In 1963 the Trans-Karakoram Tract was transferred by treaty from Gilgit Agency to China under the provision that the settlement was subject to the final solution of the Kashmir dispute. Thus from 1955 to 1970, Pakistan comprised two provinces:The One Unit policy was regarded as a rational administrative reform to reduce expenditure and eliminate provincial prejudices. However the military coup of 1958 signalled troubled times for the two-province system as the office of Chief Minister of West Pakistan was abolished by President Ayub Khan to be replaced by Governor's rule. Eventually, in 1970, the province of West Pakistan was dissolved by President Yahya Khan and four new provinces were created along with some changes in Pakistani Kashmir. These provinces combined most of the former provinces and states as follows:
Rawalpindi
In 1951, the Rawalpindi conspiracy took place in which leftist army officers conspired to depose the first elected Prime Minister of Pakistan, Liaquat Ali Khan. Rawalpindi later became the site of the Liaquat Ali Khan's assassination, in what is now known as Liaquat Bagh Park. In 1958, Field Marshal Ayub Khan launched his "coup d'etat" from Rawalpindi. In 1959, the city became the interim capital of the country under Ayub Khan, who had sought the creation of a new planned capital of Islamabad in the vicinity of Rawalpindi. As a result, Rawalpindi saw most major central government offices and institutions relocate to nearby territory, and its population rapidly expand.
Pakistan Secretariat
Pakistan Secretariat (, "Diwan-e-Insha Pakistan") serves as the headquarters for the Cabinet and Government of Pakistan. It is located on Constitution Avenue in Islamabad, Capital Territory, Pakistan. Sometimes is it also referred to as Pak Secretariat.
Rawalpindi
Construction of Pakistan's new purpose-built national capital city of Islamabad in 1961 led to greater investment in the city, as well as a brief stint as the country's capital immediately before completion of Islamabad. Modern Rawalpindi is socially and economically intertwined with Islamabad, and the greater metropolitan area. The city is also home to numerous suburban housing developments that serve as bedroom-communities for workers in Islamabad. As home of Benazir Bhutto International Airport, and with connections to the M-1 and M-2 motorways, Rawalpindi is a major logistics and transportation centre for northern Pakistan. The city is also home to historic havelis and temples, and serves as a hub for tourists visiting Rohtas Fort, Azad Kashmir, Taxila and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Tourism in Pakistan
Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan. Islamabad is located in the Pothohar Plateau in the northeastern part of the country, between Rawalpindi District and the Margalla Hills National Park to the north. The region has historically been a part of the crossroads of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with the Margalla Pass acting as the gateway between the two regions. Faisal Mosque (the largest mosque in South Asia), Margalla Hills National Park, Daman-i-Koh, Pakistan Monument, Rawal Lake, Simli Lake and Fatima Jinnah Park are among the tourists places which are located in Islamabad.
Faisalabad
Faisalabad (; ), formerly known as Lyallpur, is the third-most-populous city in Pakistan, and the second-largest in the eastern province of Punjab. Historically one of the first planned cities within British India, it has long since developed into a cosmopolitan metropolis. Faisalabad was restructured into city district status; a devolution promulgated by the 2001 local government ordinance (LGO). The total area of Faisalabad District is while the area controlled by the Faisalabad Development Authority (FDA) is . Faisalabad has grown to become a major industrial and distribution centre because of its central location in the region and connecting roads, rails, and air transportation. It has been referred to as the "Manchester of Pakistan". Faisalabad contributes over 20 percent of Punjab's GDP, and has an average annual GDP of $20.5 billion. Agriculture and industry remain its hallmark.
Islamabad High Court
Islamabad High Court, located in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, was established under Islamabad High Court Act, 2010 after the 18th amendment in the Constitution of Pakistan, 1973. Earlier, the Islamabad High Court was established by the President Pervez Musharraf by a Presidential Order of 14 August 2007, which was ceased to exist in pursuant to the Supreme Court Order dated 31 July 2009 passed in Constitution Petition No. 09 and 08 of 2009. President Asif Ali Zardari administered oath to the first chief Justice of Islamabad High Court Justice Iqbal Hameed ur Rahman on 3 January 2011 at Governor House Karachi.
Capital districts and territories
The capital of Pakistan, Islamabad, is a planned city within the Islamabad Capital Territory, which was created in 1960 out of the Punjab Province. The Territory elects representatives to both houses of the legislature. Before Islamabad was made the capital, Karachi was located in the Federal Capital Territory, which later reverted to the Sindh Province.
List of diplomatic missions in Karachi
By the time of Pakistan's independence in 1947, Karachi had become a bustling metropolis with slightly under half a million people, and classical and colonial European styled buildings lining the city's thoroughfares. Karachi was capita of Sindh province was also chosen as the capital of Pakistan. In 1958, the capital of Pakistan was moved from Karachi to Rawalpindi. The foreign embassies in Karachi moved to the newly developed capital Islamabad, near Rawalpindi. There are Consulates and Honorary Consulates as Diplomatic missions in Karachi.
Quetta
Quetta ( "Kwaṭa"; ; ; ; formerly known as Shalkot ()) is the provincial capital and largest city of Balochistan, Pakistan. Quetta was largely destroyed in the 1935 Quetta earthquake, but was rebuilt and now has a population of 1,001,205 as of 2017, while the Quetta District has a population of 2,275,699. Quetta is at an average elevation of above sea level, making it Pakistan's only high-altitude major city. The city is known as the "Fruit Garden of Pakistan," due to the numerous fruit orchards in and around it, and the large variety of fruits and dry fruits produced there.
Geography of Pakistan
The climate in the capital city of Islamabad varies from an average daily low of in January to an average daily high of in June. Half of the annual rainfall occurs in July and August, averaging about in each of those two months. The remainder of the year has significantly less rain, amounting to about per month. Hailstorms are common in early spring.
Islamabad Capital Territory
Islamabad Capital Territory (, or ICT) is the one and only federal territory of Pakistan. The territory is bounded by Punjab on the south, west and east and by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on the north. The territory includes Islamabad, the federal capital of Pakistan, which covers 906 km (349.8 mi) out of the total of 1165.5 km (450 mi). The territory is represented in the National Assembly constituencies NA-52, NA-53 and NA-54.
History of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Indian Muslims from the United Provinces, Bombay, Central Provinces and other areas of India continued migrating to Pakistan throughout the 1950 and 1960s and settled mainly in urban Sindh, particularly in the new country's first capital, Karachi. Prime Minister Ali Khan established a strong government and had to face challenges soon after gaining the office. His Finance Secretary Victor Turner announced the country's first monetary policy by establishing the State Bank, the Federal Bureau of Statistics and the Federal Board of Revenue to improve statistical knowledge, finance, taxation, and revenue collection in the country. There were also problems because India cut off water supply to Pakistan from two canal headworks in its side of Punjab on 1 April 1948 and also withheld delivering Pakistan its share of the assets and funds of United India, which the Indian government released after Gandhi's pressurisation.
Governor's House (Karachi)
Following Pakistan's independence in August 1947 and Karachi's designation as the country's capital, the building became the residence of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan and its first Governor-General. From that point onward, the building became known as the "Governor-General's House" and was used as an official residence by all Governor-Generals of Pakistan who succeeded Jinnah. Jinnah had continued to reside in the house until his death in September 1948. In 1956, the post of Governor-General was abolished and replaced by the President of Pakistan, thus making the last governor-general of Pakistan, Iskandar Mirza, the country's first elected president. The building was thereafter referred to as the "President's House." By the 1970s, Karachi was no longer the capital of Pakistan; the federal government was shifted to Islamabad. With the dissolution of the One Unit scheme and revival of provinces, Karachi was designated the capital city of Sindh. The house eventually became the residence of the Governor of Sindh and continues to be so as of present.
Economy of Islamabad
Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan and a net contributor to the Pakistani economy. Whilst having only 0.8% of the country's population, it contributes 1% to the country's GDP. The Islamabad Stock Exchange, founded in 1989, is Pakistan's third largest stock exchange after Karachi Stock Exchange and Lahore Stock Exchange. The exchange has 118 members with 104 corporate bodies and 18 individual members. The average daily turnover of the stock exchange is over 1 million shares. As of 2012, Islamabad LTU (Large Tax Unit) was responsible for Rs 371 billion in tax revenue, which amounts to 20% of all the revenue collected by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) as of 2012.
Nazimabad
Before the independence of Pakistan, the area of the present day Nazimabad was semi-arid land with small Sindhi and Balochi villages nearly 10 KM from downtown Karachi. The Government of Pakistan bought the land in 1950 from the local landlord and tribal leader Masti Brohi Khan in order to resettle the Muslim refugees that were living in tent cities in central Karachi. Nazimabad was planned and developed starting in 1952 and the land was sold at reduced prices to the refugees. This suburb was named after Khawaja Nazimuddin who was the second Governor-General of Pakistan, and later the second Prime Minister as well.
In late 1958, the northern area of Nazimabad, was to be developed as Timuria by Karachi Improvement Trust (KIT). The name North Nazimabad became popular and was later adopted instead of Timuria. North Nazimabad was developed as a residential area for federal government employees. But in the early 1960s the capital of Pakistan was transferred from Karachi to newly developed capital Islamabad.
Khan Abdul Jabbar Khan
In June, he was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan representing the constituency of Quetta, the former capital of Balochistan.
Islamabad Capital Territory
In 1960, land was transferred from Rawalpindi District of Punjab province to establish Pakistan's new capital. According to the 1960 master plan, the Capital Territory included Rawalpindi, and was to be composed of the following parts:
Qissa Khwani Bazaar
The Qissa Khwani Bazaar (, ; ""Story-tellers' Bazaar"") is a bazaar in Peshawar, the capital of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan.
2013 Punjab provincial election
On 30 October 2011, former cricketer turned politician Imran Khan held a rally in Punjab's capital city: Lahore. This rally attracted over 100,000 of his supporters and was a power show of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. Following this, the popularity of the PTI rapidly increased and it emerged as the main challenger to the PML (N) in Punjab.