Pakistan: History, Culture, and Conflicts

Pakistan

Pakistan is a country located in southern Asia. It shares its history with its neighbor India, and the two countries were separated by the British in 1947, creating Pakistan and India. Pakistan's capital is Islamabad, and its territory includes the regions of West and East Pakistan. The country is bounded by Iran, Afghanistan, China, and India, with the Arabian Sea to its south.

Agriculture and Industry

Pakistan's agriculture provides raw materials for its industries. The country is known for its cotton, which is used to produce cloth and clothing. Workers make carpets from wool, and leather goods from hides and skins. Other industries in Pakistan include fertilizer production, processed food manufacturing, and cement production. Pakistan also mines coal, oil, and natural gas.

Early History

The Indus Valley Civilization, one of the earliest ancient human civilizations in South Asia, originated from areas encompassing present-day Pakistan. The region was later invaded by Aryans, Greeks, Turks, and other peoples, and the Mughal Empire took power in the early 1500s. In the 1850s, the British took control of India, and Pakistan was a part of British India until its independence in the mid-20th century.

Separation from India

In 1947, the British divided British India into two new countries: Pakistan and India. Pakistan included two regions, West and East Pakistan, which were separated by more than 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) of Indian territory. When the new boundaries were formed, many Muslims left India for Pakistan and many Hindus left Pakistan for India. The conflict between the two groups led to thousands of deaths.

War with India

Pakistan and India have long fought for control of the region called Kashmir. The conflict over Kashmir led to a war between the countries in 1965. The war ended later that year, but the two countries continued to battle over the territory from time to time. The conflict grew more serious in 1998 when both countries tested nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, the people of East Pakistan demanded independence from West Pakistan, leading to a civil war in 1971. With the help of the Indian army, East Pakistan became the independent country of Bangladesh in 1972.

Recent Times

Since independence, Pakistan has seen a series of political transitions, including periods of military rule and democratically elected governments. The country has also faced challenges such as poverty, illiteracy, corruption, and terrorism. Despite these challenges, Pakistan is a member of the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the Commonwealth of Nations, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, and the Islamic Military Counter-Terrorism Coalition. It is also designated as a major non-NATO ally by the United States.

Culture and Geography

Pakistan's people are a mixture of different groups that have come to the region over thousands of years. The five major groups are the Punjabis, the Pashtuns, the Sindhis, the Balochis, and the muhajirs. Punjabis make up about half of the population, and their language, called Punjabi, is the most commonly spoken one. Almost everyone in Pakistan practices Islam. The majority of the people live in rural areas, but the cities have grown rapidly. Most people live in the east, and many Pakistanis work in services, including transportation, communications, and government work. Many others work in agriculture. The main crops are wheat, rice, sugarcane, and cotton. Farmers also raise goats, sheep, cattle, and water buffalo.