| Part ofa series on the |
| Culture of Pakistan |
|---|
 |
| Traditions |
| folklore |
Music and performing arts |
| Sport |
Monuments |
Pakistan has several official national symbols, including a flag, an emblem, an anthem, a memorial tower as well as several national heroes. The symbols were adopted at various stages in the existence of Pakistan and there are various rules and regulations governing their definition or use. The oldest symbol is theLahore Resolution, adopted by theAll India Muslim League on 23 March 1940, and which presented the official demand for the creation of a separate country for the Muslims ofIndia. The Minar-e-Pakistan memorial tower which was built in 1968 on the site where the Lahore Resolution was passed. The national flag was adopted just before independence was achieved on 14 August 1947. The national anthem and the state emblem were each adopted in 1954. There are also several other symbols including the national animal, bird, flower and tree.
The Lahore Resolution (Qarardad-e-Lahore) (Urdu:قرارداد لاھور), also known as the Pakistan Resolution,[1] was a formal political statement adopted by theAll India Muslim League at the occasion of its three-day general session on 22–24 March 1940 at Minto Park (nowIqbal Park), Lahore. The resolution called for greater Muslim autonomy in British India and has been largely interpreted as a demand for a separate Muslim state.[2] The idea of separate state for Indian Muslims was first suggested byMuhammad Iqbal in 1930[3] and the name of Pakistan was proposed byChoudhary Rahmat Ali in hisPakistan Declaration pamphlet in 1933.[4] Initially, Muhammad Ali Jinnah and other leaders were in favour ofHindu-Muslim unity, but the volatile political climate and religious hostilities of the 1930s made the idea more appealing.[5][6]In his speech, Jinnah criticised theIndian National Congress and the nationalist Muslims, and espoused theTwo-Nation Theory and the reasons for the demand for separate Muslim homelands.[7] SirSikandar Hayat Khan, the Chief Minister of thePunjab, drafted the original resolution, but that was not fully acceptable to all the Working Committee,[8] so extensive redrafting followed, by the Subject Committee of the Muslim League. The text is ambiguous in accepting the concept of various Muslim 'zones' within a "United India" due to communal concerns[9] and it does not clearly recommend the creation of a separate, fully independent Muslim state.[10] The resolution was moved in the general session byA.K. Fazlul Huq, Chief Minister ofBengal and was supported seconded by several leaders. The principle text of the Lahore Resolution was passed on 24 March 1940. In 1941 it became part of the Muslim League's constitution. By 1946, it formed the basis for the struggle of the Muslim League for a separate Muslim state.[11] The statement declared:
No constitutional plan would be workable or acceptable to the Muslims unless geographical contiguous units are demarcated into regions which should be so constituted with such territorial readjustments as may be necessary. That the areas in which the Muslims are numerically in majority as in the North-Western and Eastern zones of India should be grouped to constitute independent states in which the constituent units shall be autonomous and sovereign … That adequate, effective and mandatory safeguards shall be specifically provided in the constitution for minorities in the units and in the regions for the protection of their religious, cultural, economic, political, administrative and other rights of the minorities, with their consultation. Arrangements thus should be made for the security of Muslims where they were in a minority.[12]
The Minar-e-Pakistan (Urdu:مينارِ پاكستان;Mīnār-ĕ Pākistān) which is the national tower of Pakistan also known asTower of Pakistan is a 60 metre tall concrete minaret in Iqbal Park in Lahore.[13] The Minar was built on the site where the Muslim League passed the Lahore Resolution, demanding the creation of Pakistan. Pakistan now celebrates this day as a national holiday each year under the name ofPakistan Day which is also the day in 1956 when the country became the firstIslamic Republic in the world.[14] It was designed byMuhammad Wali Ullah Khan and built by Mian Abdul Khaliq Company. The base of the tower is raised about 4 metres from the ground. The next 13 metres form a sculpted, flower-like base and from this point, the Minar tapers as it rises. The base platform is shaped like a five-pointed star and it encloses crescent-shaped pools. It is constructed of reinforced concrete, with the floors and walls rendered in stone and marble.[13]
The national flag was designed byMuhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan,[15] and was based on the original flag of the Muslim League. It was adopted by theConstituent Assembly[16] on 11 August 1947, just days before independence.[17][18][19] The flag is referred to in the national anthem asParcham-e-Sitāra-o-Hilāl in Urdu (lit. Flag of the Crescent and Star). The flag comprises a dark green field, representing theMuslim majority of Pakistan, with a vertical white stripe in the hoist, representing religiousminorities.[15] In the centre is a white crescent moon, representing progress, and a white five-pointed star, representing light and knowledge.[15] The flag symbolizes Pakistan's commitment to Islam, the Islamic world and the rights of religious minorities.[20] The flag is flown on several important days of the year including Republic Day and Independence Day.[21] The flag is also flown on the residences and motor vehicles of many public officials including thePresident and the Prime Minister.
The national anthem of Pakistan orQaumī Tarāna (Urdu:قومى ترانہ), is played during any event involving the hoisting of the flag, for example Resolutions Day (23 March) and Independence Day (14 August). The Constituent Assembly had not adopted a national anthem by the time Pakistan became independent, so when the flag was hoisted at the independence ceremony it was accompanied by the song, "Pakistan Zindabad, Azadi Paendabad". Muhammad Ali Jinnah asked a Lahore-based Hindu writer,Jagan Nath Azad, to write a national anthem for Pakistan.[22] Jinnah may have done this to promote a more secular idealism for Pakistan.[23] The anthem written by Azad was quickly approved by Jinnah, and it was played onRadio Pakistan.[24] Azad's work remained as Pakistan's national anthem for about eighteen months.
A National Anthem Committee was formed in 1948, but it had difficulty finding suitable music and lyrics. The impending state visit of theShah of Iran in 1950, resulted in the hasty adoption of a three stanza composition byAhmed Ghulamali Chagla. Initially it was performed without lyrics for thePrime MinisterLiaquat Ali Khan on 10 August 1950[25] and was approved for playing during the visit of the Shah. However, the anthem was not officially adopted until August 1954.[25] The National Anthem Committee eventually approved lyrics written by Abu-Al-AsarHafeez Jullandhuri and the new national anthem was first played properly on Radio Pakistan on 13 August 1954.[26] Official approval was announced by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on 16 August 1954 followed by a performance of the national anthem in 1955 involving eleven major singers of Pakistan includingAhmad Rushdi.[27]
The State Emblem was adopted in 1954 and symbolizes Pakistan's ideological foundation, the basis of its economy, its cultural heritage and its guiding principles.[28] The four components of the emblem are a crescent and star crest above a shield, which is surrounded by a wreath, below which is a scroll.[28] The crest and the green colour of the emblem are traditional symbols of Islam. The quartered shield in the centre shows cotton, wheat, tea and jute, which were the major crops of Pakistan at independence and signify the agricultural base of the economy.[28] The floral wreath, surrounding the shield, represents the floral designs used in traditionalMughal art and emphasizes the cultural heritage of Pakistan.[28]
The scroll supporting the shield contains Muhammad Ali Jinnah's motto in Urdu, which reads from right to left: (ایمان ، اتحاد ، نظم و ضبط) "Iman, Ittehad, Nazm o Zabt" translated as "Faith, Unity, Discipline" and are intended as the guiding principles for Pakistan.[20]
| Title | Symbol | Image | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Father of the Nation (Quaid-e-Azam) | Muhammad Ali Jinnah[20][29] |  | Muhammad Ali Jinnah (bornMahomedali Jinnahbhai; 25 December 1876 – 11 September 1948) was a barrister, politician and the founder ofPakistan. Jinnah served as the leader of theAll-India Muslim League from 1913 until the inception of Pakistan on 14 August 1947, and then as theDominion of Pakistan's firstGovernor-General until his death. He is revered in Pakistan as theQuaid-i-Azam ("Great Leader") andBaba-i-Qaum ("Father of the Nation"). As the first Governor-General of Pakistan, Jinnah worked to establish the new nation's government and policies, and to aid the millions ofMuslim migrants who had emigrated from neighbouringIndia to Pakistan after thetwo states' independence |
| Mother of the Nation (Madar-i-Millat) | Fatimah Jinnah[30] |  | Fatima Jinnah widely known as Māder-e Millat ("Mother of the Nation"), was a Pakistani politician, dental surgeon, stateswoman, and one of the leadingfounders of Pakistan. She was the younger sister ofMuhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder and the firstGovernor General of Pakistan. then-President of Pakistan. Her legacy is associated with her support forcivil rights, her struggle in thePakistan Movement and her devotion to her brother. Referred to asMāder-e Millat ("Mother of the Nation") andKhātūn-e Pākistān ("Lady of Pakistan"), manyinstitutions and public spaces in Pakistan have been named in her honour. |
| National poet | Muhammad Iqbal[20] |  | SirMuhammad Iqbal was aSouth AsianMuslimwriter,philosopher, andpolitician, whose poetry in theUrdu language is among the greatest of the twentieth century. Iqbal is widely commemorated in Pakistan, where he is regarded as the ideological founder of the state. His birthday is annually commemorated in Pakistan asIqbal Day, and until 2018 it was also a public holiday. |
| State religion | Islam[31] |  | Islam in Pakistan existed in communities along the Arab coastal trade routes inSindh as soon as the religion originated and had gained early acceptance in the Arabian Peninsula. The connection between the Sind andIslam was established by the initial Muslim missions during theRashidun Caliphate. The mosque is an important religious as well as social institution in Pakistan. Many rituals and ceremonies are celebrated according toIslamic calendar. Pakistan was created as a separate state for Indian Muslims inBritish India in 1947, and followed the parliamentary form of democracy. In 1949, the firstConstituent Assembly of Pakistan passed theObjectives Resolution which envisaged an official role for Islam as the state religion to make sure any future law should not violate its basic teachings. In 1956, the elected parliament formally adopted the name Islamic Republic of Pakistan, declaring Islam as the official religion. |
| National language | Urdu[32] |  | Urdu is anIndo-Aryan language spoken chiefly inSouth Asia. It is the officialnational language andlingua franca ofPakistan. Urdu is the sole national, and one of the two official languages of Pakistan (along withEnglish). It is spoken and understood throughout the country. Its official status has meant that Urdu is understood and spoken widely throughout Pakistan as a second or third language. It is used ineducation,literature, office and court business. |
| National flower | Common jasmine[31][33] |  | In Pakistan, jasmine is a very common plant and one can find it in any garden. Because of its attractive scent, the white jasmine symbolizes attachment and represents amiability and modesty; therefore, jasmine was named the national flower of Pakistan.[34] |
| National tree | Himalayan cedar (Deodar)[31][33] | .JPG) | Cedrus deodara is a species of cedar native to thewestern Himalayan and theHindu Kush ranges in northern Pakistan (especially inKhyber Pakhtunkhwa). It is considered to be the national tree of Pakistan. |
| National fruit | Mango[31] |  | Mango is highly cultivated in Pakistan (especially in thePunjab andSindh provinces). Some of the most popular cities for their production include:Multan,Bahawalpur,Muzaffargarh,Khanewal,Sahiwal,Sadiqabad,Vehari, andRahim Yar Khan.Mirpur Khas,Hyderabad andThatta.Dera Ismail Khan,Peshawar andMardan. |
| National vegetable | Lady Finger[35] |  | |
| National animal | Markhor[36][33] | .jpg) | The Markhor is the national animal of Pakistan. The Markhor is the largest of the goat family and is commonly found in the Northern Areas of Pakistan. The name Markhor translates to “snake eater” inPersian, for the Markhor holds great skill at killing snakes in the wild to protect its harem. Despite their large size, Markhors are extremely skilled climbers. Conservation efforts from wildlife NGOs like Save Our Species and WCS Pakistan were then put into action. Thanks to these initiatives, the majestic mammal gradually began to rebound. |
| National aquatic marine mammal | Indus river dolphin[31] |  | |
| National predator | Snow leopard[31] |  | |
| National bird | Chukar partridge[31][33] | .jpg) | The national bird of Pakistan is Chukar partridge. They are commonly known as Chakor and it is aEurasian upland game bird in the pheasant familyPhasianidae. The chukar sometimes symbolizes intense, and often unrequited, love. It is said to be in love with the moon and to gaze at it constantly. Because of their pugnacious behaviour during the breeding season they are kept in some areas as fighting birds. In short, Chukar partridge have a huge reason to be the National bird symbol of Pakistan.[37] |
| State bird | Shaheen falcon[31] | .jpg) | The Shaheen falcon is actually a symbolic icon of thePakistani Air Force and is considered by many to be the state bird.[38] |
| National fish | Mahseer (Himalayan golden mahseer)[39][40] |  | |
| National reptile | Indus Crocodile[31] |  | |
| National sport | Field hockey[33] |  | FieldMartial Ayub Khan's arrival in 1958 proved to be not only one of the most significant determining factors behind declaringhockey as this newnation's national sport but also brought in a new wave of enthusiasm for thesport as he emphasized on it more than football or cricket.[41] |
| National mosque | Faisal Mosque[42][43] |  | The Faisal Mosque was conceived as the National Mosque of Pakistan and named after the lateKing Faisal bin Abdul-Aziz ofSaudi Arabia, who supported and financed the project. It was completed in 1986.[44] The largest mosque in Pakistan, the Faisal Mosque was the largest mosque in the world from 1986 until 1993. |
| National tower | Minar-e-Pakistan (Minaret of Pakistan)[45] |  | This tower marksPakistan’s resolution (Lahore Resolution) that marked the first step in the history of creation of Pakistan. Its construction began in 1960, and finished in 8 years to be completed in October 1968. This national monument draws its three steps symptomatic of the three stages of the challenges and successes in the independence of Pakistan. The floral inscriptions at the base of this Minar shows the text of the Pakistan Resolution that solidified Iqbal’s dreams and Jinnah’s struggle. |
| National monument | Pakistan Monument[46][47] |  | This national monument, consisting of four large petals and three small petals, is symbolic of the four provinces (Punjab,Sindh,Khyber Pakhtunkwa,Balochistan) andAJK,Gilgit-Baltistan, andFATA. The blossoming flower as a whole is also a bode and prayer to a progressing Pakistan. The inner walls of these granite petals are decorated with murals, that are primarily based on Islamic art. This monument is a symbol and reminder of the history and heritage of Pakistan, the sacrifices that went into its creation, and the culture that makes it Pakistan.[48] |
| National days | Pakistan Day[49] Independence Day[11] |  | Pakistan Day orPakistan Resolution Day, alsoRepublic Day, is anational holiday inPakistan commemorating theLahore Resolution passed on 23 March 1940 and the adoption of the firstconstitution of Pakistan. Independence Day is observed annually on 14 August, is anational holiday inPakistan. It commemorates the day when Pakistan achieved independence and was declared asovereign state following the end of theBritish Raj in 1947. |
| National clothing | Shalwar kameez[50] |  | Shalwar kameez is the national clothing of Pakistan worm by both men and women. The clothing is worn in all provinces of Pakistan. Every province may have its own special intricate pattern or design that may be available as well. |
| National mountain | K2[31] |  | K2 Also known as Mount Godwin-Austen or Chhogori Consider As TheNational Mountain of Pakistan. It is the Second HighestMountain in the World and the highest in Pakistan. It's located on the Pak-China border in the Pakistani administrated region ofGilgit Baltistan. |
| National mausoleum | Mazar-e-Quaid[48] |  | Mazar-e-Quaid, also known as JinnahMausoleum or theNational Mausoleum, is the final resting place of Quaid-e-Azam ("Great Leader") Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder ofPakistan. |
| National airline | PIA[51] | .jpg) | PIA is the national airline of Pakistan operating in all provinces of Pakistan along with Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Kashmir. |
| National drink | Sugarcane juice[52] |  | |
| National instrument | Daf[53][54] |  | Daf is commonly known as the national instrument of Pakistan. |
| National currency | Pakistani Rupee(PKR)[35] | ThePakistani rupee has been the officialcurrency of Pakistan since 1948. The coins and notes are issued and controlled by thecentral bank, namelyState Bank of Pakistan. | |
| National river | Indus River[35] | .jpg) | Indus River is the national river of Pakistan. Indus River is the largest river in Pakistan. The river has two principle tributaries in Pakistan, theKabul river, and thePanjnad river—which in turn is formed by successive confluences of the fivePunjab rivers, of which four:Jhelum,Chenab,Ravi, andSutlej flow through Pakistan. |
| National dishes | Biryani/Nihari[55] |   | Both Biryani and Nihari are equally considered to be the national dishes of Pakistan respectively; although, they are yet to be verified.[55] |
| National confectionary | Gulab Jamun[56] |  | Gulab jamun (also spelled gulaab jamun) is a milk-solid-based sweet and a type of mithai.It is made mainly from milk solids, traditionally fromkhoya, which is milk reduced to the consistency of a soft dough. |
| National colours | Green andwhite[35] |  | |
| National coat of arms | Coat of Arms of Pakistan[35] | | |
| National archives | National Archives of Pakistan[35] | The National Archives of Pakistan is a body established by the Government of Pakistan for the purpose of preserving and making available public and private records which have bearings on the history, culture and heritage of Pakistan. | |
| National library | National Library of Pakistan[35] |  | The National Library of Pakistan is the national and the research library located in the vicinity of theIslamabad. |
| National museum | National Museum of Pakistan |  | The National Museum of Pakistan is the national collection of history located inKarachi. |
| National cinema | Cinema of Pakistan[57] (Lollywood) |  | The Cinema of Pakistan refers to thefilmmaking industry inPakistan. Pakistan is home to several film studios centres, primarily located in its two largest cities -Karachi andLahore. Pakistani cinema has played an important part inPakistani culture and in recent years has begun flourishing again after years of decline, delivering entertainment to audiences inPakistan andexpatriates abroad. |
{{cite journal}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)Pakistan: A Country Study.
Pakistan: A Country Study.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)...close at hand, and about a decade ago, it was named the national fish of Pakistan...
Daf is commonly known as the national instrument of Pakistan.
| |||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
