Pakistan

Pakistan is located in South Asia bordering India, China, Afghanistan, and Iran. It is the 33rd largest nation by total area. Pakistan means pure land in the local language.

Pakistan occupies around 880,000 square kilometers of land, from the Arabian Sea in the south to the high mountains of Central Asia. Pakistan is a country of contrasts: expansive dusty plains to the high snowy peaks of the Karakoram and the Himalaya in Gilgit Baltistan. From Ancient Mughal Empires and history spanning thousands of years to today’s sprawling technology hubs, Pakistan is home to over 207 million people.

Pakistan has a 1,046 Kilometre coastline along the Arabian Sea in the south. It has a border with India in the east connected by air, road, and train. Iran in the southwest and Afghanistan to the west connected by air and roads. China lies in the North of the country, well connected by air, and the famous ancient Silk Route is also known as the Karakoram Highway.

HISTORY:

The area that now is modern Pakistan was the site of many ancient cultures and intertwined with the history of the broader Indian subcontinent. The ancient history involves the Bronze Age Indus Valley civilization and the Neolithic sites of Mehrgarh that later on become home to kingdoms ruled by people of different cultures and faiths, including Indo-Greeks, Turco- Mongols, Hindus, Afghans, and Sikhs. This area has been ruled, by several empires and dynasties, including the Persian Achaemenid Empire, Alexander III of Macedon, the Seleucid Empire, the Indian Maurya Empire, the Arab Umayyad Caliphate, the Mongol Empire, the Mughal Empire, the Afghan Durrani Empire, and most recently the British Indian Empire.

PEOPLE:

A melting pot of religions, culture, and historical ancestry, the people of this country make the world the 6th largest population. Sindhi and Muhajir people live in the Sind Province, the south of the country, while Balochistan is home to Baloch people. The major ethnic groups are Punjabis (44% of Pakistan population) from the Punjab province. Pashtuns are also known as Pathans, are found in the KPK province of the country. Other minority ethnic groups in Pakistan are the Brahuis, Kashmiris, Hazara, and various people from Gilgit Baltistan. These groups and many more can trace their roots back to invasions from the Turks, Arabs, Persian, and the Mughals. Traditions and values remain strong, and you can experience them with the help of our guide.

RELIGION:

Wherever you go in Pakistan, you will see how much religion plays a part in day-to-day life. Islam is the main religion in Pakistan, and across the country, you will see signs of many other faiths from Karachi and Lahore’s churches, Hindu temples, and Sikh Gurdwaras at Nankana Sahib and Faisal Mosque in Islamabad. Islam is the main religion across Pakistan, but Hinduism and Christianity are also found more prominently in the south. Some people follow other religions, such as Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainisim, and a minority of Parsi. The Kalahsa People of Kalash valley in the Chitral district of KPK maintain a unique identity and religion.

Administrative divisions of Pakistan

Administrative division	Capital	Population
Balochistan	Quetta	12,344,408
Punjab	Lahore	110,126,285
Sindh	Karachi	47,886,051
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK)	Peshawar	40,525,047
Gilgit-Baltistan	Gilgit	1,800,000
Azad Kashmir	Muzaffarabad	4,567,9820
Islamabad Capital Territory	Islamabad	2,851,868

FOOD:

Although countries of the west may not embrace Paratha ( a type of pancakes made with wheat and butter) for breakfast, Pakistani cuisine is high on the favorite list. From traditional meat curries – to seafood and rice dishes, more commonly in the south or simple Dhal (lentils), Aalo (Potato) dishes, there is something for all plates, all incredibly delicious and cooked with local spices. Across Gilgit Baltistan, you offered Mamto (momos/stuffed dumplings). For those with a sweet tooth, try Gulab Jmaun (sweet dumplings cooked in rose flavored syrup) for dessert.

WILDLIFE:

When thinking about Pakistan wildlife, the snow leopards and the Himalayan brown bear of Deosai comes to mind. Their healthy population growth continues to attract visitors to its national parks every year. From Indus River dolphins to snow leopards, Pakistan is also home to many other wild lives. Snow leopards are a remarkable animal that is a symbol of the national heritage of Pakistan. They live in the Hindukush and the Karakoram mountains of Pakistan. The snow leopard is an exclusive symbol of northern areas, and it is part of their ecological system.

Deosai National Park, the second world high altitude plateau (4,111m) in the backdrop of Nanga Parbat (8,126m), is home to the Himalayan Brown bear, Snow leopards, and many other wild lives. Snow keeps Deosai covered eight months in a year, up come the summer, the crystal streams, flora, fauna makes this place living heaven on earth.

MOUNTAINS

Stretching across the Gilgit Baltistan areas, The Himalaya, Karakoram, and the Hindukush mountain range offer incredible scenery, a range of walking, trekking, and climbing options. This region is the most spectacular and peaceful region of Pakistan because of its rich culture, landscape, geography, and scenic beauty. Here the world’s three Great mightiest mountain ranges meet the Karakoram, the Hindukush, and the Himalayas. Gilgit Baltistan is home to some of the world’s highest mountains, making this region as ultimate climbers heaven. The five of the fourteen highest peaks of the world are here, the savage mountain K2 (8,611), the Magnificent Nanga Parbat (8,126), Hidden Peak (8,080), Broad Peak (8,047 ), and Gasherbrum II (8,035m ).

Gilgit Baltistan (northern areas) is also home to Baltoro and Hispar Glaciers, the largest Glaciers outside the polar glaciers. The scope for adventure and mountaineering holidays in Pakistan is virtually unlimited. From classic trekking holidays, like the K2 Base Camp and K2 and Gondogoro La Trek to remote region treks such as the Snow Lake-Hisper Trek in the Karakoram mountains. If biking is your thing, then there are spectacular rides across the Karakoram & Western Himalayas, from Chitral to Khunjerab Pass via the Ancient Silk Road (Karakoram Highway), from Gilgit To Skardu via Deosai Plato. For climbers, there is a range of 6,000 meters plus peaks which provides an exciting challenge. You can also have a perfect family holiday and Tours across Gilgit Baltistan and “Pakistan”. Culture Tours in Pakistan are also world-class, with breathtaking scenery and attractions.

Provinces of Pakistan

Pakistan is a country that emerged on 14^th August 1947 as an independent state for the Muslims of the subcontinent. Pakistan is halved into four provinces which are:

• Punjab
• Sindh 
• Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 
• Balochistan 

PUNJAB 

Punjab is amongst the four provinces of Pakistan and is home to a community of about 110,000,000 people as of 2021. The word Punjab means five rivers: Ravi, Chenab, Beas, Jhelum, and Sutlej Rivers that seep the region. Punjab shares a border with Islamabad, Azad Kashmir, and the other Pakistan provinces such as Sindh, KPK, and Balochistan. It is also frontiered by the Indian states of Rajasthan, Punjab, Jammu and, Kashmir. 

Lahore is the capital of Punjab, a cultural and historical center of Pakistan. The country’s cinema industry and some of Pakistan’s fashion industry are based in the Punjab province. Lahore and Faisalabad are the largest cities in Punjab. Punjab is the most industrialized province of Pakistan and Faisalabad is the largest industrial city of Punjab. 

Punjab has been inhabited from ancient times. It is home to Taxila (the oldest university globally), and the Indus Valley Civilization was first found out at Harappa. It occupies an area of about 79,284 square miles. Sufism strongly influences Punjab, with various Sufi shrines spread throughout the province, captivating millions of disciples yearly. Punjab is the site of many historical places, including Lahore Fort, Rohtas Fort, Katasraj Temple, and Shalimar Gardens. Punjabi, Saraiki, Urdu, and Pothohari are commonly spoken in Province Punjab.

SIND 

Sindh is the second-largest province by population after Punjab and the third biggest province by total area. It is landed on the southeast side of Pakistan. Sindh is also known as Bab-ul Islam (gateway of Islam) because it was one of the first sectors of the Indian subcontinent to fall under Islam law. Sindh has the second-largest economy in Pakistan after the Punjab province. 

Karachi is the capital of Sindh, and it is a popular city because of the main financial hub of Pakistan. Sindh contributes to Pakistan’s industrial sector because it has the two busiest commercial seaports. One is Port Qasim, and the other is Karachi Port. Sindh is a Persian word derived from the Sindhu, meaning river. It refers to the Indus River. Date palm trees are usually found all around Sindh. 

Sindhi and Urdu are the languages of Sindhi people, and Sindhi is widely spoken in Sindh province. Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Nawabshah, Kotri, Mirpur Khas, and Larkana are the major cities of Sindh. Sindh also has a wide variety of tourist sites: Ranikot fort, Karachi beach, Qasim fort, Shah Jahan mosque, and Tombs of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai. The most prominent are the ruins of Mohenjo Daro. Manchar Lake is also a great source of sightseeing for tourists in Sindh province.

KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA (KPK)

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is a province that was previously known as North-West Frontier Province. It is located on the northwest side of Pakistan along the Afghanistan border. Peshawar is the capital and largest town of KPK. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is the third-biggest province of Pakistan according to economy and population. It shares a boundary with Punjab, Balochistan, Islamabad, Gilgit Baltistan, Azad Jammu, and Kashmir. 

KP province occupies an area of 39,282 square miles. It is a hometown of about 35,525,047 inhabitants, with the majority being Pashtuns and Hindko speakers. The word Khyber means the Khyber side of the land of the Pashtuns, whereas the word Pakhtunkhwa means the Land of the Pashtuns while other philosophers called it Pashtun culture and society. The term Khyber was inducted in the name of the Khyber Pass, which joins Pakistan to Afghanistan.

The Sharmai Hydropower is a power generation project tracked down in the upper district of KPK on the Panjkora River with having a capacity of 150MW. Nippon Koei— a Japanese company, has carried out the hydropower project. Cricket is the favorite sport of the Pashtuns people, which they majorly play. KPK has produced world-class cricketers like Fakhar Zaman, Shahid Afridi, Umar Gul, and Younus Khan.

Pashtuns have a rich taste in music, and Pashto folk music is trendy in KPK. Harmonium, rubab, and mangey instruments produce the Pashto melody. Khowar folk song is popular in Northern Swat and Chitral, and it is played by an instrument called Chitrali sitar. The Khowar music tunes are unique from the Pashto ones. Band music composed of drums and Surnai is usually played in polo matches and dances in Chitral. 

KPK is the tourist hotspot for travelers and adventurers. The landscapes in KPK range from hills, valleys, parks, mountains, historic places, and passes which includes:

• Swat valley
• Kamrat valley
• Lulusar 
• Chitral Fort
• Kalash Valley
• Kafir lot 
• Saiful Muluk National Park 
• Mahabat Khan mosque 
• Shandur Pass 
• Bala Hisar fort 
• Ansoo lake 
• Malam Jabba and many more to see.

Balochistan 

Quetta is the provincial capital and largest metropolis of Balochistan. It is located on the southwest side of Pakistan, and it is a massive town according to the land region. It occupies an area of about 134,050 square miles. It is dwelling to a population of 12,335,129 folks. The name Balochistan, meaning the Land of the Baloch. Baloch and Pashtuns are the main ethnic groups of the Balochistan province, and the remaining are Hazaras, Brahuis, Uzbeks, Turkmens, Sindhis, and Punjabis.

Turbat is the second huge burg of Balochistan in the south, while the Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea has great significance. Balochistan has an extreme desert climate and is famous for its unique culture. Balochistan has many tourist attraction sites and places which includes:

• Astola Island
• Hanna lake 
• Bolan pass 
• Hingol National Park
• Ziarat 
• The princess of hope 
• Hazarganji Chiltan National park
• Pir Ghaib waterfall 
• Urak Valley 

Balochi, Brahui, Hazaragi, Pashto, and Urdu are the main languages. Those are widely spoken in Province Balochistan.

Trango Adventure is a licensed tour operator in Pakistan with many years of experience. Contact our travel advisors at info@trangoadventure.com or call at 0092 5815 453144 to organise your next holiday in Pakistan.