I am starting this informative thread about positive side of pakistan’s past,present,future of culture,fashion,food,music,sports,entertainment industry,people( men or women), economy, architecture, famous personalities, education,places, religions,civilizations, science and technology in the field of I.T,medical,space and military. i will post random pictures with some description. I will try to update this thread time to time. I am not professional in creating threads. some help from digitians and positive comments will be appreciated.
P.S: This thread is not comparison with any country.Mods have right to delete this thread or posts if it breaches any digit.in rules .
Positivity is a good thing. But, Why do you want to waste that on a country like Pakistan. As an Indian there is nothing that that country can offer us. Secondly, they are a poor country with poor heritage. Majority of People there are still jahil and illiterate.
I can't imagine anything positive could happen for India or Indians.
Jinnah Mausoleum or the National Mausoleum refers to the tomb (Mazar) of the founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah. It is an iconic symbol of Karachi throughout the world.
Architecture:
The Mausoleum building was designed by Yahya Merchant. It is made of white marble with curved Moorish arches and copper grills reset on an elevated 54 square meters platform. The mausoleum is located in a 53 hectare park and the size of the building is 75x75m on ground and 43m high, built on an 4m high platform. In each wall is placed an entrance. 15 successive fountains lead to the platform from one side and from all sides terraced avenues lead to the gates. The cool inner sanctum reflects the green of a four-tiered crystal chandelier gifted by the people of China. Around the mausoleum is a park fitted with strong beamed spot-lights which at night project light on the white mausoleum.
Pakistan Monument, (National Monument of Pakistan) Islamabad, Pakistan
The Pakistan Monument in Islamabad, Pakistan, is a national monument representing the nation's four provinces and three territories. After a competition among many renowned architects, Arif Masood’s plan was selected for the final design. The blooming flower shape of the monument represents Pakistan's progress as a rapidly developing country. The four main petals of the monument represent the four provinces (Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh), while the three smaller petals represent the three territories (Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Kashmir and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas). The Monument has been designed to reflect the culture and civilization of the country and depicts the story of the Pakistan Movement, dedicated to those who sacrificed themselves for future generations.
From air the monument looks like a star (center) and a crescent moon (formed by walls forming the petals), these represent the star and crescent on Pakistan's flag.
Structure.
The monument is located at the west viewpoint of the Shakarparian Hills, and is spread over a total area of 2.8 hectares. The high location makes the monument visible from across the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The foundation stone was laid on 25 May 2004 and the complex was completed by the end of 2006 for inauguration on 23 March 2007. The total cost incurred was more than Rs.580 million.
The structure comprises four blossoming flower petals, built of granite, representing the unity of Pakistani people. The inner walls of the petals are decorated with murals. The central platform is made in the shape of a five-pointed star which is surrounded by a water body. A metallic crescent surrounding the star is inscribed with sayings of Muhammad Ali Jinnah and poetry of Allama Iqbal.
Murals.
The murals on the inside of large petals are based on Islamic architecture, and were decorated by a team of artists led by Kausar Jahan and Zarar Haider Babri, who spent a total of 119,000 hours on the artwork.The first petal features the Malki Tombs, Shahjahan Mosque, Rohtas Fort, Gawadar, and Faisal Mosque. The second petal depicts the images of Quiad-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Fatima Jinnah, Minar-e-Pakistan, Badshahi Mosque, Shila Tunnel, Karakorum Highway and a group of cheering people at Jinnah's public appearance. The third petal reflects Allama Iqbal, the Shah Rukn-e-Alam's Tomb, Mahabat Khan Mosque, Indus Valley Civilization, Lahore Fort and Indus River Delta. The fourth petal comprises the images of Sheesh Mehal, Lahore, Shalamar Gardens, the Uch Sharif Tomb, Islamia College Peshawar, the Ziarat Residency, the Khyber Pass and a polo match.
The University of Karachi (or KU) is a public university located in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. It serves an on-campus student population of more than 24,000. According to the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan, it is ranked among the top three universities of the country. In 2008 the university entered the THE-QS World University Rankings for the top 500 universities in the world.The University of Karachi holds a unique position in the country's educational system. As a respected research and reaching institution, it is committed to intellectual leadership, and to excellence in both developing knowledge and conveying that knowledge to its students. The University of Karachi meets the commitments to preserve knowledge through its instructional and research programs for higher level education.
History.
The University of Karachi was established through parliament as a Federal University in 1951. In 1962 its status was redefined as a university of the province of Sindh. On 23 October 1950 the Karachi University Act was passed and after an amendment in 1951 it was enacted. For the first two years, the University of Karachi remained as an examination University for the affiliated colleges.
In 1953 it started its teaching and research activities at two faculties of Arts and Science. Opened with an intake of 50 students, the university now has 53 Departments and 20 Research Centers and Institutes, under faculties of Arts, Science, Islamic Studies, Engineering, Law, Pharmacy, Management and Administrative Sciences and Medicine. The enrolment of regular students at the campus is around 28,000. There are about 1000 faculty members and more than 3000 supporting staff. On 18 January 1960 the university was shifted to the new campus on a plot of 1,279 acres (5.18 km2) located on the Country Club Road (now University Road), under the vice-chancellorship of Prof. Dr. Basheer Ahmad Hashmi, 23 June 1957 - 22 June 1961.
Campus. The university campus is spread over 1,279 acres (5.18 km2) of land, situated 12 km away from the city center of Karachi. About four percent of the university's students are foreigners who come from 23 different countries in regions as diverse as Central Asia, South Asia, the Middle East and Europe. The university has a high standard of teaching, with many professors being well-known scholars and academics of international repute and possessing Ph.D. and D.Sc. degrees from abroad. In a short span of 40 years, the university has risen to acquire a high status in the field of education in Pakistan as well as regionally.
Research institutes and centres.
Applied Economics Research Centre
Area Study Center for Europe
Center of Excellence for Women Study
Center of Excellence in Marine Biology
Center for Molecular Genetics
H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry
Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine
Dr. A.Q. Khan Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering
Institute of Clinical Psychology
Institute of Environmental Studies
Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Department of Main Communication Network (Nadeem Ahmed In-Charge MCN UoK
Institute of Marine Science
National Center for Proteomics
National Nematological Research Centre
Pakistan Study Center
Sheikh Zayed Islamic Research Centre
Institute of Space and Planetary Astrophysics
Institute for Sustainable Halophyte Utilization
Marine Reference & Research Collection Center
Department of Chemical Engineering
Department of Zoology
Department of Computer Science.
Positivity is a good thing. But, Why do you want to waste that on a country like Pakistan. As an Indian there is nothing that that country can offer us. Secondly, they are a poor country with poor heritage. Majority of People there are still jahil and illiterate.
I can't imagine anything positive could happen for India or Indians.
I am starting this informative thread about positive side of pakistan’s past,present,future of culture,fashion,food,music,sports,entertainment industry,people( men or women), economy, architecture, famous personalities, education,places, religions,civilizations, science and technology in the field of I.T,medical,space and military. i will post random pictures with some description. I will try to update this thread time to time. I am not professional in creating threads. some help from digitians and positive comments will be appreciated.
P.S: This thread is not comparison with any country.Mods have right to delete this thread or posts if it breaches any digit.in rules .
I am starting this informative thread about positive side of pakistan’s past,present,future of culture,fashion,food,music,sports,entertainment industry,people( men or women), economy, architecture, famous personalities, education,places, religions,civilizations, science and technology in the field of I.T,medical,space and military. i will post random pictures with some description. I will try to update this thread time to time. I am not professional in creating threads. some help from digitians and positive comments will be appreciated.
P.S: This thread is not comparison with any country.Mods have right to delete this thread or posts if it breaches any digit.in rules .
I once pointed this out in Dota 2 India group on FB and everyone was calling me anti-national and telling me that if I think they are better then I should go and live there.
Clifton Beach or Seaview is a beach in Karachi, Pakistan located on the Arabian Sea. It is one of the neighborhoods of Clifton, Saddar Town. It was the world's most popular silver-sand beach and health resort during 20th century but in 2003 it was affected by an oil spill. The beach has attractions for families and tourists, including beachside horse rides, amusement parks, restaurants, and swimming in the Arabian Sea.
A gated residential area called Seaview Apartments lies close to a section of Clifton beach known as Seaview beach or simply "Seaview". Further ahead lies Darakhshan Villas which comprises residential townhouses and huts.
Another attraction in this area is the recently constructed Cineplex cinema for the people who reside in DHA and Clifton. Hollywood films are mostly screened here along with some selected Bollywood films. The cinemas are equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and other entertainment sections.
Soon as the sun sets,flood lights come up and the picnic continues till midnight.
The Defence Housing Authority is fighting erosion by badding more sand, which may change the shape and features of the beach.
Other beaches close to the city include Sandspit, Hawke's Bay, and Paradise Point (a sandstone rock promontory with a natural arch), sonehra point, french beach, cape Mount, Manora beach, but Clifton Beach is the most popular picnic destination in Karachi
The Port Fountain or Karachi Port Trust Fountain is located next to the northern rock of a series of islands known as the Oyster Rocks, off the Karachi Harbour. The fountain is the world's third tallest, and rises to height of 620 feet (190 m) when operating at full force. Ever since its inauguration on January 15, 2006, the fountain has been attracting visitors from all over Pakistan. The fountain structure and platform of 135 sq meters (15 m x 9m) is on 16 piles 18 metres deep. Two 835 horsepower (623 kW) turbine pumps deliver nearly 2000 litres of sea water per second at a velocity of 70 metres per second through specially designed 8-inch (200 mm) nozzles. The fountain was constructed at a cost of PKR 320 million (approximately $5.3 million US).
Because the fountain rises so high into the air, it is easily seen from many locations of the city. Many high rise apartments, buildings and surroundings overlook the fountain throughout the community at the beach. The column of water can be seen from several miles at sea. The fountain is located 1.4 km away from the beach to avoid spraying water onto beachside homes. Maximum vapours travel up to a radius of 500 feet (150 m) around the fountain. Eighteen flood lights of 400 watts illuminate the fountain at night.
In a TV program, Minister for ports and shipping Pakistan "Dr. Babur Ghauri" said, he is now planning to construct some fast food outlets and restaurants in the surroundings of the fountain. He said it will give a chance to visitors to watch the beauty of fountain closely and enjoy their meal more with sitting at the centre of the beach.
Clifton Oyster Rocks
The Clifton Oyster Rocks are a series of islets located off the coast of the Clifton neighbourhood of Karachi, Pakistan. Karachi city government decided to include the island as part of its plans to renovate the city. As part of these plans, the Port Fountain was constructed at the base of the northern island. It shoots water up to 620 feet in the air, and is the second-tallest fountain in the world.
lol true that.
I'd like to see a few photos of K2. But I have google for that.
Don't really see the point of this thread unless the OP has actially taken the images himself.
The Bagh Ibne Qasim meaning (Garden of the son of Qasim) is located in Clifton, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. Inaugurated by President Pervez Musharraf on February 27, 2007, Pakistan's biggest park constructed under Clifton Beach Development Project on 130 acres (0.53 km2) of land. The old Toyland Theme Park has demolished and Bagh Ibne Qasim was built in its place. The park cost PKR 600 million and has been completed in 300 working days. More than 10 million people visited the park per year. Is also the largest family park in South Asia.
Prior to the initiation of construction on Bagh-e-Ibne Qasim, 73 acres (300,000 m2) of land was freed from the grip of land grabbers. The entire Clifton beach, and the area now covered under the park. In June 2005, Sindh Governor Dr. Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan took it upon himself to restore this major historical entertainment area to its original splendor. City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal also played a part in gifting the Jehangir Kothari Parade back to the people of Karachi.
For entertainment purposes of visitors, the park has a turtle pond, in addition to which it also has 24 state-of-the-art washrooms. In order to create an element of originality, the park also has 20 stone canopies. Moreover, hundreds of thousands of unique rose saplings have been planted throughout the park. The park will also feature fast food outlets able to accommodate 500 persons at a time. This park has various murals of dinosaurs that are extremely huge and add to the excitement on the faces of the visitors that come from various parts of Pakistan. This park overlooks the 90 meter Port Fountain of Karachi Port Trust (KPT) and thus adds to the beauty of the Clifton area.
Jinnah University for Women was founded in 1998 by an Act passed by the Provincial Assembly of Sindh and is recognized by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan. The university has 20 departments offering graduate and postgraduate degree courses. The university is currently ranked by HEC as 'W' Category rankings.
Campus.
The Jinnah University campus is divided into five Blocks: Block A, Block B, Block C, Block D, Block E and Admissions section. These Blocks include an Auditorium with the capacity of 400 persons, lecture halls, classrooms, laboratories, museums, faculty rooms and seminar libraries. The university is located at Nazimabad, Karachi.
Taxila is a town and an important archaeological site in the Rawalpindi District of the Punjab province in Pakistan. Taxila is situated about 32 km (20 mi) northwest of Islamabad Capital Territory and Rawalpindi in Punjab; just off the Grand Trunk Road. Taxila lies 549 metres (1,801 ft) above sea level. It was a part of India before Pakistan came into being after partition of India.
The city dates back to the Gandhara period and contains the ruins of the Gandhāran city of Takṣaśilā which was an important Hindu and Buddhist centre, and is still considered a place of religious and historical sanctity in those traditions. In 1980, Taxila was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site with multiple locations. In 2006 it was ranked as the top tourist destination in Pakistan by The Guardian newspaper.
References in texts.
Scattered references in later works indicate that Takshashila may have dated back to at least the 5th century BCE. Takṣaśilā is reputed to derive its name from Takṣa, who was the son of Bharata, the brother of Rama, and Mandavi. Legend has it that Takṣa ruled a kingdom called Takṣa Khanda, and founded the city of Takṣaśilā. According to another theory propounded by Damodar Dharmanand Kosambi, Takṣaśilā is related to Takṣaka, Sanskrit for "carpenter", and is an alternative name for the Nāgas of ancient India.
In the Great Hindu Epic Mahābhārata, the Kuru heir Parikṣit was enthroned at Takṣaśilā.Traditionally, it is believed that the Mahabharata was first recited at Takṣaśilā by Vaishampayana, a disciple of Vyasa at the behest of the seer Vyasa himself, at the Sarpa Satra Yajna (Snake Sacrifice) of Parikṣit's son Janamejaya.
Takshashila is also described in some detail in later Jātaka tales, written in Sri Lanka around the 5th century.The Chinese monk Faxian (also called Fa-Hien) writing of his visit to Taxila in 405 CE, mentions the kingdom of Takshasila (or Chu-cha-shi-lo) meaning "the severed Head". He says that this name was derived from an event in the life of Buddha because this is the place "where he gave his head to a man".Xuanzang (also called Hieun Tsang), another Chinese monk, visited Taxila in 630 and in 643, and he called the city as Ta-Cha-Shi-Lo. The city appears to have already been in ruins by his time. Taxila is called Taxiala in Ptolemy’s Geography.In the Historia Trium Regum (History of the Three Kings) composed by John of Hildesheim around 1375, the city is called Egrisilla.
Political history.
Historically, Takṣaśilā lay at the crossroads of three major trade routes:
1.The uttarāpatha, the northern road—the later Grand Trunk or GT Road — the royal road which connected Gandhara in the west to the kingdom of Magadha and its capital Pāṭaliputra in the Ganges valley in the east.
2.The northwestern route through Bactria, Kāpiśa, and Puṣkalāvatī.
3.The Sindu (English: Indus river) route from Kashmir and Central Asia, via Śri nagara, Mansehra, and the Haripur valley across the Khunjerab Pass to the Silk Road in the north to the Indian Ocean in the south. The Khunjerab passes between Kashmir and Xinjiang—the current Karakoram highway—and was traversed in antiquity.
Owing to its strategic location, Taxila has changes hands many times over the centuries, with many empires vying for its control.
c. 518 BCE – Darius the Great annexes Takṣaśilā to the Persian Achaemenid Empire.
326 BCE – Alexander the Great receives submission of King Āmbhi of Takṣaśilā, named Taxiles by Greek sources after his capital.
321–317 BCE Chandragupta Maurya, founder of the Mauryan empire in eastern India, makes himself master of northern and northwestern India, including Panjab. Chandragupta Maurya's advisor Kautilya (also known as Chanakya) was a teacher at Takṣaśilā.
During the reign of Chandragupta's grandson Aśoka, Takṣaśilā became a great Buddhist centre of learning. Nonetheless, Takṣaśilā was briefly the centre of a minor local rebellion, subdued only a few years after its onset.
Ashoka encouraged trade by building roads, most notably a highway of more than 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) linking Pataliputra with Taxila.
185 BCE – The last Maurya emperor, Bṛhadratha, is assassinated by his general, Puṣyamitra Śunga, during a parade of his troops.
Early 2nd century BCE - Indo-Greeks build new capital, Sirkap, on the opposite bank of the river from Takṣaśilā. During this new period of Bactrian Greek rule, several dynasties (like Antialcidas) likely ruled from the city as their capital. During lulls in Greek rule, the city managed profitably on its own, to independently control several local trade guilds, who also minted most of the city's autonomous coinage.
c. 90 BCE – The Indo-Scythian chief Maues overthrows the last Greek king of Takṣaśilā.
c. 20 BCE – Gondophares, founder of the Indo-Parthian Kingdom, conquers Takṣaśilā and makes it his capital.
c. 46 AD – Thomas the Apostle visits King Gondophares IV.
76 – The date of and inscription found at Taxila of "Great King, King of Kings, Son of God, the Kushana" (maharaja rajatiraja devaputra Kushana).
c. 460–470 CE – The Hephthalites sweep over Gandhāra and Panjab; and cause wholesale destruction of the Buddhist monasteries and stupas at Takṣaśilā, which never again recovers
Ancient centre of learning.
Takshashila became a noted centre of learning (including the religious teachings of Hinduism) at least several centuries BCE, and continued to attract students from around the old world until the destruction of the city in the 5th century. At its height, it has been suggested that Takshashila exerted a sort of "intellectual suzerainty" over other centres of learning in India., and its primary concern was not with elementary, but higher education.Generally, a student entered Takshashila at the age of sixteen. The Vedas, the ancient and the most revered Hindu scriptures, and the Eighteen Silpas or Arts, which included skills such as archery, hunting, and elephant lore, were taught, in addition to its law school, medical school, and school of military science. Students came to Takshashila from far-off places such as Kashi, Kosala and Magadha, in spite of the long and arduous journey they had to undergo, on account of the excellence of the learned teachers there, all recognized as authorities on their respective subjects.
Famous students and teachers.
Takshashila had great influence on the Hindu culture and Sanskrit language. It is perhaps best known because of its association with Chanakya, also known as Kautilya, the strategist who guided Chandragupta Maurya and assisted in the founding of the Mauryan empire. The Arthashastra (Sanskrit for The knowledge of Economics) of Chanakya, is said to have been composed in Takshashila itself. The Ayurvedic healer Charaka also studied at Taxila.He also started teaching at Taxila in the later period. The ancient grammarian Pāṇini, who codified the rules that would define Classical Sanskrit, has also been part of the community at Takshashila.
The institution is very significant in Buddhist tradition since it is believed that the Mahāyāna branch of Buddhism took shape there. Jivaka, the court physician of the Magadha emperor Bimbisara who once cured the Buddha, and the enlightened ruler of Kosala, Prasenajit, are some important personalities mentioned in Pali texts who studied at Takshashila.
Nature of education.
By some accounts, Taxilla was considered to be amongst the earliest universities in the world. Others do not consider it a university in the modern sense, in that the teachers living there may not have had official membership of particular colleges, and there did not seem to have existed purpose-built lecture halls and residential quarters in Takshashila in contrast to the later Nalanda University.
No external authorities like kings or local leaders subjected the scholastic activities at Takshashila to their control. Each teacher formed his own institution, enjoying complete autonomy in work, teaching as many students as he liked and teaching subjects he liked without conforming to any centralized syllabus. Study terminated when the teacher was satisfied with the student's level of achievement. In general, specialisation in a subject took around eight years, though this could be lengthened or shortened in accordance with the intellectual abilities and dedication of the student in question. In most cases the "schools" were located within the teachers' private houses, and at times students were advised to quit their studies if they were unable to fit into the social, intellectual and moral atmosphere there.
Knowledge was considered too sacred to be bartered for money, and hence any stipulation that fees ought to be paid was vigorously condemned. Financial support came from the society at large, as well as from rich merchants and wealthy parents. Though the number of students studying under a single Guru sometimes numbered in the hundreds, teachers did not deny education even if the student was poor; free boarding and lodging was provided, and students had to do manual work in the household. Paying students like princes were taught during the day; non-paying ones, at night. Guru Dakshina was usually expected at the completion of a student's studies, but it was essentially a mere token of respect and gratitude - many times being nothing more than a turban, a pair of sandals, or an umbrella. In cases of poor students being unable to afford even that, they could approach the king, who would then step in and provide something. Not providing a poor student a means to supply his Guru's Dakshina was considered the greatest slur on a King's reputation.
Examinations were treated as superfluous, and not considered part of the requirements to complete one's studies. The process of teaching was critical and thorough- unless one unit was mastered completely, the student was not allowed to proceed to the next. No convocations were held upon completion, and no written "degrees" were awarded, since it was believed that knowledge was its own reward. Using knowledge for earning a living or for any selfish end was considered sacrilegious.
Students arriving at Takshashila usually had completed their primary education at home (until the age of eight), and their secondary education in the Ashrams (between the ages of eight and twelve), and therefore came to Takshashila chiefly to reach the ends of knowledge in specific disciplines.Both theoretical and practical aspects of the subjects were taught, and particular care was taken to ensure competence of students in case of subjects like medicine, where improper practice could result in disaster. The list of subjects taught at Takshashila underwent many additions over the years, with even Greek being taught there after the Alexandrian conquests. Foreign savants were accorded as much importance as local teachers.
Ruins.
The British archaeologist Sir John Marshall conducted excavations over a period of twenty years in Taxila.
The ruins of Taxila contain buildings and Buddhist stupas located over a large area. The main ruins of Taxila are divided into three major cities, each belonging to a distinct time period.
The oldest of these is the Hathial area, which yielded surface shards similar to burnished red wares (or 'soapy red wares') recovered from early phases at Charsadda, and may date between the 6th century BCE and the late 2nd millennium BCE. Bhir Mound dates from the 6th century BCE. The second city of Taxila is located at Sirkap and was built by Greco-Bactrian kings in the 2nd century BCE. The third and last city of Taxila is at Sirsukh and relates to the Kushan rulers.
In addition to the ruins of the city, a number of buddhist monasteries and stupas also belong to the Taxila area. Some of the important ruins of this category include the ruins of the stupa at Dharmarajika, the monastery at Jaulian, the monastery at Mohra Muradu in addition to a number of stupas.
Taxila today.
Present day Taxila is one of the seven Tehsils (sub-district) of Rawalpindi District. It is spread over an undulating land in the periphery of the Pothohar Plateau of the Punjab. Situated just outside the capital Islamabad's territory and communicating with it through Tarnol pass of Margalla Hills.
Culture.
Taxila is a mix of wealthy urban and rustic rural environs. Urban residential areas are in the form of small neat and clean colonies populated by the workers of heavy industries, educational institutes and hospitals that are located in the area.
Nicholson's obelisk, a monument of British colonial era situated at the Grand Trunk road welcomes the travellers coming from Rawalpindi/Islamabad into Taxila. The monument was built by the British to pay tribute to Brigadier John Nicholson (1822–1857) an officer of the British Army who died in India during the Indian Rebellion of 1857, also known as the First War of Independence.
In addition to the ruins of Gandhara civilisation and ancient Buddhist/Hindu culture, relics of Mughal gardens and vestiges of historical Grand Trunk Road, which was built by Emperor Sher Shah Suri in 15th–16th centuries, are also found in Taxila region.
Industry.
The industries include heavy machine factories and industrial complex, Pakistan Ordnance Factories at Wah Cantt and the cement factory. Heavy Industries Taxila and Heavy Mechanical Complex are also based here. Small, cottage and household industries include stoneware, pottery and footwear. People try to relate the present day stoneware craft to the tradition of sculpture making that existed here before the advent of Islam.
Taxila Museum, dedicated mainly to the remains of Gandhara civilization, is also worth visiting. A hotel of the tourism department offers reasonably good services and hospitality to the tourists
Education.
The city has many educational institutes including HITEC University and the University of Engineering and Technology Taxila.
In March 2012, The Korea Herald published a news article on tourism in Pakistan, terming Pakistan as "a land of splendors" detailing on aspects of Pakistani landscape, culture and heritage. M/s Gandhara Art and Culture from South Korea intends to establish a post-graduate university, Heritage University of Taxila (HUT), to revive the ancient educational excellence of Taxila and highlight Gandhara civilization.
Taxila Museum is located at Taxila, Punjab, Pakistan.
Introduction Taxila Museum is situated in Taxila a tehsil of Rawalpindi. This is a site museum and its collection mainly comprises on Gandhara art. These sites at Taxila dated back to 600 BC and 700 BC.
History.
Construction of Taxila museum started in 1918, its foundation stone laid by Lord Chemsford, vicery of India in 1918. Construction was concluded in 1928 and the museum was opened for public by Sir Habibullah then the ministry for Education. Sir John Marshall who was going to be retired from the post of Director General of Archaeological survey of India in 1928, could not complete its original plan. The government of Pakistan constructed the northern gallery in 1998.
Collection and displays.
There are 4000 objects displayed, including stone, stucco, terracotta, silver, gold, iron and semiprecious stones. Mainly the display consists of objects from the period 600 B.C to 500 AD. Buddhist, Hindu and Jain religions are well represented through these objects discovered from three ancient cities and more than two dozen buddhist stupas and monasteries and Greek temples.
Gandharan art.
Taxila Museum has one of the most significant and comprehensive collections of stone Buddhist sculpture from the first to the seventh centuries in Pakistan (known as Gandharan art. The core of the collection comes from excavated sites in the Taxila Valley, partiuclary the excations of John Marshall. Other objects come from excavated sites elsewhere in Gandhanra, from donations such as Ram Das Collection, or from material confiscated by the police and custom authorities. The whole collection contains more than 1400 objects, and 409 have been published.
Numismatic collection.
Taxila Museum is a site museum and is the repository for the majority of the numismatic material found during archaeological work in Taxila. Digging began in 1917 under John Marshall, then director of the Archaeological Survey of India, and continued until 1934. Since those excavations work has continued to the present day. The museum contains a large collection of coins from the period of the Indo-Greeks to the late Kushans. Some of these are published in Marshall's original excavation reports, and an ongoing project exists to publish the full collection.
Jasminum officinale. (National Flower of Pakistan)
Jasminum officinale, known as the common jasmine or just jasmine, is a species of flowering plant in the olive family Oleaceae, native to the Caucasus, northern Iran, Afghanistan, the Himalayas and western China. It is also known as poet's jasmine or jessamine, and is particularly valued by gardeners throughout the temperate world for the intense fragrance of its flowers in summer.
Culture.
It is widely recognised as the National flower of Pakistan.
Description.
It is a vigorous, twining, deciduous climber with sharply pointed pinnate leaves and clusters of starry, pure white flowers in summer, which are the source of its heady scent.
Garden history.
Jasminum officinale is so ancient in cultivation that its country of origin, though somewhere in Central Asia, is not certain. H.L. Li, The Garden Flowers of China,notes that in the third century CE, jasmines identifiable as J. officinale and J. sambac were recorded among "foreign" plants in Chinese texts, and that in ninth century Chinese texts J. officinale was said to come from Byzantium. Its Chinese name, Yeh-hsi-ming is a version of the Persian and Arabic name.
Its entry into European gardens was most likely through the Arab-Norman culture of Sicily, but, as the garden historian John Harvey has said, "surprisingly little is known, historically or archaeologically, of the cultural life of pre-Norman Sicily". In the mid-14th century the Florentine Boccaccio in his Decameron describes a walled garden in which "the sides of the alleys were all, as it were, walled in with roses white and red and jasmine; insomuch that there was no part of the garden but one might walk there not merely in the morning but at high noon in grateful shade.Jasmine water also features in the story of Salabaetto in the Decameron.Jasminum officinale, "of the household office" where perfumes were distilled, was so thoroughly naturalized that Linnaeus thought it was native to Switzerland.[8] As a garden plant in London it features in William Turner's Names of Herbes, 1548.
Double forms, here as among many flowers, were treasured in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Medical uses.
Jasminum officinale is also used as an essential oil in aromatherapy. It is specifically used in dermatology as either an antiseptic or anti-inflammatory agent. Jasminum officinale L. var. grandiflorum is a folk medicine used for the treatment of hepatitis in south of China. It has shown anti-viral activity in vitro. The effect of an aqueous extract of fresh floral buds of Jasminum officinale var. grandiflorum Linn. has been studied on female fertility in rats. The extract produced a significant decrease in serum progesterone levels.
Jasmine absolute is known as the 'King of Oils', and its heavy, sweet scent is loved by most people. The flowers release their perfume at dusk, so flowers are picked at night and a tiny amount of oil is obtained by solvent extraction. The result is a very expensive oil, but it can be used in low concentrations so it is not that uneconomic to use it in products.
The aroma of jasmine is described as calming and soothing without being soporific, and is indicated for depression and stress - as well as some respiratory conditions. It is indicated for sensitive skin conditions too. But mostly jasmine has a reputation as an aphrodisiac and used for all kinds of sexual problems.
Safety: This oil can cause irritation in some people if used too frequently or in high concentrations, so use with caution, preferably in low concentrations. A major component of jasmine is benzyl acetate (~25%) which is known to be absorbed through the skin and known to be an allergic sensitiser. Those who show allergies to spicy food, perfumes and cosmetics are most likely to react. However, the power of the scent is such that only tiny amounts are required anyway.
The Lahore University of Management Sciences, or LUMS, is a residential research university located in Lahore, Pakistan. LUMS was established in 1984 by a group of industrialists and professionals belonging to some of Pakistan's private and public sector corporations. According to the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, LUMS is the top ranked Pakistani university among institutions that offer degrees in Business Management and Information Technology in South Asia. In 2011 Pakistani intellectual Dr. Adil Najam was appointed the third Vice Chancellor of the university.
History.
The university was granted a charter by the Government of Pakistan in March 1985. The LUMS Board of Trustees comprises members of the domestic business community, academics, and government representatives. The principal functions of the board are to set policy guidelines and to review the operations of the university. The Board of Governors, as the sponsor of LUMS, raises funds necessary for the university's operation and maintenance.
In 1986, a business school by the name of Lahore Business School was established for an MBA Programme. Later the school was renamed and is known as Suleman Dawood Business School.[After the construction of current campus, LUMS started undergraduate programmes in Economics and Computer Sciences in 1994. In 1996, the School of Arts and Science was introduced to oversee the undergraduate programmes. Master Programmes in Economics, Computer Sciences and Computer Engineering were introduced, followed by doctoral programmes in Computer Sciences, Computer Engineering and Mathematics. A five-year BA-LL.B degree was also added in 2005.
LUMS established the School of Humanities, Social Sciences and Law (SHSSL) to oversee the Social Sciences, Economics and Law departments. The School of Sciences and Engineering, for the disciplines of Mathematics, Computer Science and Computer Engineering, was established in 2008.
Research at LUMS.
The Suleman Dawood School of Business has produced more than 600 case studies and has published one of Asia's leading case research journals. Case studies written at LUMS are now used in universities across the world, including MBA programs in other Pakistani universities. In 2011, a case study written by LUMS Professors Shazib Shaikh and Zahoor Hassan won the Ruth Greene Memorial Award of the North American Case Research Association (NACRA)for the best case written outside North America.The faculty at the LUMS School of Humanities, Social Sciences and Law (SHSSL) have produced 50 books in the last few years. The LUMS School of Science and Engineering has published in international journals in Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science and Electrical Engineering. In 2011 Professor Basit Yameen of the LUMS School of Science and Engineering won the Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship for his work on molecular biology.
National Outreach Programme.
LUMS has launched a National Outreach Programme to reach out to bright students from underprivileged areas of Pakistan. Under this initiative, induction of selected candidates into the academic programs will be facilitated by preparation for the University’s admission criteria and then by provision of full financial assistance to those who qualify. Many students are admitted in LUMS on the basis of NOP. There are also a number of scholarships which are offered on need/academic achievement basis. A preliminary evaluation test is used to screen bright students from the underprivileged areas of Pakistan, which are then given training at LUMS for the common admission test.
But seriously, I really do want to know more about Pakistan, her people, culture, progress, their thoughts of India...
We should see Pakistan as our neighbour and care for, which would only make mera Bharat mahaan.
There is a lot of negativity in this thread towards Pakistan. I understand we need to mature a lot to accept or neighbors 'as is' but, we have to mature a lot to tolerate ourselves in the first place.
The snow leopard (Panthera uncia or Uncia uncia) is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of Central Asia. The classification of this species has been subject to change and as of 2000 it is still classified as Uncia uncia by MSW3.and CITES Appendix I. However with more recent genetic studies, the snow leopard is now generally considered as Panthera uncia and classified as such by IUCN. Classically, two subspecies have been attributed but genetic differences between the two have not been settled. The snow leopard is listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as globally Endangered (EN).
Snow leopards occupy alpine and subalpine areas generally 3,350 and 6,700 metres (10,990 and 22,000 ft) above sea level in Central Asia. The Snow Leopard Survival Strategy (McCarthy et al. 2003, Table II) compiled national snow leopard population estimates, updating the work of Fox (1994). Many of the estimates are acknowledged to be rough and out of date, but the total estimated population is 4,080–6,590.However, the global snow leopard effective population size (those likely to reproduce) is suspected to be fewer than 2,500 (50% of the total population, or 2,040–3,295).
Snow Leopard is the State Animal/Predator of Pakistan.
Description
Snow leopards are slightly smaller than the other big cats but, like them, exhibit a range of sizes, generally weighing between 27 and 55 kg (60 and 120 lb), with an occasional large male reaching 75 kg (170 lb) and small female of under 25 kg (55 lb).[11][12] They have a relatively short body, measuring in length from the head to the base of the tail 75 to 130 centimetres (30 to 50 in). However, the tail is quite long, at 80 to 100 cm (31 to 39 in), with only the domestic-cat-sized marbled cat being relatively longer tailed.They are stocky and short-legged big cats, standing about 60 cm (24 in) at the shoulder.
Snow leopards have long thick fur, and their base colour varies from smoky gray to yellowish tan, with whitish underparts. They have dark grey to black open rosettes on their body with small spots of the same color on their heads and larger spots on their legs and tail. Unusually among cats, their eyes are pale green or grey in colour.
Ecology
The snow leopard is currently restricted to Asia in Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and possibly also to Myanmar.
Its geographic distribution runs from the Hindu Kush in eastern Afghanistan and the Syr Darya through the mountains of Pamir Mountains, Tian Shan, Karakoram, Kashmir, Kunlun, and the Himalaya to southern Siberia, where the range covers the Russian Altai mountains, Sayan, Tannu-Ola mountains and the mountains to the west of Lake Baikal. In Mongolia, it is found in the Mongolian and Gobi Altai and the Khangai Mountains. In Tibet it is found up to the Altyn-Tagh in the north.
Estimated Population of Snow leopards in Pakistan between 200-420.
There are also 600–700 snow leopards in zoos around the world.
Source:
List of mammals of Pakistan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedi
National Symbols of Pakistan :: Ministry of Information, Broadcasting & National Heritage (National Heritage & Integration Wing) :: Government of Pakistan
But seriously, I really do want to know more about Pakistan, her people, culture, progress, their thoughts of India...
We should see Pakistan as our neighbour and care for, which would only make mera Bharat mahaan.
There is a lot of negativity in this thread towards Pakistan. I understand we need to mature a lot to accept or neighbors 'as is' but, we have to mature a lot to tolerate ourselves in the first place.
Khewra Salt Mine,Khewra,Jhelum District, Punjab, Pakistan
The Khewra Salt Mine (or Mayo Salt Mine) is located in Khewra, north of Pind Dadan Khan, an administrative subdivision of Jhelum District, Punjab, Pakistan. It is Pakistan's largest and oldest salt mine and the world's second largest.It is a major tourist attaction, drawing up to 250,000 visitors a year. Its history dates back to its discovery by Alexander's troops in 320 BC, but it started trading in the Mughal era. The main tunnel at ground level was developed by Dr. H. Warth, a mining engineer, in 1872, during British rule. After partition the Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation took over the mine, which still remains the largest source of salt in the country, producing more than 350,000 tons per annum of about 99% pure halite. Estimates of the reserves of salt in the mine vary from 82 million tons to 600 million tons.
History
The Khewra Salt Mine is also known as Mayo Salt Mine, in honour of Lord Mayo, who visited it as Viceroy of India. The mine is a part of a salt range that originated about 800 million years ago, when evaporation of a shallow sea followed by geological movement formed a salt range that stretched for about 300 kilometers. The salt reserves at Khewra were discovered when Alexander the Great crossed the Jhelum and Mianwali region during his Indian campaign.
Location
Khewra Salt Mine is situated in Pind Dadan Khan Tehsil of Jhelum District. Located about 200 km from Islamabad and Lahore, it is accessed via the M2 motorway, about 30 kilometers off the Lilla interchange while going towards Pind Dadan Khan on the Lilla road.The mine is in mountains that are part of a salt range, a mineral-rich mountain system extending about 200 km from the Jehlum river south of Pothohar Plateau to where the Jehlum river joins the Indus river.Khewra mine is about 945 feet above sea level and about 2400 feet into the mountain from the mine entrance. The underground mine covers an area of 110 km2.
Production
Estimates of the total reserves of salt in the mines range from 82 million tons to 600 million tons. In raw form it contains negligible amounts of Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Sulfates and moisture, with Iron, Zinc, Copper, Manganese, Chromium and Lead as trace elements. Salt from Khewra, also known as Himalayan salt, is red, pink, off-white or transparent. In the early years of British rule, the Khewra mine produced about 28,000 to 30,000 tons per annum; it increased to about 187,400 tons per annum for the five fiscal years ending 1946–7 and to 136,824 tons for the two years ending 1949–50 with the systematic working introduced by Dr H. Warth. The mine's output was reported in 2003 to be 385,000 tons of salt per annum, which amounts to almost half of Pakistan's total production of rock salt.At that rate of output, the tunnel would be expected to last for another 350 years.
The mine comprises nineteen stories, of which eleven are below ground. From the entrance, the mine extends about 2440 ft into the mountains, and the total length of its tunnels is about 40 km.Quarrying is done using the room and pillar method, mining only half of the salt and leaving the remaining half to support what is above. The temperature inside the mine remains about 18–20 °C throughout the year. A railway track laid during the British era is used to bring salt out of the mine in rail cars.
Himalayan salt is Pakistan's best known rock salt. It is used for cooking, as bath salt, as brine and as a raw material for many industries, including a soda ash plant set up by AkzoNobel in 1940.Salt from Khewra mine is also used to make decorative items like lamps, vases, ashtrays and statues,which are exported to the United States, India and many European countries. The use of rock salt to make artistic and decorative items started during the Mughal era, when many craftsman made tableware and decorations from it. Warth introduced the use of a lathe to cut out art pieces from the rock salt, as he found it similar to gypsum in physical characteristics.
In 2008 the Government of Pakistan decided to sell off seventeen profitable organizations including Khewra salt mines, but the plan was shelved. The mine is now operated by the Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation, a government department.
Tourism
Khewra Salt Mine is a major tourist attraction, with around 250,000 visitors a year, earning it considerable revenue. Visitors are taken into the mine on a train.There are numerous pools of salty water inside. The Badshahi Mosque was built in the mining tunnels with multi-colored salt bricks about fifty years ago. Other artistic carvings in the mine include a replica of Minar-e-Pakistan, a statue of Allama Iqbal, an accumulation of crystals that form the name of Muhammad in Urdu script, a model of the Great Wall of China and another of the Mall Road of Murree. In 2003 two phases of development of tourist facilities and attractions were carried out, at a total cost of 9 million rupees. A clinical ward with 20 beds was established in 2007, costing 10 million rupees, for the treatment of asthma and other respiratory diseases using salt therapy. The "Visit Pakistan Year 2007" event included a train safari visit of Khewra Salt Mine.In February 2011 Pakistan railways started operating special trains for tourists from Lahore and Rawalpindi to Khewra. For this purpose the railway station of Khewra was refurbished with the help of a private firm.
Other visitor attractions in the mine include the 75-meter-high Assembly Hall; Pul-Saraat, a salt bridge with no pillars over an 80-foot-deep brine pond; Sheesh Mahal (Palace of Mirrors), where salt crystals are light pink; and a cafe.
Other projects
The Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation established the Mine Survey Institute at Khewra in 1971.[6] The institute conducts mine surveys, organizes mining-related courses for the miners and has establishes the Khewra Model High School and the Khewra Women College. More recently the miners won an important environmental case against the mining company for the provision of unpolluted drinking water. The water available to the residents of Khewra had been polluted by salt, coal and other nearby mining activity. This case is internationally recognised as important with regard to the relationship between humanity and the environment.
In 2003, while the Government of Pakistan was looking for ways to increase the country's strategic store of oil to 90 days, the PMDC put forward a proposal to use the Khewra mines to store strategic oil reserves. Scientific reports confirmed the feasibility of this proposal, but it was turned down.
Markhor (Capra falconeri) (National Animal of Pakistan)
The markhor (Capra falconeri) is a large species of wild goat that is found in northeastern Afghanistan, Pakistan (Gilgit-Baltistan, northern and central Pakistan), some parts of Jammu and Kashmir, southern Tajikistan and southern Uzbekistan. The species is classed by the IUCN as Endangered, as there are fewer than 2,500 mature individuals and the numbers have continued to decline by an estimated 20% over two generations.The markhor is the national animal of Pakistan.
Etymology.
The colloquial name is thought by some to be derived from the Persian word mar, meaning snake, and khor, meaning "eater", which is sometimes interpreted to either represent the species' ability to kill snakes, or as a reference to its corkscrewing horns, which are somewhat reminiscent of coiling snakes.According to folklore, the markhor has the ability to kill a snake and eat it. Thereafter, while chewing the cud, a foam-like substance comes out of its mouth which drops on the ground and dries. This foam-like substance is sought after by the local people, who believe it is useful in extracting snake poison from snake bitten wounds.
description
Markhor stand 65 to 115 centimetres (26 to 45 in) at the shoulder, 132 to 186 centimetres (52 to 73 in) in length and weigh from 32 to 110 kilograms (71 to 240 lb). They have the highest maximum shoulder height among the species in the genus Capra, but is surpassed in length and weight by the Siberian ibex. The coat is of a grizzled, light brown to black colour, and is smooth and short in summer, while growing longer and thicker in winter. The fur of the lower legs is black and white.
Conservation status
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources has classified the markhor as an endangered species, meaning it is in danger of facing extinction in the near future if conservation efforts are not maintained. There have been different estimates as to how many markhors exist but a global estimate put the number at less than 2,500 mature individuals.
In culture
The markhor is the national animal of Pakistan. It was one of the 72 animals features on the WWF Conservation Coin Collection in 1976.
Source:
List of mammals of Pakistan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedi
National Symbols of Pakistan :: Ministry of Information, Broadcasting & National Heritage (National Heritage & Integration Wing) :: Government of Pakistan
Gurdwara Janam Asthan is a prominent gurdwara in Sikhism, built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh in the 19th century to mark the birthplace of the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev. It is situated on the site of his parental home in Rāi Bhoi Kī Talvaṇḍī, now called Nankana Sahib, near Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
Nankana Sahib is a city and capital of Nankana Sahib District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is named after the first guru of the Sikhs, Nanak, the other figure in Sikhism apart from Kabir who was born here, so it is a city of high historic and religious value and is a popular pilgrimage site for Sikhs from all over the world. It is located about 80 kilometers south west of Lahore and about 75 kilometres east of Faisalabad.
History
Previously the township was known as Rai-Bhoi-Di-Talwandi and was renamed after the birth of Nanak Dev. The Janam Asthan Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, originally constructed in around 1600 CE was renovated in the years 1819–20 CE by Gian-Punjab Maharaja Jassa Singh Ramgarhia The Sikh Conference of Panjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Peshawar, Kangra and Hazara.
During the Akali movement, on 20 February 1921, Narain Das, the Udasi mahant (clergy) of the gurdwara at Nankana Sahib, ordered his men to fire on Akali protesters, leading to the Nankana massacre. The firing was widely condemned, and an agitation was launched until the control of this historic Janam Asthan Gurdwara was restored to the Sikhs.Again in the 1930s and 40's the Sikhs added more buildings and more architectural design.
The area around Nankana Sahib was formerly a tehsil of Sheikhupura District. In May 2005, the provincial government decided to raise the status of Nankana Sahib to that of a district as a way of promoting development in the area.
The development of Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev in Pakistan is one of the numerous projects by Punjab Government. The work of development of Nankana Sahib Resort to host and entertain local and international visitors is almost complete. According to reports, there are plans to construct a 100 Acre University as well as hospitals and health care facilities by the descendents of Rai Bular.
In 2007, the Pakistan government announced a plan to set up a university on Sikh religion and culture at Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak. "The international Guru Nanak University planned at Nankana Sahib would have the best architecture, curricula and research centre on Sikh religion and culture", Chairman of Pakistan's Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), Gen (Retd) Zulfikar Ali Khan, said.
Dude! are you insane? Here we are trying to have a discussion and suddenly out of nowhere you are shouting your lungs out. Can someone take this guy outside, please?
The University of the Punjab (informally Punjab University or PU) is a public sector university primarily located in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. The university is the oldest and largest in Pakistan, having been formally established with the convening of the first meeting of its Senate in October 1882 at Simla. It was also the fourth university to be established by the British colonial authorities on the Indian subcontinent (the first three universities were established in Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras).
Punjab University comprises five campuses including the Quaid-i-Azam Campus and Allama Iqbal Campus, both of which are located in Lahore, with additional sites in Gujranwala, Jhelum and Khanspur. It is organised into 13 faculties within which there are 71 academic departments, research centres and institutes. The university has 30,608 full-time students and 1,006 academic and research staff.
Punjab University was ranked 1st amongst large-sized multi-faculty universities by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan in 2012.There are also two Nobel Laureates amongst the university's alumni and former staff.
History
The University of the Punjab came into existence as a result of a long drawn struggle of the people of Punjab after the Indian Mutiny in 1857.[4] Prof Dr GW Leitner was the founder of the university. Contrary to the three previously established universities, which were only examining institutions, the University of the Punjab was both teaching as well as examining body right from beginning.
From its formation in 1882 until 1947, the University of the Punjab served the educational needs of the entire region of pre-partition Punjab and northern India. Mohindra College, Patiala was the first college of higher learning to affiliate with University of Punjab in 1882; followed by St. Stephen's College, Delhi. The partition of India in 1947 reduced the geographical jurisdiction of the university. The current Institute of Administrative Sciences was created in 1962.
Many major institutions that were previously affiliated to Punjab University have now become independent universities on their own, such as Government College University, Lahore and Medical and Engineering Colleges.
Campus
The University of the Punjab is divided into several campuses across Punjab with one summer campus located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa:
Allama Iqbal Campus: also known as the old campus, located in the centre of Lahore, it is named after the great South Asian thinker and mystic poet Allama Muhammad Iqbal. The campus houses the Senate as well as other administrative elements of the university.
Quaid-i-Azam Campus: also known as the new campus, it is named after the founder of Pakistan and is located 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) to the south of the Allama Iqbal Campus. Spread over an area of 1,700 acres (7 km2) of lush green landscape this campus is the centre of academic and administrative activities of the university. A canal divides the academic blocks from the student lodgings.
Gujranwala Campus: the faculties of Commerce, Economics and Management Sciences, Law and Science all conduct teaching in the campus.
Khanspur Campus: the summer campus is located at a height of about 7,000 ft (2,100 m) in the Himalayan range near Ayubia. This campus, in addition to providing research facilities, is also used as a recreational center for the faculty and the students.
Jhelum Campus: having recently opened in 2012, it offers studies relating to the faculties of Commerce, Economics and Management Sciences, Law and Science.
Faculties
There are 14 faculties in the University with 10 constituent colleges, 71 departments, centres, and institutes. It has about 739 permanent faculty members involved in teaching/research.
Faculty of Arts and Humanities
Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences
Faculty of Commerce
Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences
Faculty of Education
Faculty of Engineering & Technology
Faculty of Islamic Studies
Faculty of Law
Faculty of Life-Sciences
Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry
Faculty of Oriental Learning
Faculty of Pharmacy
Faculty of Science
Faculty of Business
Research and collaborations
The University is working alongside/collaborating with others globally and has articulation agreements with International Universities.
Notable alumni
A number of key people from various disciplines of life have studied at the university. The university has produced two Nobel Laureates namely Har Gobind Khorana and Dr. Abdus Salam. Other famous personalities include Ex Prime Minister of Pakistan Yusuf Raza Gillani, political activist Javed Hashmi, news anchor Hamid Mir, nuclear physicist Ishfaq Ahmed and Choudhry Rahmat Ali.
Dr. Alfred Cooper Woolner (May 1878 - 7 January 1936) was a noted Sanskrit scholar and professor as well as the Vice Chancellor of Punjab University, Lahore before Partition of India.
Punjab University's collection of over 8,500 Ancient Sanskrit and Hindi manuscripts is named in his honour.
What is shi t in that post YOU EXPLAIN? EVERYONE VISITING THIS THREAD PLEASE calm down and LET this BRIGHT INTELLECTUAL GUY explain what is **** in all my posts in this thread?
Am I wrong in what I have posted. This question is only for persons who have the ability to think..please think & reply.
Sure.This thread is about "Random pics of famous places in Pakistan" (only if you cared to read!)And the picture you have posted doesnt have any context to the subject and I'm not being too judgmental or strict(we all love fun!) but seeing that you have completed your first two posts this week makes me think that its just a weak attempt to troll rather than posting anything productive.
St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Karachi, is situated on Shahrah-e-Iraq, formerly known as Clarke Street, located near the Empress Market in Karachi, Pakistan.
The first church in Sindh (except for possibly one in Thatta) was initially built on the grounds of this cathedral in 1845, and was called St. Patrick’s Church. It was in April 1881 that the present cathedral was opened, since the Christian community grew in number, and the need for a larger place of worship became apparent. Despite the construction of the new building, the little church continued to function until it was destroyed by a storm in 1885.
The present-day cathedral is built in Gothic Revival architecture; it measures 52 metres by 22 metres, and has the capacity to accommodate at least 1,500 worshippers at the same time. It was designed and realized by three members of the Society of Jesus: The design of the cathedral was conceived by the architect Father Karl Wagner, SJ and the construction was supervised by the lay Brothers George Kluver, SJ and Herman Lau, SJ.
In 1978 the cathedral celebrated its centenary. The Pakistan Post Office issued special commorative stamps on the occasion. Pope John Paul I sent special greetings and blessings on the occasion.
In November 1991 the cathedral was visited by Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Cardinal Joseph Cordeiro of Karachi also spoke on the occasion.
The cathedral's grounds are adorned with a marble Monument to Christ the King, which was constructed in 1931 to commemorate the memory of the Jesuit Mission in Sindh. The Parish Priest in 1999 was Father Edward Joseph.
In 2003, the cathedral was declared as a protected monument because of its outstanding architectural beauty under the Sindh Cultural Heritage Protection Act. The Parish Priest at the time was Fr. Joseph D’Mello.
The Cathedral, with a seating capacity of 2,000, used to be the biggest Catholic church in the country. On 9 November 2011 the apostolic nuncio to Pakistan Archbishop Edgar Pena Parra blessed St. Peter’s Church, Karachi, now the largest Catholic church in Pakistan. It can seat 5,000 people.
oh come on, there was no need to ban the guy. Probably a kid, would have learned things about forum had he stayed for 3 or 4 weeks more. he had only few posts.
Dude! are you insane? Here we are trying to have a discussion and suddenly out of nowhere you are shouting your lungs out. Can someone take this guy outside, please?
Sure.This thread is about "Random pics of famous places in Pakistan" (only if you cared to read!)And the picture you have posted doesnt have any context to the subject and I'm not being too judgmental or strict(we all love fun!) but seeing that you have completed your first two posts this week makes me think that its just a weak attempt to troll rather than posting anything productive.
Hehe ...while we all were getting along and appreciating our neighbouring countries' beauty ,this guy posts some unofficial map of kashmir which had most areas marked as part of Pakistan...like the whole thread wasnt enough to irk people who had less tolerance towards Pakistan
Dow University of Health Sciences is a coeducational medical university and founded in 2003, in Karachi, Pakistan. It comprises already established school, Dow Medical College , as well as the newly formed Dow International Medical College, alongside the Ojha Institute of Chest Diseases. The merger was done at the request of the administrators, faculty, and alumni of the colleges and was granted a full university charter as the Dow University of Health Sciences. In 2003, Sindh Medical College was also a part of the Dow University of Health Sciences. It also shares the curriculum, faculty, and other certain resources with the other affiliated institutions of DUHS, such as DMC (Dow Medical College) and Dow International Medical College. Later in 2012, Sindh Medical College achieved university status and thus became third medical university in Karachi.
Academics
Dow Institute of Medical Technology was established as a part of Dow University of Health Sciences in 2006. It is the first institute in Pakistan offering bachelors program in medical technology. It offers four-year Bachelor's programs in four disciplines: Clinical Pathology Technology, Surgical Technology, Respiratory and Critical Care Technology and Ophthalmology. Students in new disciplines including Radiology Technology, Echocardiography Technology and ECG Technology will be enrolled in the year 2011.
It is well established, but options for further studies are not present because medical technologists are not eligible in the programs and no one is interested to provide option for further education to the medical technologists
Clinical Pathology: Clinical pathology technologists are the laboratory technologist well versed regarding the diagnosis of body fluids. They perform all the laboratory test and are the integral part of a diagnostic laboratory.
Surgical Technology: Surgical technologists are the vital members of a surgical team well educated about the human anatomy, physiology and surgical interventions. They work closely with surgical personnel assuring appropriate aseptic techniques and contamination free surgical interventions. Moreover, they are aware of the technology and physics in the operating field.
Respiratory and Critical Care Technology: Respiratory and critical care technologist are highly qualified members of the critical care team assuring patients' survival in the critical conditions. They are well aware of the chest and cardiac conditions and are required for quality patient care.
Ophthalmic Technology: Ophthalmic technologists are trained about the eye conditions and work for the diagnosis and examination of pathologies of eyes.
Most recently Dow University of Health Sciences has initiated a program to establish a visiting faculty. The purpose is to incorporate the expertise of local trained physician who has been training medical graduates inside Sindh in the courses being taught at the university.
Affiliated colleges and institutions
1.Dow Medical College and Civil Hospital, Karachi
2.Dow International Medical College
3.Ojha Institute of Chest Diseases
4.Dr. Ishrat-Ul-Ebad Khan Institute of Oral Health Sciences (DIKIOHS)
5.Dow Institute of Health Management (IHM)
6.Dow College of Pharmacy
7.Dow Institute of Nursing (ION)
8.Dow Institute of Medical Technology
9.Dow Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Dow Medical College,Karachi.
Dow Medical College is one of the oldest medical schools in Pakistan and is in Karachi. In 2003, it became a constituent college of the newly formed Dow University of Health Sciences.Dow Medical College is one of the oldest education institutions in Pakistan. Every year thousands of Pre-Medical students apply to Dow Medical College to pursue medicine.
Notable alumni
Teepu Siddique, MD. Professor of Neuology and Genetics at Northwestern University School of Medicine, Chicago, IL.
Azra Raza, MD. Professor of Medicine at Columbia Univeristy Medical Center, New York, NY.
Syed Hasan Arshad, MBBS, DM, FRCP. Professor of Medicine at University of Southampton, UK.
Syed Wamique Yusuf, MBBS, MRCPI, FACC. Professor of Medicine at MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX.
Obaid Shakil Shaikh, MD. Professor of Medicine & Chief of Hepatology at University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
Syed Ather Enam, MD. Professor of Surgery and Chief of Neurology at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan.
Sy Atezaz Saeed, M. D. Professor and Chair. Department of Psychiatry. East Carolina University.
Raheel Khan, M.D. Professor of Pediatrics at West Virginia School of Medicine, Charleston, WV.
Shabih U. Hasan, MD, FRCPCProfessor of Pediatrics at University of Calgary, Canada.
Adeebul Hasan Rizvi – Transplant Urologist, philanthropist and head of Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation.
Syed A. Hoda – American pathologist
Farhat Abbas, FRCS. Dean of Aga Khan Medical College, Karachi, Pakistan.
Rafat Hussain – Deputy Head of the School of Rural Medicine at the University of New England, Australia
S. M. Wasim Jafri, FRCP. – Head of the Gastroenterology Section, Aga Khan University & the president of the Pakistan Society for the Study of Liver Diseases.
Ishrat-ul-Ibad Khan – Governor of Sindh, Pakistan.
Hehe ...while we all were getting along and appreciating our neighbouring countries' beauty ,this guy posts some unofficial map of kashmir which had most areas marked as part of Pakistan...like the whole thread wasnt enough to irk people who had less tolerance towards Pakistan
Out of curiosity I visited this thread & as expected it seems there was some controversy. Anyways I don't know what he had posted also I don't understand what do you have mentioned in the bold since there is a major part in kashmir which is operated by pakistan & its called pakistan occupied kashmir. Again I really have no idea about what happened here if the post is irrelevant then please delete it. Anyways it would have been nice if the op had taken the pictures himself.
Out of curiosity I visited this thread & as expected it seems there was some controversy. Anyways I don't know what he had posted also I don't understand what do you have mentioned in the bold since there is a major part in kashmir which is operated by pakistan & its called pakistan occupied kashmir. Again I really have no idea about what happened here if the post is irrelevant then please delete it. Anyways it would have been nice if the op had taken the pictures himself.
In 2006 i drew the map of india in the tenth board exams and i remember how the top part looked like.And the pic the guy posted has like 2/3 occupied by Pakistan.Even if its a part of Pakistan I dont know why we are supposed to draw the map like that.
first of all , i would like to thank the posters who appreciated my posts on this thread.
this thread is based on info about Pakistan. as the poster from neighbouring country, i can say that i know lit bit about India thn few people here know about pakistan (places, personalities, etc ) . so im just trying to share with you guys.
also, as i have said before that i have visited some of the places myself but not all. its hard to visit so many places for me becoz of my work/job .
i have just started this thread, thre are many more things to share with you guys. this isnt for any political purposes as i have mentioned in the OP.
In 2006 i drew the map of india in the tenth board exams and i remember how the top part looked like.And the pic the guy posted has like 2/3 occupied by Pakistan.Even if its a part of Pakistan I dont know why we are supposed to draw the map like that.
Okay now I get it. Yes that must be the actual map he had posted.
Anyways I am surprised that you don't know about POK. As an Indian I think almost everyone of us knows (except kids) about it. Why the kashmir issue is still going on? Anyways like in india even in pakistan school books they include that part of kashmir in their map claiming that part as their own. Btw this thread is not for history lesson thus you can do your own research & find out. As usual you can also refer to this Azad Kashmir - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedi
The national juice of Pakistan is sugarcane juice. Every country is laced with own national juice though the citizen whether prefer to drink or not but there happens to be a national juice of each country in the world. Sugarcane juice is Pakistan’s national juice made of sugarcane. It is much tasty and appears to be mouthwatering.
When served chilled, it appeals a lot.
Sugarcane juice is called ‘raw’ locally. Pakistan is an agricultural country and grows good quantity of sugarcane. It has the bigger sugar industry as well. Thus sugarcane juice is quite popular and is available throughout the year.
Sugarcane juice is the juice extracted from pressed sugarcane. It is consumed as a beverage worldwide, and especially in regions where sugarcane is commercially grown such as Southeast Asia, South Asia, and Brazil.
Evaporated cane juice is a loosely defined term which can include combinations of sugars including glucose, and fructose. It is less processed than bleached white sugar.Nutritional benefits are minimal; evaporated cane juice contains trace minerals and vitamins but has the same amount of calories as table sugar and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration defines evaporated cane juice as any sweetener derived from sugar cane syrup.
Sugar cane juice is the national drink of Pakistan, where it is called "Raw" and more commonly referred to as "gunney ka rus". It is sold by roadside vendors, where the juice is squeezed fresh when ordered. It is sold in glasses with or without ice.Very often a hint of ginger and lemon is also added, along with optional salt or pepper.
Soon i will share the pics from Mohenj o daro and Ghandara ....
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Mugger Crocodile or Indus Crocodile (National Reptile of Pakistan)
The Mugger Crocodile (Crocodylus palustris) (literally "Crocodile of the marsh"), also called the Iranian, Marsh, or Persian Crocodile, is found throughout the Indian subcontinent and the surrounding countries (India, Pakistan). In Pakistan's coastal regions of the Makran and delta marshlands of Sindh, it is known as the Indus Crocodile, although they do exist in parts of Bangladesh, and parts of Nepal and Iran. The name "Mugger" is a corruption of the Urdu word magar which means "water monster" in the Urdu language.
Description
Mugger crocodiles have 19 upper teeth on each side; a snout that is 1⅓ to 1½ as long as broad at the base; a rough head but without any ridges; mandibular symphysis extending to the level of the fourth or fifth tooth; pre-maxillo-maxillary suture, on the palate, transverse, nearly straight, or curved forwards; and nasal bones separating the pnemaxillaries above. Four large nuchals forming a square, with a smaller one on each side; two pairs of smaller nuchals on a transverse series behind the occiput. Dorsal shield well separated from the nuchal, the scutes usually in 4, rarely in 6, longitudinal series, those of the two median usually considerably broader than long; 16 or 17 transverse series. Scales on limbs keeled. Fingers webbed at the base; outer toes extensively webbed. A serrated fringe on the outer edge of the leg. Adult blackish olive above: young pale olive, dotted and spotted with black. The largest specimen in the British Museum measures 3.7 m (12 ft), but individuals are said to grow much larger. On average, females are 2.45 m (8.0 ft) in length and males are 3.05 m (10.0 ft). Weight in adults is variable, since a large male can be much more heavily built than a small adult female, and can range commonly from 40 to 200 kg (88 to 440 lb). Old, mature males can get much larger, at up 4–5 m (13–16 ft) and a weight of more than 450 kg (1000 lbs). Although individuals exceeding 4.3 m (14 ft) are exceptionally rare, the largest Mugger on record measured a huge 5.2 m (17 ft) in length.Mugger crocodiles can achieve speed of around 8 mph over a short distance in pursuit of prey.They can swim much faster 10 to 12 mph in short bursts,when cruising they go at about 1 to 2 mph.
Distribution
The mugger crocodile can be found in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, the southern tip of Iran, and probably in Indo-China and at one point, even in Southern Iraq. The mugger is the only crocodilian found in Iran and Pakistan. This crocodile is the most common and widespread of the three species of crocodiles in India, far out numbering the much larger saltwater crocodile within the country (and most likely within neighboring countries).
Source:
List of reptiles of Pakistan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedi
National Symbols of Pakistan :: Ministry of Information, Broadcasting & National Heritage (National Heritage & Integration Wing) :: Government of Pakistan
The Chaukhandi tombs are situated 29 km (18 mi) east of Karachi on N-5 National Highway near Landhi Town in Pakistan. The Chaukhandi tombs are remarkable for the elaborate and exquisite stone carving.
The style of architecture is typical only to the region of Sindh, and unique in that it is found nowhere else in the Islamic world. Generally, the elements are attributed to Jokhio (also spelt Jokhiya) also known as the family graveyard of Jokhio tribe, some people of Baluch tribe also buried were built between the 15th and 18th centuries.
Description
This type of graveyard, in Sindh and Baluchistan, is unique with their orientation from south to north. These graves are constructed in buff sandstone. Their carved decoration presents exquisite craftsmanship. These graves were constructed either as single graves or as groups of up to eight graves raised on a common platform.
Their primary sarcophagus has six vertical slabs, with two long slabs standing on each side of the grave covering the length of the body and the remaining two vertical slabs covering the head and foot side. These six slabs are covered by a second sarcophagus consisting of six more vertical slabs similar but in size giving the grave a pyramid shape. This upper (second sarcophagus) is further covered with four or five horizontal slabs and the topmost (third) sarcophagus is set vertically with its northern end carved into a knob known as a crown or a turban. These tombs are embellished, besides with geometrical designs and motifs, with figural representations such as mounted horsemen, hunting scenes, arms, jewellery etc..
Rediscovery and archeology
The earliest passing reference about Chaukhandi tombs (a.k.a. Jokundee) in the Western world is available in a letter which J. Macleod had addressed to H. B. E. Frere in 1851. The tombs, however, were given serious attention by H. D. Baskerville, Assistant Collector of Thatta in Karachi district in 1917. The tombs near Landhi were brought with the pale of the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act, 1904 in the year 1922.
Early 20th century
A cemetery of this type was discovered at the turn of the 20th century in Hinidan by Major M. A. Tighe, Political Agent in southern Baluchistan. J. P. Vogel was the first to investigate this and other cemeteries – including Karpasan (a plateau south of Hinidan), Gundar (a village near Dinga, south of Hinidan), and Manghopir – and he drew attention to another cemetery discovered by Captain Showers, Political Agent in Kalat, lying between the Hub River and Sonmiani . Vogel recognized that the tombs were Islamic, as indicated by the use of the Arabic script and the alignment of the monuments. According to Islamic custom, the dead are laid to rest in such a way that they are aligned towards Mecca over their right shoulder. Mecca lies approximately to the west of Sindh; the longitudinal axis of the tombs accordingly lies more or less in a north-south direction, with the head always lying in the north.
Jokhio, Jokhia or Jokhiya are said to be the descendant of the Samma (tribe). Chaukhandi cemetery, consisting of names or Quranic Verse. Some of the Jams who were named were said to belong to the Jokhio tribe still resident in the area.and the 1st raitar Mr, Ali Muhammad Jokhio of Jokhio History.
Mid-20th century
After the creation of Pakistan the Chaukhandi tombs, however, did not receive any attention from authorities until Dr. I. H. Qureshi a renowned historian and the then education minister (later Chancellor of Karachi University), drew the attention of the Department of Archeology and Museums to the Chaukhandi tombs, after receiving a letter from Zahid Hussain, Governor of State Bank of Pakistan.
Shaikh Khurshid Hasan mentioned that at first his department did not even realize that the tombs were protected under the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act, 1904. After a survey the Director General of the Department of Archeology and Museums called these a dolmen graveyard at Chaukhandi in the national press. The fact, however, was contrary and soon the department realized its mistake and started taking suitable measures for the protection of the Chaukhandi tombs.
Late 20th century
In the meantime (1978) the German scholar Dr. Salome Zajadacz-Hastenrath published a book in German, in which she mainly dealt with the stylistic evolution of Chaukhandi tombs. When comparing Chaukhandi tombs (namely tombs of particular types and forms thereof) among each other, a typological framework was established and consequently a relative chronology. By comparing this framework with dated structures, mainly of Makli Hill, but also of other sites, the study arrived at dates for the various stages of evolution of the Chaukhandi tombs which later developed, but which did, however, not replace preceding ones. Besides, Chaukhandi tombs strictly speaking, the study dealt also with individual topics like, for instance, with 'Form of the tombstones', 'Riders, weapons, and other depictions on men's graves', 'Jewellery depictions on women's graves', articles which all show the richness of Chaukhandi funerary art. Further, the documentary part of the book includes a list of dated stonemasonry patterns on Chaukhandi tombs.
First decade of the 21st century
Later, the Italian Professor Gian Giuseppe Filippi visited Sindh and examined some prominent sites of Chaukhandi graveyards. He traced the Rajput influences in Chaukhandi graveyards.In this article he mentioned that it is well known that many Munda warrior groups have family ties with the so-called Rajput tribes of Rajasthan and Gujarat. Even in this case, their warlike behavior and the confusing definition of the Rajput caste keeps open the ‘structure’ of Hinduism. Some among the Rajput tribes, namely the Jokhio, the Numeri, the Burfat and the Lashari emigrated from Kutch (Gujarat) and Rajputana towards the Sindh and Makran regions during the Samma Dynasty. All these tribes mentioned had close relations among each other including matrimonial ties, both within their own group as well as with the Baluch tribe of the Kalmatis. His hypothesis envisions a tribal Rajput origin in the utilization of not only the monolithic slabs and pedestals in the step-and-house-shaped Chaukhandi graves, but also in the naive decoration of some tombs which rather resemble a house facade like a human face as if drawn by a child. The decoration of the tombs (mostly with geometric motifs) is derived from wood sculpture. With few exceptions human figures are avoided in accordance with Islamic beliefs.
Some articles on the structural development of stone-carved graves were contributed by Dr. Kaleem Lashari. Later, Lashari highlighted the Bhawani Serai and the Tutai Chaukhandi graveyards[citation needed], and called for an urgent act of conservation.
Pakistan National Field Hockey (National Sport of Pakistan)
Pakistan national field hockey team
The Pakistan National Field Hockey Team also known as the Green Shirts represent the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) in international field hockey competitions. Field Hockey is the national sport of Pakistan. Pakistan has been one of the most successful teams in international competitions, having won a world record four Hockey World Cup titles. With 348 goals, Pakistan's Sohail Abbas holds the current world record for most international goals scored by a player in the history of international field hockey.
History
Hockey was originally brought to Pakistan under British rule, and like cricket soon became popular with the local population.
The Pakistan Hockey Federation came into being in 1948, following the independence and partition into Pakistan and India. Prior to this players from what is now Pakistan had competed internationally alongside players from what is now India. In the beginning, the Federation's membership included the Provincial Hockey/Sports Associations of West Punjab, East Bengal, Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Bahawalpur & Services Sports Board. Pakistan played their first international in London when they defeated Belgium 2-1 in 14th Olympic Games hockey tournament on 2 August 1948.
The first President of PHF was Raja Ghazanfar Ali Khan with Baseer Ali Sheikh as Honorary Secretary. The Pakistan national side soon established a strong reputation in international competition, helping to mainatin interest in the game in Pakistan which assisted the growth of the Federation. However, no full-time central office or secretariat, as such, was established until the 1960s.
The office of the Pakistan Hockey Federation, located in National Hockey Stadium, Lahore, Lahore, was developed into a Secretariat in 1971. It was during the second term as president of Air Marshal M. Nur Khan from 1978 that Pakistani hockey entered something of a golden age. National Senior, National Junior and Women Hockey Teams were all competing internationally, increasing the work load of PHF Office and secretary Brigadier M.H.Atif tremendously.
On the personal initiative of Air Marshal M. Nur Khan, the FIH introduced the World Cup Tournament and the Champions Trophy Tournament, which are now rated amongst the major international tournaments, alongside the Olympics. At this time, Pakistan held all the major titles in men's international hockey.
However, the 1976 Olympics in Montreal had seen the introduction of artificial turf to international hockey competition. Pakistan was unable to build as many of the new pitches as the European nations or Australia and New Zealand and so the strength of the national side declined. It was after a lapse of 12 years that the Pakistan Hockey Team again started climbing and won the Champions Trophy and the World Cup with Air Vice Marshal Farooq Umar as president and Colonel Mudassar as secretary of the Federation
Pakistan has won the Men's Hockey Gold Medal in the Summer Olympics a total of three times in 1960, 1968, and 1984. Pakistan has also won 3 silver and 2 bronze medals.
Silver: 1956 – Melbourne, Australia
Gold: 1960 – Rome, Italy
Silver: 1964 – Tokyo, Japan
Gold: 1968 – Mexico City, Mexico
Silver: 1972 – Munich, Germany
Bronze:1976 – Montreal, Canada
Gold: 1984 – Los Angeles, USA
Bronze:1992 – Barcelona, Spain
Hockey World Cup
Pakistan has been the most successful team in the World Cup having won 4 golds in 1971, 1978, 1982 and 1994. They have come in second place twice.
Winner: 1971 – Barcelona, Spain
Runner-up: 1975 – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Winner: 1978 – Buenos Aires, Argentina
Winner: 1982 – Mumbai, India
Runner-up: 1990 – Lahore, Pakistan
Winner: 1994 – Sydney, Australia
Hockey Champions Trophy
Pakistan has won the six nations Champions Trophy three times in 1978, 1980 and 1994. They have been runner-ups six times and they have also come in third place seven times.
Winner: 1978 – Lahore, Pakistan
Winner: 1980 – Karachi, Pakistan
Runner-up: 1983 – Karachi, Pakistan
Runner-up: 1984 – Karachi, Pakistan
Third place: 1986- Karachi, Pakistan
Runner-up: 1988 – Lahore, Pakistan
Runner-up: 1991 – Berlin, Germany
Third place: 1992 – Karachi, Pakistan
Winner: 1994 – Lahore, Pakistan
Third place: 1995 – Berlin, Germany
Runner-up: 1996 – Madras, India
Runner-up: 1998 – Lahore, Pakistan
Third place: 2002 – Cologne, Germany
Third place: 2003 – Amstelveen, Netherlands
Third place: 2004 – Lahore, Pakistan
Third place: 2012 - Melbourne, Australia
Asian Games
Pakistan has won the Asian Games eight times in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1990 and 2010; this is also the highest number of times a country has come first. They have also won 2 silver and 3 bronze medals.
Gold: 1958 – Tokyo, Japan
Gold: 1962 – Jakarta, Indonesia
Silver: 1966 – Bangkok, Thailand
Gold: 1970 – Bangkok, Thailand
Gold: 1974 – Tehran, Iran
Gold: 1978 – Bangkok, Thailand
Gold: 1982 – New Delhi, India
Silver: 1986 – Seoul, South Korea
Gold: 1990 – Beijing, China
Bronze:1994 – Hiroshima, Japan
Bronze:1998 – Bangkok, Thailand
Bronze:2006 – Doha, Qatar
Gold: 2010 – Guangzhou, China
Hockey Asia Cup
Pakistan has won the Asia Cup three times in 1982, 1985 and 1989. They have been runner-ups three times and have been in third place once.
Winner: 1982 – Karachi, Pakistan
Winner: 1985 – Dhaka, Bangladesh
Winner: 1989 – New Delhi, India
Third place: 1993 – Hiroshima, Japan
Runner-up: 1999 – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Runner-up: 2003 – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Runner-up: 2009 – Kuantan, Malaysia
Sultan Azlan Shah Cup
Pakistan has won the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup three times in 1999, 2000 and 2003. They have been runner-ups six times and have been in third place twice.
Runner-up: 1983 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup – Malaysia
Third place:1985 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup – Malaysia
Runner-up: 1987 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup – Malaysia
Runner-up: 1991 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup – Malaysia
Runner-up: 1994 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup – Malaysia
Winner: 1999 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup – Malaysia
Winner: 2000 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup – Malaysia
Winner: 2003 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup – Malaysia
Runner-up: 2004 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup – Malaysia
Third palce: 2005 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup – Malaysia
Runner-up: 2011 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup – Malaysia
Commonwealth Games
Bronze: 2002 – Manchester, England
Silver: 2006 – Melbourne, Australia
Asian Hockey Champions Trophy
Runner-up: 2011 – Ordos, China
Winner: 2012 – Doha, Qatar
Pakistan’s information technology industry has gone through a dramatic change in recent years and the country has taken lead in adopting some technologies while also setting an example for others in global best practices. Information technology in Pakistan is a growing and rising industry that has a large potential. Matters relating to the IT industry are overseen and regulated by the Ministry of Information Technology of the Government of Pakistan. The IT industry is regarded as a successful sector of Pakistan economically, even in financial crisis. The government of Pakistan has given numerous favors to IT investors in the country since last decade, that resulted in the development of the IT sector. In the years 2003-2005 the country's IT exports saw a rise of about fifty percent and amounted a total of about 48.5 million USD. The World Economic Forum, assessing the development of Information and Communication Technology in the country ranked Pakistan 102nd among 144 countries in the Global Information Technology report of 2012. As of 2011, Pakistan has over 20 million internet users and is ranked as one of the top countries that have registered a high growth rate in internet penetration. Overall, it has the 15th largest population of internet users in the world. In the fiscal year 2012-2013, the Government of Pakistan aims to spend Rs. 4.6 billion on information technology projects, with emphasis on e-government, human resource and infrastructure development.
E-government
The Government of Pakistan has attached great importance to information technology, as part of its efforts to develop an "information age" in the country. In this regard, an elaborate national IT policy has been formulated. Through a focus on the technological development of information technology, the government aims to increase productivity in the public sector, improve the standards of IT infrastructure in the country and use it as a management tool for the promotion of good governance in general. There has been remarkable progress in creating effective computerised e-government systems in Pakistan for major departments such as police, law enforcement agencies and district administration. The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has also introduced computerised registration systems for issuing important documents such as national identity cards, passports, and permanent residency cards. IT has also been critically important in improving work procedures of the civil service and other government-related fields.
According to a study published by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Pakistan has been highly exposed to information technology while pursuing the concepts of e-governance and e-commerce:
Pakistan's communication system is also reliable. This has now fully graduated into the email, Internet and IT culture perse. The country is fast exploring the brave new world of information technology and keenly assimilating the requirements of e-government and e-commerce. Information technology has opened a new business frontier for Pakistan. The government is assigning high priority to information technology both in terms of policy limelight and resource allocation.
—United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, 2002.
Internet in Pakistan
The Internet in Pakistan has been available since the early 1990s. According to the International Telecommunications Union there were 133,900 Internet users in 2000 or just 0.1% of the 164 million people in Pakistan. By 2006 use had grown to 12 million users or 7.2% of the population. Telecommunications being one of the fastest growing industries in the country, by 2011 the usage has grown up to 31 million users or 17.6% of the total population.
History
The state-owned Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd (PTCL) started offering access via the nationwide local call network in 1995. The country has been pursuing an aggressive IT policy, aimed at boosting Pakistan’s drive for economic modernization and creating an exportable software industry. Pakistan had almost 128 ISPs in 2007, with customers concentrated in the areas of Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore. Recently, PTCL has started offering free dial-up Internet service to all its landline subscribers. Broadband access is now available in the major cities, wireless broadband Internet has been introduced by the Wireless local loop (WLL) networks in many major cities, and Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) networks are being deployed. Fiber to the User (FTTU) triple-services are being offered by Nayatel in the capital city of Islamabad. In 2008, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) reported over 22 million Internet users. Most Pakistani companies, educational institutes, and government departments maintain web sites, which has further increased the demand for Internet access.
An increasing number of Pakistani users are adopting internet social networking. According to a report in 2012, there were over 6 million Pakistanis using Facebook, listing the country as having the 26th largest Facebook population.
Language
Most Internet usage in Pakistan is still in English, however there seems to be a shift towards the Urdu language. Many Urdu based newspapers maintain an Urdu presence on web, however common usage is often done in romanized urdu.
Broadband
There were 1.3 million broadband subscribers in March 2011. Broadband is offered at speeds that range from 1 Mbit/s to 50 Mbit/s in all major cities. The largest broadband providers are PTCL, LINKdotNET, and Wateen. Smaller DSL providers are Micro Net, Nayatel, Maxcom, Multi Net, World Call, Cyber Net, Gerry's Net, fiber2home, Witribe, Brain Net, SkyNet and Comsats.
In August 2007+, PTCL launched its Smart TV service, an IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) service. IPTV along with high-speed broadband internet and voice telephony is available on the subscribers existing telephone lines at the same time on one bill.This and similar offerings continue to blur the boundaries between telephones, the Internet, and traditional television and radio broadcasting.
PTCL and World Call provide wireless broadband using the Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) Rev. A standard, with speeds of up to 3.1 Mbit/s. PTCL provides its service under the brand name EVO which is available in more than 100 cities. In August 2010 PTCL upgraded to EV-DO Rev. B (Phase 1). This new service, called EVO Nitro, offers speeds of up to 9.3 Mbit/s. PTCL broadband is truly leading the broadband revolution in the country and is changing the way people communicate and share information. In a short span of only 5 years PTCL DSL broadband service has expanded from 3 cities to over 1100 cities. This massive growth has been due to unmatchable speeds unlimited downloads and unbeatable options that PTCL Broadband provides. With basic speeds ranging from 256 kbps, 1 Mbps, 2Mbps, 4 Mbps & 8 Mbps to VDSL ultra high speeds of 10 Mbps, 20 Mbps and 50 Mbps Broadband offers speeds further up to 100 Mbps on Fibre to the home broadband service. PTCL broadband therefore ensures provision of Broadband to every household and business of Pakistan.
The wireless broadband network has transformed the concept of broadband usage- offering freedom of mobility. From a dongle offering speeds upto 3.1 Mbps to blazing speeds of 9.3 Mbps on 3G EVO nitro; to EVO cloud a personal mobile hotspot connecting 5 devices at a time, to Pakistan’s first 3G enabled Tablet EVO TAB; to EVODROID a 3G enabled Smartphone; the wireless network just like its predecessor has many feathers to its cap Within a span of few years the wireless network expanded to more than 200 cities, the largest in the country.
Wateen Telecom launched its WiMAX services in Pakistan in 2007. Connections are available at speeds from 256 kbit/s to 9.8 Mbit/s. Wi-Tribe and Mobilink are also offering WiMAX, as is Augere under the brand name Qubee.
List of Internet service providers
Apolo Online
Asia Net
Beaconet
Brain Net
Click Online
Comsats
Connect Communications
CubeXs
Cyber Access
Cybernet
Dancom Online
DHA-Teleman Islamabad
Eworld
Excel Net
Fascom
fiber2home
G. Net
Gem Net
Gerrys Net
Go Wireless Pakistan
Hamdard Net
Iqra Net
Link Dot Net
Maxcom
Micro Net
Mobilink
MS Net
Multi Net
Nayatel
Net Door
NetSol
Orbit Net
Pak Net
Pakistan Online
PTCL
Qubee
Sat Net
Shoa Net
SKY Telecom (Pvt) Ltd.
Snet Technologies
Speedia Online
SuperNet
Syknet
Top Net
Wateen
Wi-Tribe
WorldCall
World Online
YOU Wireless
Zab Net
ZONG
Supercomputing in Pakistan
Supercomputing is a recent area of technology in which Pakistan has made progress, driven in part by the growth of the information technology age in the country. The fastest supercomputer currently in use in Pakistan is developed and hosted by the National University of Sciences and Technology at its modeling and simulation research centre.
Background
The initial interests of Pakistan in the research and development of supercomputing began during the early 1980s, at several high-powered institutions of the country. During this time, senior scientists at the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) were the first to engage in research on high performance computing, while calculating and determining exact values involving fast-neutron calculations. According to one scientist involved in the development of the supercomputer, a team of the leading scientists at PAEC developed powerful computrized electronic codes, acquired powerful high performance computers to design this system and came up with the first design that was to be manufactured, as part of the atomic bomb project. However, the most productive and pioneering research was carried out by physicist M.S. Zubairy at the Institute of Physics of Quaid-e-Azam University. Zubairy published two important books on Quantum Computers and high-proformance computing throughout his career that are presently taught worldwide. In 1980s and 1990s, the scientific research and mathematical work on the supercomputers was also carried out by mathematician Dr. Tasneem Shah at the Kahuta Research Laboratories while trying to solve additive problems in Computational mathematics and the Statistical physics using the Monte Carlo method.During the most of the 1990s era, the technological import in supercomputers were denied to Pakistan, as well as India, due to an arms embargo placed on, as the foreign powers feared that the imports and enhancement to the supercomputing development was a dual use of technology and could be used for developing nuclear weapons .
During the Bush administration, in an effort to help US-based companies gain competitive ground in developing information technology-based markets, the U.S. government eased regulations that applied to exporting high-performance computers to Pakistan and four other technologically developing countries. The new regulations allowed these countries to import supercomputer systems that were capable of processing information at a speed of 190,000 million theoretical operations per second (MTOPS); the previous limit had been 85,000 MTOPS.
Supercomputing programs
GIK Institute
HPC platform has been donated to GIK Institue by Directorate of Science and Technology (DoST) KPK Pakistan. It is a compute intensive platform and comprises of following hardware components:
Front Node: Dell R815 with 64 CPU cores, 256GB RAM, 1.8TB Secondary Memory
3 Compute Nodes: Dell R175 each with 32 CPU cores/ compute node (96 in total), 128GB RAM/compute node (384GB in total), 600GB Secondary Memory/ compute node (1.8TB in total)
NVIDIA Tesla M2090 Graphical Processing Unit (GPU) with 1024 GPU cores: This facility may be used for an emerging paradigm of parallel computing which uses GPUs as computing units
Dell Power Connect 8024F layer-3 manageable switch: Front Node and the Compute Nodes are connected to each other using this switch. It provides an anormous data transfer rate of 10Gb/s among the connected entities using fibre channels.
Software.
To make the hardware layer parallel-computation-capable, Rocks Cluster 6.1 (Emerald Boa) over CentOS.
COMSATS
The COMSATS Institute of Information Technology (CIIT) has been actively involved in research in the areas of parallel computing and computer cluster systems. In 2004, CIIT built a cluster-based supercomputer for research purposes. The project was funded by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan. The Linux-based computing cluster, which was tested and configured for optimization, achieved a performance of 158 GFLOPS per second. The packaging of the cluster was locally designed.
NUST
The National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) in Islamabad has developed the fastest supercomputing facility in Pakistan till date. The supercomputer, which operates at the university's Research Centre for Modeling and Simulation (RCMS), was inaugurated in September 2012. The supercomputer has parallel computation abilities and has a performance of 132 teraflops per second (i.e. 132 trillion floating point operations per second), making it the fastest graphics processing unit (GPU) parallel computing system currently in operation in Pakistan. It has multi-core processors and graphics co-processors, with an inter-process communication speed of 40 gigabits per second. According to specifications available of the system, the cluster consists of a "66 NODE supercomputer with 30,992 processor cores, 2 head nodes (16 processor cores), 32 dual quad core computer nodes (256 processor cores) and 32 Nvidia computing processors. Each processor has 960 processor cores (30,720 processor cores), QDR InfiniBand interconnection and 21.6 TB SAN storage.
KUST
Specifications of Cluster deployed at Kohat University of Science and Technology:
Cluster Name:KUST-Kohat
Number of CPUs:104
CPU Type:EM64T
CPU Clock:2.00 GHz
Peak Performance:416 GFLOPS
Organization:Kohat University
Location:Kohat, N-W.F.P, Pakistan.
Last Updated:2008-01-21
Riphah International University-
On 22 January 2016, Riphah International University based in Islamabad announced that their team of engineers have developed a supercomputer architecture. The system can support CUDA, MPI/LAM, OpenMP, OpenCL and OpenACC programming models. It also can solve larger algorithms, numerical techniques, big data, data mining, bioinformatics and genomics, business intelligence and analytics, climate, and weather and ocean related problems.
Telecommunications in Pakistan describes the overall environment for the growing mobile telecommunications, telephone, and Internet markets in Pakistan.
In 2008 Pakistan was the world’s third fastest growing telecommunications market. Pakistan's telecom infrastructure is improving dramatically with foreign and domestic investments into fixed-line and mobile networks; fiber systems are being constructed throughout the country to aid in network growth.
Regulatory environment
The Telecommunications Ordnance of 1994 created the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Pakistan's first independent telecommunications regulator, and the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd (PTCL), a state-owned monopoly.
Due to a lack of competition, local telephone call rates were high and international call rates were even higher. During the 1990s, a call to United States cost $5 per minute (300PkRs per minute), which was not affordable for most of the population. In addition customer service was poor; fixing a problem might take 10 to 15 days. Despite this, consumers had to stick with PTCL, as they had no other options.
This prompted the government to take a series of actions to improve the service by opening the telecommunications market.This was critical, but required a fine balance because opening the market and preserving PTCL were both important for the government.
In July 2003 the government introduced a Deregulation Policy for the Telecommunication Sector, which allowed and encouraged foreign companies to invest in the Pakistani telecommunications market. The centerpiece of the deregulation was the establishment of two categories of basic services licenses: Local loop (LL), for fixed line telecommunication within the 14 PTCL regions, and Long-distance and International (LDI), for connectivity between regions.” Two sets of criteria set by the regulatory authorities must be met before an operator is allowed to start operation: one for the issuance of a license and another for the maintenance of service quality.
In 2006, Etisalat International Pakistan, a wholly owned subsidiary of Emirates Telecommunications Corporation, purchased a 26% stake in PTCL and assumed management control of the company.
Pakistan's telecommunications infrastructure includes: Microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable, cellular, and satellite networks. International links include: landing points for the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable systems (*AMK) that provide links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; 3 Intelsat satellite earth stations (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); 3 operational international gateway exchanges (2 at Karachi and 1 at Islamabad); and microwave radio relay to neighboring countries.
*AMK : Now IMEWE of PTCL and TWA-1 of Transworld (Private Operator) also successfully working in Karachi, Pakistan.
Perception survey
LIRNEasia's Telecommunications Regulatory Environment (TRE) index summarizes stakeholders’ perception of the regulatory and policy environment and provides insight into how conducive the environment is for further development and progress. The most recent survey was conducted in July 2008 in eight Asian countries, including Pakistan. The tool measured seven dimensions: (i) market entry; (ii) access to scarce resources; (iii) interconnection; (iv) tariff regulation; (v) anti-competitive practices; (vi) universal services; and (vii) quality of service; for the fixed, mobile, and broadband sectors.
The survey found that in Pakistan the mobile sector was most active, followed by broadband; while the fixed-line sector remained somewhat static. The parameters that improved compared to the 2006 survey were: interconnection, tariff regulation, regulation of anti-competitive practices, and universal service obligation in the mobile sector; and market entry, interconnection, regulation of anti-competitive practices and universal service obligation in the fixed sector. Market entry received a low score in the mobile sector due to the perception that the cost of a new or renewal mobile license was prohibitive, thus posing a serious barrier to entry. However, this conclusion may have been incorrect, as the license fee, at least in the case of renewal by Mobilink GSM, was paid in installments over a period of three years. Thus, lack of complete information on the part of survey participants may have skewed the results.
Mobile telecommunication-
Instaphone and Paktel were the pioneers in mobile communication in Pakistan during the 1990s. They were joined by Mobilink in 1998 which was owned by Motorola until its sale to ORASCOM. The trio offered AMPS services before switching to GSM in the early 2000s. Ufone joined the mix in 2001. The sector was highly regulated which led to high call rates and poor service quality.
In January 2004 the Ministry of Information Technology issued its Mobile Cellular Policy with objectives to:
1. Promote efficient use of radio spectrum;
2. Increase choice for customers of cellular mobile services at competitive and affordable prices;
3. Encourage private investment in the cellular mobile sector;
4. Recognize the rights and obligations of mobile cellular operators;
5. Provide for fair competition among mobile and fixed line operators; and
6. Provide an effective and well defined regulatory regime that is consistent with international best practices.
The deregulation bore fruit as international companies Telenor (Norway) and Warid Pakistan set up operations in the country in 2005.
Subscriber base
The mobile telecommunications sector is seeing very large year-to-year growth in Pakistan. Approximately 90 percent of Pakistanis live within areas that have cell phone coverage and more than half of all Pakistanis have access to a cell phone. With 118 million mobile subscribers in March 2012, Pakistan has the highest mobile penetration rate in the South Asian region.
According to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Mobilink continues to lead the market with 35.7 million subscribers, followed by Telenor with 29.3 million, Ufone with 23.1 million, Zong with 15.6 million, and Warid Telecom with 14.3 million.All telecom companies are working to broaden their networks in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Northern Areas, which were largely ignored until recently. Five of the seven Agencies of the tribal areas have mobile coverage.
SMS
Pakistanis collectively sent over 151 billion text messages during the year 2009. Nokia has cited Pakistan to be producing the third highest SMS traffic in the world in 2010.
Fixed-line telephones
Fixed-line subscriptions declined from a peak of 5.2 million in 2005-06 to 3.4 million in 2009-10.
Brain (computer virus)
Brain is the industry standard name for a computer virus that was released in its first form in January 1986,and is considered to be the first computer virus for MS-DOS. It infects the boot sector of storage media formatted with the DOS File Allocation Table (FAT) file system. Brain was written by two brothers, Basit Farooq Alvi and Amjad Farooq Alvi, from Lahore, Pakistan.
"Welcome to the Dungeon (c) 1986 Brain & Amjads (pvt) Ltd VIRUS_SHOE RECORD V9.0 Dedicated to the dynamic memories of millions of viruses who are no longer with us today - Thanks GOODNESS!! BEWARE OF THE er..VIRUS : this program is catching program follows after these messages....$#@%$@!! "
There are many minor and major variations to that version of the text. The virus slows down the floppy disk drive and makes seven kilobytes of memory unavailable to DOS. Brain was written by Amjad Farooq Alvi, who at the time lived in Chahmiran, near Lahore Railway Station, in Lahore, Pakistan. The brothers told TIME magazine they had written it to protect their medical software from piracy, and it was supposed to target copyright infringers only.The cryptic message "Welcome to the Dungeon", a safeguard and reference to an early programming forum on Dungeon BBS, appeared after a year because the brothers licensed a beta version of the code. The brothers could not be contacted to receive the final release of this version of the program.
Brain lacks code for dealing with hard disk partitioning, and avoids infecting hard disks by checking the most significant bit of the BIOS drive number being accessed. Brain does not infect the disk if the bit is clear, unlike other viruses at the time, which paid no attention to disk partitioning and consequentially destroyed data stored on hard disks by treating them in the same way as floppy disks. Brain often went undetected, partially due to this deliberate non-destructiveness, especially when the user paid little to no attention to the slow speed of floppy disk access.
The virus came complete with the brothers' address and three phone numbers, and a message that told the user that their machine was infected and to call them for inoculation:
This program was originally used to track a heart monitoring program for the IBM PC, and pirates were distributing illicit copies of the disks. This tracking program was supposed to stop and track illegal copies of the disk. Unfortunately, the program also sometimes used the last 5k on an Apple floppy, making additional saves to the disk by other programs impossible.
Author response
When the brothers began to receive a large number of phone calls from people in United States, United Kingdom and elsewhere, demanding that they disinfect their machines, they were stunned and tried to explain to the outraged callers that their motivation had not been malicious. Their phone lines were overloaded. The brothers with another brother Shahid Farooq Alvi are still in business in Pakistan as Brain NET Internet service providers with a company called Brain Telecommunication Limited.
In 2011, 25 years after Brain was released, Mikko Hyppönen of F-Secure travelled to Pakistan to interview Amjad for a documentary. Being inspired by this documentary and its wide spread, a group of Pakistani bloggers interviewed Amjad, under the banner of Bloggerine.
Variants
Ashar is an older version of Brain. There are six variants each with a different message.
Softronix
Techlogix
Tower Technologies Limited
i2c Inc
Apvision Private Limited
Mindstorm Studios (independent game development studio) (also made the official game for the International Cricket Council (ICC) Cricket World-Cup of 2011)
Pakistan's youngest microsoft certified professionals
Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS)(Balochistan)
Bannu University of Sciences & Technology(I.T) (Bannu)
CECOS University of Information Technology and Emerging Sciences.(Peshawar)
City University of Science & Information Technology(Peshawar)
Sukkur Institute of Business Administration & I.T (Sukkur)
Preston Institute of Management Science and Technology (PIMSAT) (Karachi & Lahore)
National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences (I.T) (Islamabad,Karachi,Lahore,Peshawar & Faislabad)
COMSATS Institute of Information Technology (CIIT) (Islamabad, Lahore, Abbottabad, Wah, Attock, Sahiwal, and Vehari)
National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) (Islamabad ,Rawalpindi, Risalpur and Karachi)
Sarhad University of Science & Information Technology (SUIT) (Peshawar)
The Virtual University (VU) : (Pakistan’s first University based completely on modern Information and Communication Technologies, was established by the Government as a public sector, not for profit University in 2002. Using free-to-air satellite television broadcasts and the Internet, the Virtual University allows students to follow its rigorous programs regardless of their physical locations)
P.S: I.T is a huge Industry itself. I tried to cover every aspect of I.T Industry in Pakistan.
The mango is a fleshy stone fruit belonging to the genus Mangifera, consisting of numerous tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The mango is native to South Asia, from where it has been distributed worldwide to become one of the most cultivated fruits in the tropics. While other Mangifera species (e.g. horse mango, M. foetida) are also grown on a more localized basis, Mangifera indica – the 'common mango' or 'Indian mango' – is the only mango tree commonly cultivated in many tropical and subtropical regions. It is the national fruit of India, Philippines and Pakistan.
In several cultures, its fruit and leaves are ritually used as floral decorations at weddings, public celebrations and religious ceremonies.
Etymology
The English word "mango" (plural "mangoes" or "mangos") originated from the Tamil word māṅgai or mankay or Malayalam māṅṅa from the Dravidian root word for the same via Portuguese (also manga).The word's first recorded attestation in a European language was a text by Ludovico di Varthema in Italian in 1510, as manga; the first recorded occurrences in languages such as French and post-classical Latin appear to be translations from this Italian text. The origin of the "-o" ending in English is unclear.
When mangoes were first imported to the American colonies in the 17th century, they had to be pickled due to lack of refrigeration. Other fruits were also pickled and came to be called "mangoes", especially bell peppers, and by the 18th century, the word "mango" became a verb meaning "to pickle.
Cultivation
Mangoes have been cultivated in South Asia for thousands of years and reached East Asia between the fifth and fourth centuries BC. By the 10th century AD, cultivation had begun in East Africa.The 14th century Moroccan traveler, Ibn Battuta, reported it at Mogadishu. Cultivation came later to Brazil, the West Indies and Mexico, where an appropriate climate allows its growth.
Food
The mango is generally sweet, although the taste and texture of the flesh varies across cultivars, some having a soft, pulpy texture similar to an overripe plum, while the flesh of others is firmer, like a cantaloupe or avocado, or may have a fibrous texture. For consumption of unripe, pickled or cooked fruit, the mango skin may be consumed comfortably, but has potential to cause contact dermatitis of the lips, gingiva or tongue in susceptible people (see below). Under-ripe mangoes can be ripened by placing them in brown paper bags. They will then keep in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for about four or five days.In ripe fruits which are commonly eaten fresh, the skin may be thicker and bitter tasting, so is typically not eaten.
Cuisine
Mangoes are widely used in cuisine. Sour, unripe mangoes are used in chutneys, athanu, pickles, or side dishes, or may be eaten raw with salt, chili, or soy sauce. A cooling summer drink called panna or panha comes from mangoes. Mango pulp made into jelly or cooked with red gram dhal and green chillies may be served with cooked rice. Mango lassi, a popular drink made throughout South Asia, is created by mixing ripe mangoes or mango pulp with buttermilk and sugar. Ripe mangoes are also used to make curries. Aamras is a popular pulp/thick juice made of mangoes with sugar or milk, and is consumed with bread, rice or pooris. The pulp from ripe mangoes is also used to make jam called mangada. Andhra Aavakaaya is a very famous pickle made from raw, unripe, pulpy and sour mango, mixed with chilli powder, fenugreek seeds, mustard powder, salt and ground nut oil. Mango is also used in Andhra to make Dal / pappu. Gujaratis use mango to make chunda (a grated mango delicacy)
Mangoes are used in preserves such as moramba, amchur (dried and powdered unripe mango) and pickles, including a spicy mustard-oil pickle and alcohol. Ripe mangoes are often cut into thin layers, desiccated, folded, and then cut. These bars are similar to dried guava fruit bars available in some countries. The fruit is also added to cereal products such as muesli and oat granola.
Pakistani Mango
Pakistan is the fourth largest producer and third largest exporter of mangoes with annual production of about 2 million tons a year. Pakistan accounts for 8.5% of world’s mango crop and mainly exports to the Middle East, Iran, Germany, Japan, China and Hong Kong.
The people of Pakistan which are living abroad may miss many things but they surely miss the mangoes which they grow eating. These people always looking for a chance to have mangoes of their own country.But in the recent days there was good news for those Pakistanis living in US. Following are some lines from different blogs and news reporters about that happening.
“The first commercial shipment of about 800 boxes of Pakistani Chausa mango arrived in the United States at the beginning of Ramadan. All of it was immediately sold out at a steep price of $60-$100 for a box of six chausa mangoes, making it the costliest fruit in America".
Pakistan has a double edge in regard with treatment and shelving of mangoes. The country has a capacity to treat 15 tonnes of mangoes per hour. Besides this, Pakistani private sector has ability of shelving mangoes for 35 days after treatment, however, the rest of exporter countries could shelve mangoes for maximum seven days.
Recently, Pakistan has achieved another significant achievement in export of mangoes sector. Pakistani has recently initiated to export mangoes to China, which itself is the second largest producer and one among the largest consumers of mangoes.
Though China itself produce mangoes in massive quantity, it still is a vast market for Pakistani mangoes as locally produced mango is small in size and less sweet, however, Chinese people like larger in size and sweeter mangoes and Pakistani types of mangoes all their desired qualities.
Pakistan produces over 150 varieties of mango and among these Chaunsa and Sindhri have great potential for finding buyers in the international markets.
Most famous types of mangoes usually found in Pakistan can be named as:
The Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Karachi is a Hindu temple that belongs to the NarNarayan Dev Gadi of the Swaminarayan Sampraday and is the only Swaminarayan temple in Pakistan.The temple is notable for its size and frontage, over 32,306 square yards (27,012 m2) on the M. A. Jinnah Road in Karachi city.The temple celebrated its anniversary of 150 years in April 2004.There is a sacred cowshed within the premises of this temple.The temple is located at the centre of a Hindu neighborhood in Karachi.
Partition of India and after
The temple became a refugee camp in 1948. The original images of Lord Swaminarayan were removed and taken to India during the turbulent times of partition. One murti that was originally at this temple is now located in Khan Village, Rajasthan. In 1989, for the first time since the independence in 1947, a group of sadhus from the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Ahmedabad visited the temple. Since then, small groups from the Ahmedabad temple pay this temple a visit every few years in a pilgrimage.
Festivals and events
Swaminarayan Jayanti, Dussehra, Diwali and almost all of the main religious festivals are celebrated by Hindus in this temple. The Holi festival celebrations that take place at this temple are the biggest in Karachi.
The temple also doubles up as a marriage venue. In 2008, a mass wedding arrangement was made for 20 couples.
Guru Nanak Temple
According to the Pakistan Hindu Council, there is a Guru Nanak temple within the Swaminarayan Temple complex. Here, every Moon Night and for the birthday of Guru Nanak, Baisakhi is celebrated.
Hinglaj Yatra
The Hinglaj yatra starts from the Swaminarayan Temple complex here annually.
Gurdwara
In the Swami Narain Mandir complex in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan where a small Hindu community lives, a Gurdwara has been created for the small Sikh community.
The Gurdwara Sahib houses three sets of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji in the Palki Sahib. There are pictures of the Gurus and a small shrine devoted to Guru Nanak Dev Ji. There is a Hindu bell in the Gurdwara Sahib as well.
The Kaghan Valley is a valley in the north-east of Mansehra District of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan. It attracts many tourists from around the world. The inhabitants were affected by the earthquake disaster on 8 October 2005.
The Kaghan valley is named after the town of Kaghan rather than for the Kunhar River which flows through the length of the valley. The valley extends 155 km, rising from an elevation of 2,134 feet (650 m) to its highest point, the Babusar Pass, at 13,690 feet (4,170 m). Popular languages are Hindko and Gojri, while Urdu, Pakistan's national language is also familiar among the locals. The region is Alpine in geography and climate, with forests and meadows dominating the landscape below peaks that reach over 17,000 feet.
Activities
Trekking and Hill Walking Kaghan is an excellent destination for trekking and hill walking. There are a number of trekking routes all along the valley. Brief descriptions of some famous trekking routes are given in Annexure-IV. Naran, Shogran and Sharan are ideal base camps for one to three days outings. There are also good opportunities for those interested in more leisurely day trips, hill walking or nature study walks.
River Rafting River Rafting and kayaking are new sports currently under development along the Kunhar River. As the lifeline of Kaghan Valley, Kunhar River is excellent for rafting. Some sections between Naran are quite technical and suitable only for experienced white water paddlers. Other sections of the river, above Naran and below Balakot, are fun for beginners and are of relatively easy grade. Adventure Foundation Pakistan offers basic and advanced training courses in river running during October and April.
Jeep Safari In addition to short duration jeep rides to Sri Paya, Saiful Muluk, Lalazar and Sharan, Kaghan Valley also ideal for thrilling jeep rides from Naran to Babusar Pass and Nori Top. All these places are unique in landscape and their details are given in the Introduction section. While going on a longer duration jeep ride make sure you have selected a good local driver and jeep for a safe journey on the rough roads.
Fishing Trout fishing is a popular activity in the Kaghan Valley. Fishing for brown and rainbow trout in the crystal clear water of the valley lakes and in the Kunhar River is favorite pastime for many. A fishing permit can be obtained from the Fisheries Department at Shinu or at Naran. Bringing your own angling gear is optional as you can rent equipment fro shopkeepers in Naran Bazaar. Please remember that the use of fishing nets and explosive materials for fishing in rivers and lakes are illegal as they are harmful for the healthy and sustainable growth of trout fish and other wildlife.
Tourism
The Kaghan Valley's remote mountains, dales, lakes, waterfalls, streams, and glaciers remain in a pristine state, with some within Lulusar-Dudipatsar National Park. The valley is a prime destination during summer, from May through September. In May the temperature ranges between a maximum of 11 °C (52 °F) and a minimum of 3 °C (37 °F).
From the middle of July to the end of September the Naran-Babusar road beyond Naran is open through Kaghan Valley and over Babusar Pass. Access is restricted during the monsoon and winter seasons. The Kaghan area can be reached by roads via the towns of Balakot, Abbottabad, and Mansehra on the Karakoram Highway. In Balakot, one may find buses and other transports to reach Naran and the valley.
Lakes
Kaghan Valley is home to many a tourist attractions, especially its lakes. There are more than a dozen big and small lakes in the valley, but three are more popular among the tourists: Saiful Muluk Lake, Dudipatsar Lake and Lulusar Lake.
Saiful Muluk, named in a folktale—the Qissa Saiful Muluk—about a romance between a Persia prince and a fairy princess. In the folktale. The lake is mentioned as the meeting site of the lovers in the folktale. lake Saiful Muluk is 10,578 feet (3,224 m) above the sea level, it is one of the highest and most beautiful lakes in Pakistan. The water of this over a mile in diameter oval shaped lake is spectacularly clear with a slight green tone.
It is accessible by a jeep road during the summer months or can be reached by tracking from the nearest town Naran, some 10 kilometers away in four to five hours. The clarity of the water comes from the multiple glaciers all around the high basin feeding the lake.
Dudipat Lake is enclosed with high peaks. It is one of the hardest places to reach in the valley, requiring a tough hike lasting four to seven hours. The hike is rewarding, as tourists are greeted with green pastures and the lake's blue-green waters.
Lulusar Lake is approximately 48 kilometers away from Naran and has an altitude of 10,910 feet (3,330 m). Surrounded by wildflowers in almost all colors imaginable, this lake is the main source for the Kunhar River. Lake Lulusar is said to be one of the most tranquil spots on the Kaghan Valley, the lake is fenced by snow capped mountains whose image is reflected on the standstill blue-green waters of this approximately three kilometers long "L" shaped lake.
There are many hotels in the Naran.
Fishing
Fishing is the chief sport in Kaghan. Brown Trout and Mahasher are stocked in pure silvery waters in the upper parts of the valley. The Kunhar river trout is considered to be the best throughout the sub-continent. Fishing licenses are issued by the 'Fisheries Department at Naran' or by the 'Trout Hatchery' at Shinu. Apart from this there are some other private trout fish farms at Kawai (also spelled as Kiwai) and Kahania.
Naran
Onwards a 3 hour drive away from Shogran is Naran. It is a town open only during the tourist season of May to September. The rest of the time it is covered with snow. All visitors come to Naran to pay a visit to the Saiful Muluk Lake (10,500 feet) 6 miles east of town. If the road is open transportation by jeep can be arranged. If the road is closed, it is an easy, gradual three-hour walk, and the lake is a lovely spot for a picnic.
If you are walking directly up-valley from Naran to Babusar "Top" the loveliest spots to camp on this trail is at "Lulusar Lake". Located just before the final grade to Babusar Top and surrounded by tall peaks, Lulusar is just one many high elevation lakes that sit along the crest of the ridge. it is living in only two places one in knhar river 7 in America.
Peregrine Falcon or Shaheen Falcon (State Bird of Pakistan)
The Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus), also known as the Peregrine,and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America,is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-grey back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache". As is typical of bird-eating raptors, Peregrine Falcons are sexually dimorphic, females being considerably larger than males.The Peregrine is renowned for its speed, reaching over 322 km/h (200 mph) during its characteristic hunting stoop (high speed dive),making it the fastest member of the animal kingdom. According to a National Geographic program, the highest measured speed of a Peregrine Falcon is 389 km/h (242 mph).
Taxonomy
The taxon was formally described by Carl Jakob Sundevall in 1837. It has sometimes been referred to as Falco atriceps or Falco shaheen.
Description
The Shaheen is a small and powerful-looking falcon with blackish upperparts, rufous underparts with fine, dark streaks, and white on the throat. The complete black face mask is sharply demarcated from the white throat. It has distinctive rufous underwing-coverts. It differs in all these features from the paler F. p. calidus, which is a scarce winter migrant to Sri Lanka.Males and females have similar markings and plumage; apart from size there is no sexual dimorphism.The birds range in length from 380 to 440 mm.
Distribution and habitat
The Shaheen is found in South Asia from Pakistan and Kashmir region over across to the Republic of India and Bangladesh in the east and to Sri Lanka and south-eastern China. In the Republic of India, it has been recorded in all states (except Uttar Pradesh), mainly from rocky and hilly regions. The Shaheen has also been reported from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal.
Ecology and behaviour
The Shaheen is usually seen as a solitary bird, or in pairs on cliffs and rock pinnacles. Peregrines typically mate for life.Because of the size difference between a male and a female, a mated pair generally hunt different prey species. It is adapted to taking prey in the air and can achieve a speed of 240 kmh in level flight; when diving after prey it can exceed speeds of 320 kmh (200 mph).
Shaheens mostly hunt small birds, though medium-sized birds such as pigeons and parrots are also taken. Strong and fast, they dive from great heights to strike prey with their talons. If the impact does not kill the prey, the falcon bites the neck of its victim to ensure death.
In Culture
Peregrine Falcon or Shaheen Falcon is the State Bird of Pakistan.
In Pakistani literature, the Shaheen has a special association with the poetry of the country's national poet, Allama Muhammad Iqbal.
List of birds of Pakistan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedi
National Symbols of Pakistan :: Ministry of Information, Broadcasting & National Heritage (National Heritage & Integration Wing) :: Government of Pakistan
