From the Glaciers of siachen , Majestic Snow covered Mountains to serene Moghul architecture, bustling bazaars to the remains of ancient cities, and Sufi shrines to railway Lines, Pakistan’s diverse attractions offer a wealth of adventure and culture.
Pakistan, is an Islamic republic located in the heart of Asia, situated between Central and Southern Asia, stretches from the Arabian Sea to formidably high mountains of Central Asia. With a population of nearly 200 million people, covering an area of 891,940 sq. km and is bordered by China, Iran, Afghanistan and India
The modern nation emerged on the world map in 1947 when Pakistan, together with India, gained independence from British rule. Featuring a mixture of ancient and modern cities, isolated mountain valleys and mighty peaks, it is a country of extraordinary variety and great ethnic diversity. Within the borders of Pakistan the mighty River Indus flows from the snow clad peaks of the Karakoram through the fertile fields of the Punjab and the deserts of Sind before dying in the Arabian Sea….where a journey of almost 2,000 km ends but flow is eternal.
Pakistan has an ancient history and a very rich cultural past going back to prehistoric times, when stone-age man roamed the Potohar plateau and Soan valleys of Pakistan, fashioning stone tools out of chert and quartzite. With a recorded history going back to 7000 B.C, the Land of Pakistan has seen many great civilizations prosper and perish in its lap. Its blood soaked sands have been the playground and burial place of some of the greatest imperialist adventurers – Iranian, Greek, Scythian, Turkish and British. Alexander, Mahmud of Ghazni, Timur and countless warlords have furiously fought for imperial supremacy over the rugged land of Indus valley.
It was the meeting place of many worlds and center of greatest civilizations has not only provided the theater for the ravages of invading armies. It has also been the abode of peace and prosperity for humanity on a very large scale. Ancient cities, some millennia ago and some still thriving in the modern age are testimony to the fact that the land of the Indus has provided for many of the world’s greatest civilizations. The remarkable Indus Valley Civilization flourished along the banks of river Indus around 5000 years ago. It’s excavated cities of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa (2500-1500 B.C) in Sindh and Punjab reveal a well organized urban community with their own script, a unified system of weights and measures, and a high level of artistic activity. From 6th century B.C, the Gandharan civilization flourished here for many centuries reaching a remarkable level of maturity and is particularly remembered for its Buddhist sculpture & art. During this period, thousands of monasteries and stupas were built and lavishly adorned with statues of Buddha and narrative scenes from the life of “Buddha in his many reincarnations”. The great cultural and spiritual Gandharan sites of Taxila, Takht-Bhai and Udegram are renowned for the vibrant Buddhist art and sculpture.
The next major influence coming to this area was Islam. This religion was actually introduced with the arrival, in 711 A.D., of a young (17 years old ) Arab General, Muhammad Bin Qasim and his army. From 11th century A.D., several dynasties of Muslim Kings ruled this land.