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Geography
The city of Karachi is located at latitude 24° 48´ N and longitude 66° 59´ E. The city occupies an area of over 4,000 km² and is expanding. Karachi is mostly made up of flat or rolling plains with hills on the western and northern boundaries of the urban sprawl. Two rivers pass through the city: the Malir River (north east to centre) and the Lyari River (north to south). Many other smaller streams also pass through the city as well with general drainage being from the western and northern areas towards the south. The Karachi Harbor is a protected bay to the south west of the city. The harbor is protected from storms by Kemari Island, Manora Island and Oyster Rocks, which together block the greater part of the harbor entrance in the west. The southern limit of the city is the Arabian Sea and forms a chain of warm water beaches that are rich in natural beauty.
Climate
Karachi is located on the coast and as a result has a relatively mild climate. The level of precipitation is low for most of the year. However, due to the city's proximity to the sea, humidity levels usually remain high throughout the year. The city enjoys mild winters and very warm summers. Karachi also receives the tail end of the monsoon rains. Since summer temperatures (the end of April through the end of August are approximately 30 to 48 degrees Celsius), the winter months (November through March) are the mildest time of the year.
History
The modern humans after their evolution in Africa spread to the rest of the world. Karachi lies along their coastal migration path to South Asia and beyond. The fertile Indus valley has been inhabited since the dawn of the history. The Indus Valley civilization of Pakistan traded with Mesopotamian civilization and with Persian Gulf communities. Karachi's natural harbor was probably served as the main port of the Indus Valley civilization. The earliest known reference of the area that is now Karachi is during the Alexander the Great's invasion of Pakistan in 326 B.C. Alexander the Great after conquering the Indus Valley, modern Pakistan, camped on the port city of "Krokola" on the return voyage to Mesopotamia. Alexander the Great planned to build a port city at this location for the trade and communication with his Indus valley satrapy and his empire. Alexander 's admiral Nearchus sailed back to Mesopotamia from 'Morontobara' port which is probably the modern Manora Island at Karachi harbor. According to legend, "Krokola" was started when an old woman by the name of Mai Kolachi, settled near the mouth of the Indus to start a community. A small fishing village developed in the area, which was called Kolachi-jo-Goth i.e. 'Village of Kolachi". The Arab general Mohammad Bin Qasim conquered Karachi in 712 A.D. and introduced Islam in Pakistan. The Arab empire stretched from Kashmir to Sindh along the Indus river, i.e. modern Pakistan. In the sixteenth century Ottoman empire was defending Arabian sea trade routes from the Portuguese pirates. Portuguese captured 'Keti Bandar' small port in Karachi harbor and also other ports along Sindh Gujarat ports during the war between Mughal emperor Humayun and Gujarat's ruler Bahadur Shah. The local governor requested help from the Ottoman empire. When the Ottoman governor of Egypt, Suleiman Pasha heard this, he left Suez on the 15th of Moharram of the Year 945 Hijri (1538 A.D.) with a well-equipped fleet of 80 vessels. Ottoman fleet sailed on to Sindh and after a successful battle, the two strongholds Kukeke and Ket (Keti-bender in the district of Karachi) were liberated from the Portuguese occupation. Ottoman Turkish Amir-ul-Bahr (Admiral) Sidi (Syed) Ali Reis (Rais) wrote his autobiography entitled 'Mirat al Memalik' (the Mirror of Countries) during the year 1553-1556 in which he mentions visiting port of Debal (Karachi) and described it as a important harbor on the Sindh coast. It was in 1729 that Kolachi-jo-Goth was transformed from a fishing village to a trading post when it was selected as a port for trade with Muscat and Bahrain. In the following years a fort was built and cannons brought in from Muscat were mounted on it. The fort had two doorways, one facing the Arabian sea called the 'Khara Darwaza' i.e. Brackish Gate and one facing the River Lyari called the 'Meetha Darwaza' i.e. Sweet Gate. Currently, the site of those gates corresponds to the location of the neighborhoods of Kharadar and Meethadar. In 1795 the city passed from the Khan of Kalat to the Talpur rulers of Sindh. British first visited Karachi in 1809 when a diplomatic mission visited the Talpur Mirs. The British saw the importance of the of Karachi and Indus River, believing it could be an important commercial highway. British also feared the invasion of South Asia from the expanding Russian empire and needed a route to supply and strengthen relations with Afghanistan. On 3rd February 1839, the British captured the Karachi and three years later, annexed it into British Empire as the district of Karachi. The British, who realized its potential as a port city for the produce of the Indus Valley, developed it into a commercial trading center. The harbor was developed, and a railroad that connected the city to the rest of South Asian British Empire was constructed in the 1880's. The city for which Sir Charles Napier once quoted, "One day it shall be the Queen of the East", quickly blossomed into a major commercial center that attracted businessmen from all over the world including communities of Goans, Zorastarians (Parsis), Lebanese, and other South Asian traders apart from the British. Thus was the beginning of the city of Karachi. After the creation of Pakistan, the city absorbed the tides of Muslim refugees into the new country, and it was made the capital of Pakistan. In 1961, the capital was shifted from Karachi to the new city of Islamabad, and Karachi fell a victim of mismanagement and bad governance. Since its beginnings, the city of Karachi has immensely swelled in size and population, and today ranks as one of the world's mega-cities with a unique culture, dynamism, and energy of its own.
Demography
The population of Karachi was estimated to be more than 15 million in 2005. Linguistically, approximately 45% are Urdu speaking, 15% Sindhis, 15% Punjabis, 15% Pakhtuns, 10% Balochis, and the rest are Kashmiris, Brahuis, Seraikis, Bengalis, Goans, Tajiks, Hazaras, Uzbeks, Turkmen, Iranians, Arabs, and Burmese. Religiously, approximately 97% are Muslim, 1% Christian, 1% Hindus, and the rest are Qadianis, Zorastarians, and Bahais.
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Multan is a city in south central Punjab province. It is built just east of the Chenab River. About 966 km from Karachi and more or less right in the center of the country lie the ancient city of Multan. Multan, the 'City of Pirs and Shrines' is a prosperous city of bazaars, mosques, shrines and superbly designed tombs.
Detailed History Of Multan
Isolated remains of Homo Erectus in has been found indicating that Pakistan might have been inhabited since at least the Middle Pleistocene era. The precise date of these remains is unclear, and archaeologists put it anywhere between 200,000 to 500,000 BCE. The fossils are the earliest human remains found in South Asia. Modern humans arrived from Africa after their evolution about 70,000 to 31,000 years ago and settled in South Asia.
The original inhabitants of ancient Multan region, and rest of ancient Pakistan, were the aborigine tribes speaking languages related to Munda languages. Pakistan was the site of the earliest known farming settlements between South Asia and the Iranian plateau, the earliest of which was Mehrgarh in Balochistan dated at 6500 BCE. Multan was sparsely populated by various Elamo-Dravidian and Indo-Iranian tribes for centuries following the decline of the nearby Harappa and Mohenjo Daro of Indus Valley Civilization to the east. The Indo-Aryan tribes invaded from Eurasian Steppe and settled in northern Punjab and Kashmir.
200 BCE The earliest history of Multan fades away in the mists of mystery and mythology. Most of the historians, however agree that Multan beyond any doubt, is the same Maii-us-than which was conquered by Alexander the Great who faced here tremendous resistance. He was fatally wounded while fighting to capture the citadel. For the first time his sacred shield, which he had taken from the temple of Illion, Athena, and which he used always to be carried before him in all his battles, rolled in dust while he fell unconscious on the ground with blood gushing out from his wounds. But that was the scene which inspired the Macedonians and seeing their king in that state they launched a lightening attack and captured the citadel without any further harm to Alexander the great. Alexander, however, never recovered fully well after this battle and died, on his way back, at Babylon.
400-600 CE History is silent for more than six centuries that is until 454 CE when White Huns, the barbarous nomads, stormed Multan under the banner of their leader Torman. After a fierce fight they conquered but did not stay for long and Hindu rule continued once again for about two hundred years.
600-700 CE Subsequent history of Multan is well established and more than sufficient light has been thrown on the cross section by world famous travelers, writers and historians who visited Multan including the Chinese historian Hiuen Tsang in 641 CE The Chinese traveler found the circuit of the city about 30 li which is equal to five miles. He described, "the soil rich and fertile and mentioned about eight Deva temples. He also mentioned that people do not believe in Buddha rule. The city is thickly populated-the grand temple dedicated to the Sun is very magnificent and profusely decorated - The image of Sun Deva also known as "Mitra" is cast in yellow gold and ornamented with rare gems. Its divine insight mysteriously manifested and its spiritual powers made plain to all and so on".
Multan was first visited by the Muslim arms during the reign of the Khalifa Abu Bekr, in 44 Hijri (664 CE), when Mohalib, the Arab General, afterwards an eminent commander in Persia and Arabia, penetrated to the ancient capital of the Maili. He returned with many prisoners of war. The expedition, however, seems to have been directed towards exploration of the country as no attempt was apparently made to retain the conquest.
700-800 CE Mohammad Bin Qasim, the great Muslim general invaded modern Pakistan in 712 CE, and conquered Sindh and Multan. The city was conquered after a fierce and long battle which lasted for seven days. Many distinguished officers of the Muslim army sacrificed their lives in the battle, but the Hindu army was defeated and Multan became part of the Muslim caliphate.
800-900 CE In the periods, of Caliph Mansoor, and Mostasim Bilia, Multan and the surrounding areas developed as commerce and trade was carried out with the rest of Muslim world.
900-1000 CE Ibn Khurdaba described in his book, "The book of Roads and Kingdoms", "Multan being two months journey from Zarani the capital of Sijistan, by the name of Farj because Mohammad, Son of Qasim, Lieutenant of At-Hajjaj, found vast quantities of gold in the city, which was forwarded to the Caliph's treasury so it was called by the Arabs the House of Gold".
Al-Masudi of Baghdad who visited the valley of the Indus in 303 A.H. (915 CE) mentioned about Multan in his book, "The Meadows of Gold", that "Multan is seventy five Sindhian Farsangs from Mansura. It is one of the strongest frontier places of the Musulmans and in its neighborhood there are a hundred and twenty thousand towns and villages". Both tstakhari of Istakhar, or Persepolis, who wrote about the middle of the tenth century 340 A.H. (951 CE) and Ibn Haukal of Baghdad who based his work on that of Istakhari, give glowing accounts of Multan which they described as a large, fortified and impregnable city, about half the size of Mansura, the ancient Muslim capital of Sindh. They also mentioned about the idol of Multan as being held in great veneration by Hindus who flocked to it from all parts of South Asia. Sultan Sabuktagin, the Afghan King conquered Multan, but after four years, that is, in 980 CE it was conquered by a Sardar of the Karamti tribe who ruled it for some time.
1000-1100 CE Sultan Mahmood Ghaznavi conquered Multan for the first time in 1007 CE - and consolidated the Muslim rule in Punjab. The Multan rebelled and Sultan Mahmood Ghaznavi reconquered Multan for the second time during 1010 CE.
1100-1200 CE Sultan Shahab-ud-din, who is also known as Sultan Mohammad Ghauri, finally defeated Pirthvi Raj and conquered South Asia. After consolidating his position in Delhi, led an army attack, against Multan and conquered it. As such, Multan, which had remained almost independent under the Arab rulers became a dependency of the house of Ghaznavi. Sultan Mohammad Ghauri appointed Ali Karmani as his Governor of Multan and Uch.
1200-1300 CE In 1218 CE barbaric Mongol Changez Khan, also spelled Genghis Khan, invaded Western Turkistan and for the next three centuries history of Multan is practically the history of incursions from Western and Central Asia to which the invasion of Changez gave rise. During this period Multan was nominally subject to the Delhi Empire. There were, however, two periods when Multan was practically a separate Kingdom independent of Delhi. At times the province was held by powerful governors who, though, unable to secure independence, were powerful factors in the dynastic changes of the time. The Muslim technocrats, bureaucrats, soldiers, traders, scientists, architects, teachers, theologians and Sufis flocked from the rest of the Muslim world to Islamic Sultanate in South Asia and many settled in Multan.
The Administration of Multan suffered due to preoccupation of Delhi Empire in repelling the repeated raids of Mughals from Khurasan and Central Asia. In 1 284 CE the Mughals under Taimur Khan, defeated and killed prince Muhammad, known as the Martyr Prince who then ruled Multan. In 1305 CE an invasion under Aibak Khan was repelled by the redoubtable warrior Ghazi Beg Tughlak, who is said to have 29 times defeated the invading hordes. In 1 327 CE a force under Turmsharin Khan over-ran the district and retreated on payment of bribe.
1300-1400 CE After the establishment of the Delhi Sultanate, Multan became its western frontier. In the beginning it was governed by Nasir-ud-Din Qabacha, then captured by Jalal-al-Din Manakabarni and finally annexed by Shams-AI-Din Altamash. When Balban strengthened his frontier guard he posted his eldest son Sultan Muhammad
Khan-i-Shahid here and made him responsible for the defense. It was under his patronage that Amir Khusrau and Hasan Dehiavi lived in Multan and composed their poems. Multan, however, continuously suffered from Mongol invasions. In order to meet these Mongol pressures Ghiyas-ud-Din Tughlaq was appointed as a warden of the Frontier Marches. From Multan he rose to be the Sultan of Delhi - Multan remained under the Tughlaqs until it was conquered by Amir Taimur in 1 397 CE
During this long period the prosperity of Multan grew unabated. It was during this period that the city was adorned by important monuments that established a particular school of Multani Architecture. The Tombs of Baha-AI-Din Zakariya, Shah Rukn-AI-Din, Rukn-e-Alam and Shamas Sabzwari have given to Multan a unique place in the Muslim Architecture. The presence of these tombs of the saints mentioned above have also added a religious tone to the city.
In 1397 CE, came the invasion of Taimur whose troops occupied Uch and Multan, sacked Tiamba, raided the Khokhars of Ravi and passed across Beas to Pakpattan and Delhi.
1400-1500CE For about forty years after the departure of Taimur there was no government in South Asia in reality. Khizer Khan Syed governed the Kingdom in the name of Taimur but without any sovereign title or royal honors. During the troubled reign of his grand son Syed Mohammad, an insurrection broke out in Multan among the Afghans called Langas. Finally one of the Langa chiefs proclaimed himself as the king of Multan under the title of Sultan Kutab-ud-din Langa.
During the eighty years that Multan was held by Langa Dynasty, it became the principal caravan route between South Asia and Kandahar. Commerce and agriculture flourished. All the lands along the banks of the Chenab and the Ghagra as well as some on the Indus were cultivated and prosperity flourished once again.
1500-1600 CE In 1526 CE Shah Hussain Arghun, at that time the ruler of Sindh, seized Multan on behalf of Babar, the Mughal emperor. He bestowed it on his son Mirza Askari. The Mirza, assisted by Langar Khan, one of the powerful Amirs of Sultan Mahmud Langa, held possession of Multan during the rest of the Baber's reign. After the death of Mughal emperor Babar, Humayun found himself compelled to surrender Multan, in fact the whole of Punjab, to his eldest brother, Kamran Mirza. The prince established his court at Lahore and deputed one of his Amirs to take care of Multan. During the confusion that followed the flight of Humayun to Persia the Kingdom of Multan was captured by Balochis under their chieftain Fattah Khan who surrendered it to Hebat Khan, one of the commanders of Sher Shah Suri. Pleased with his services, Sher Shah Suri bestowed the Kingdom of Multan on Hebat Khan.
1600-1700 CE When Humayun recaptured his throne in 1555 CE Multan was also amalgamated in the Mughal Empire, Abul Fazal mentions in "Ain-e-Akbari" that: "Multan was one of the largest provinces of the empire, extending to the frontiers of Persia including within its limits the modern countries of Balochistan, Sindh, Shikarpore and Thatta, besides a portion of Doabas now attached to Lahore. A royal mint for silver and copper coins was established at Multan along with the mints at Delhi, Agra and a few other places". Under the Mughal Emperors, Multan enjoyed a long period of peace and was known as Dar-ul-Aman (city of peace). For more than two hundred years that is from 1548 to 1748 there was no warfare in this part of the Punjab. As a result of these peaceful conditions, cultivation increased, particularly in the riverain areas and commerce flourished. Multan thus became an emporium for trade. The city became the headquarter of a province which covered the whole of the South Western Punjab and, at times, included Sindh also.
1700-1800 CE At the decline of the Mughal Empire Multan had, at first escaped devastation which was experienced by other parts of the South Asia. The main reason was the change in the route of the invaders from Afghanistan to South Asia as it lay through Lahore. So the armies of Nadir Shah Durrani and Ahmed Shah Abdali left Multan unscathed. After having been a part of the Delhi empire, Multan in 1752, became a province owing allegiance to the Afghan kings of Kabul. During this period the country was ruled by Pakhtun Governors and under the rule of the Saddozais of Kabul. The Saddozais governed Multan for more than sixty six years but general conditions remained turbulent.
After consolidating their position at Lahore, the Sikhs marched to the south-west for over two hundred and fifty miles. They crossed the Indus and penetrating into the Deras' under their Commanders Sardar Hari Singh Bhangi and his sons, Jhanda Singh and Ganda Singh along with Hira Singh, the barbaric Sikhs destroyed everything, plundered many villages and killed the people mercilessly, set the houses of the Muslims on fire, raped Muslim women and demolished most of the mosques and tombs of Muslim saints. Ultimately, under the command of Jhanda Singh and Ganda Singh, they appeared before Multan on March 9 1764 CE (21 Ramadan 11 78 A. H.) looted its suburbs but after collecting millions of rupees they returned.
1800-1900 CE By the beginning of 1818 Ranjit Singh succeeded to raise a big army consisting of 25,000 soldiers equipped with necessary provisions which he placed under Diwan Misr Chand, his most trusted General. The over all charge of the campaign was entrusted to his elder son Khark Singh and the contingent set out for Multan with great pomp and show. The famous Zamzama Gun was also transported to Multan. Nawab Muzaffar Khan Saddozai who was the Governor of Multan for the past thirty nine years fought courageously but failed to save Multan from the clutches of Sikhs. The death of Muzaffar Khan was in fact the death of the Muslim rule in Multan. After capturing the Fort the Sikh soldiers were let loose to arson, rapes and debauchery and Latif recorded as under : "The city and Fort were now given up to be plundered by the uncivilized Sikh troops. Great were the ravages committed by the Sikhs on this occasion. About 400 to 500 houses in the Fort were razed to the ground and their owners deprived of all they had. The precious stones, jewelry, shawls and other valuables belonging to the Nawab were confiscated to the state and kept carefully packed by Diwan Ram Diyal for inspection of the Maharaja. In the town the Muslim houses were set on fire and nothing was left with the inhabitants that was worth having. Thousands were killed as city was mercilessly sacked and indeed there was hardly a soul who escaped both loss and violence".
The oppressive Sikh rule continued in the Punjab and Multan unchecked. The Sikhs army in Multan was over confident and after looting all the villages and towns under their control and now looked for new places to loot. The Sikh army crossed the Sutlej River and invaded the British colonial territory. They looted and pillaged Muslim villages on December 8th, 1845 CE and they also killed thousands of people, comitted rapes and kidnappings. Thr British were outraged and the British army invaded the Sikh kingdom and defeated the Sikhs. Thereafter a treaty was signed between the British and the Sikhs. Under this new treaty a Council of Regency was established at Lahore which empowered the British to intervene into many administrative matters.
The rogue Sikh Army in Multan which was the cause of British-Sikh war then rebelled unhappy over the restrictions in the treaty. The Sikh army murdered two British officers that were in Multan to oversee the implementation of the treaty. This open rebellion infuriated the British colonial government at Lahore and they decided that Multan should be captured and amalgamated into the British territory. The British army invaded in December 1848 and bombarded Multan. A shell from a mortar blew up the magazine located within the fort, containing gun powder, the explosion destroyed the great Blue Mosque and the lofty dome of Hadrat Baha-ud-Din Zakariya's tomb. On January 2, 1849, the British army finally captured Multan from the oppressive Sikh rule. Again, to quote Latif: "Terrible had been the carnage during the siege and frightful the effect of the British ordnance. The battered town of Multan presented the appearance of a vessel wrecked and broken by a tremendous storm which had driven it to an inhospitable shore. Not a house or wall had escaped the effects of the English shells. All had been scorched and blackened by the bombardment. Finally Multan was liberated from barbaric Sikhs as well as the end of the constant rapes, loot and plunder which was the main characteristic of the Sikh rule". The persecuted Muslims of Multan hailed the British as the liberators from the oppressive Sikh rule.
1900-1947 CE Multan, however, lost its very important position as soon as the British stronghold over the South Asia grew stronger. Although peace prevailed in the region but no real progress was made in developing the infrastructure of Multan. The people of Multan were deprived and lived in poverty as the economic situation remained bleak. The Muslim population of Multan enthusiastically supported the Muslim League and the establishment of the Islamic state of Pakistan.
Independence
Modern Pakistan gained it's independence from the British on 14th August 1947. The Hindu and Sikhs fanatics massacred over one million Muslims refugees fleeing from India.
At the time of Pakistan's independence in 1947, Multan city was in a very bad state. It was lacking industry, hospitals, and even places of higher education. Since independence, there has been economic development and the city's population has increased dramatically. But the old city continues to be in a dilapidated state, and many Muslim monuments wear the effects of the barbaric Sikh rule and British bombardments. Hospitals, schools, communications, industry, commerce, infrastructure, dry port and an international airport has been built in Multan. Multan has now become one of the major cities in Pakistan.
Demography and Society
Multan district is spread over an area of 3,721 square Kilometers with a population of approximately 4.1 million. The majority population speaks Seraiki, Punjabi, Balochi and Urdu. Over 99% of the population is Muslim and belong to Sunni Hanafi school of jurisprudence.
District
The Multan district has following four tehsils.
Multan Cantonment
Multan Sadar
Shujabad
Jalalpur Pirwala
Major towns are Makhdoom Rashid, Qadirpur Ran and Basti Maluk.
Education
Since independence many schools, colleges and universities have been built in Multan. Bahauddin Zikria University, Al-Khair University, Preston University and Nishtar Medical College.
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History
Isolated remains of Homo Erectus in has been found indicating that Pakistan might have been inhabited since atleast the Middle Pleistocene era. The precise date of these remains is unclear, and archaeologists put it anywhere between 200,000 to 500,000 BCE. The fossils are the earliest human remains found in South Asia. More than 60% of Pakistanis have their mtDNA maternal roots in South Asian specific branches of haplogroup 'M'. Because of its great time depth and virtual absence in western Eurasians, it has been suggested that haplogroup M was brought to Asia after their evolution in Africa, along the southern route, by the earliest migration wave of anatomically modern humans, Homo Sapiens, nearly 60,000 years ago
The original inhabitants of Pakistan may have been the tribals speaking languages related to Munda family of languages. Pakistan was the site of the world's oldest 8,000 year old civilisation at Mehrgarh in the Balochistan province. The Mehrgarh declined about the same time as the Indus Valley Civilization only 200 Kilometers south east was developing. It has been surmised that the Mehrgarh residents moved to fertile Indus River valley as Balochistan became arid over time. The Dravidians invaded from the Iranian plateau and settled in the Indus valley around 4000 BCE. The Dravidian culture blossomed over the centuries and gave rise to the Indus Valley Civilization of Pakistan around 3000 BCE. The main site of the Indus Valley Civilization in Punjab was the city of Harappa. The Indus Valley Civilization spanned much of what is today Pakistan, but suddenly went into decline just prior to the invasion of Indo-European Aryan tribes from the Eastern Europe. A branch of these tribes called the Indo-Aryans are believed to have founded the Vedic Civilization that have existed between Sarasvati River and Ganges river around 1500 BCE and also infuenced the Indus Valley Civilization. This civilization helped shape subsequent cultures in South Asia. Due to its location, the Punjab region came under constant attack and influence from the west. Conquered by the Persians, Greeks, Mauryans, Kushans, Arabs, Turks, Afghans, and Sikhs, Pakistani Punjab developed a unique culture that combined that of significant Middle Eastern and Central Asian influences even prior to the coming of Islam.
The Punjabis were in ancient times were predominantly Buddhist and were in the process of coming under the influence of Hinduism when Umayyad Muslim Arab army led by Muhammad bin Qasim conquered Punjab, and the present Pakistan from Kashmir to the Arabian Sea, in 713. The predominant population of Punjab, and the rest of Pakistan, converted to Islam but there were significant non-Muslim populations including Hindus and later Sikhs. During the reign of Mahmud of Ghazni, the province became an important center and Lahore was made into a second capital of the Ghaznavid Empire. Various tribes such as the Gakhars would often dominate local affairs and would either act as vassals to the larger empires or lead local rebellions. Later, the Mughals took control of the region from 1524 until 1739 and would also lavish the province with building projects such as the Shalimar Gardens and the Badshahi Mosque. The Muslim technocrats, bureaucrats, soldiers, traders, scientists, architects, teachers, theologians and sufis flocked from the rest of the Muslim world to Islamic Sultanate in South Asia and many settled in the Punjab. Following the decline of the Mughals, Nadir Shah sacked the province in 1739 and then the Afghan conquerer Ahmad Shah Durrani annexed the province into his Durrani Empire from 1747 until 1799. During the Mughal period, the religion of Sikhism was born and emerged as a formidable military force as the Sikhs wrested control from the weakened descendents of Ahmad Shah Durrani. Led by Ranjit Singh the province came under the brutal Sikh occupation from 1799 to 1849 during which the Muslims were persecuted. After the British defeated the Sikhs in 1849, the Muslims of Punjab hailed them as liberaters from the barbaric Sikh rule. In 1947 the Punjab province was divided along religious lines as the western Punjabis voted to join the new state of Pakistan while the easterners joined India. The Hindu and Sikhs fanatics massacred over one million Muslims refugees fleeing from India. Since the independence, province has rapidly industrialized and is the breadbasket of the country as well as home to the largest ethnic group in Pakistan, the Punjabis.
Geography
Punjab is Pakistan's second largest province at 205,344 km² (79,284 square miles) and is located at the northwestern edge of the geologic plate in South Asia. The capital and main city of Punjab is Lahore, which has been the historical capital of the region. Other important cities include Multan, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, and Rawalpindi. The province is home to five rivers: the Indus, Sutlej, Chenab, Jhelum, Ravi.
The province is a mainly a fertile region along the rivers valleys, while spare deserts can be found near the border with India and Balochistan. The region contains the Thar and Cholistan deserts. In the north province borders Kashmir, in the west by Sarhad and in south by Sindh. The Indus River and its many tributaries traverse the Punjab from north to south. The landscape is amongst the most heavily irrigated land on earth and canals can be found throughout the province. Weather extremes are notable from the hot and barren south to the cool hills of the north. The foothills of the Himalayas are found in the extreme north as well.
Demographics and Society
The population of the province is estimated to be 86,084,000 in 2005 and is home to over half the population of Pakistan. The major language spoken in the Punjab is Punjabi (which is written in Perso-Arabic script, known as Shahmukhi, in Pakistan) and Punjabis comprise the largest ethnic group. Punjabis themselves are a heterogenous group comprising different tribes and communities, The most important tribes within Punjab include the Gakhars, Jats, the Arain, the Gujjars and the Rajputs. Other smaller tribes are the :Awans, and Maliks. In addition, there is a significant shift towards the usage of Urdu by the educated classes of the province as the Punjabis are the most ardent supporters of the nation-state of Pakistan and all of its national insitutions. There is also a nationalist movement amongst the somewhat related Seraikis in the south of Punjab and many wish to see a separate the region into a new province of Seraikistan. Other smaller groups in the province include Hindko, Pakhtuns, Balochs, Kashmiris, Muhajirs and others.
The population of Punjab is over 99% Muslim with a Sunni majority and Shia minority. There are small non-Muslims groups of Christians, Ahmadis and Sikhs.
Economy and Education
Punjab is one of the most industrialized provinces of Pakistan; its manufacturing industries produce textiles, sports goods, machinery, electrical appliances, surgical instruments, metals, bicycles and rickshas, floor coverings, and processed foods.
Despite its dry climate, extensive irrigation makes it a rich agricultural region. Its canal-irrigation system established by the British is the largest in the world. Wheat and cotton are the largest crops. Other crops include rice, sugarcane, millet, corn, oilseeds, pulses, fruits, and vegetables. Livestock and poultry production are also important.
The province's population is increasingly becoming literate as education has expanded in the province in recent years.
Social issues
The Punjab is the most stable province of Pakistan as Punjabis comprise the largest ethnic group in the country and thus dominate much of the nation by sheer numbers. Aside from some Sereiki unrest, the province has had few problems.
Punjabis are prominent in business, agriculture, industry, government, and the military to the point that there is resentment from other ethnic groups. The Punjabi upper classes tend to ally themselves with Urdu speaking Muhajirs and show respect towards Sindhis, Kashmiris, Pakhtuns and Balochis.
Punjabi women enjoy comparable rights to females in Karachi and Islamabad in Lahore and other cities, but conservative elements are present and dominate the countryside.
Districts
Attock
Bahawalnager
Bahawalpur
Bhakker
Chakwal
Dera Ghazi Khan
Faisalabad
Gujaranwala
Gujrat
Hafizabad
Jhang
Jhelum
Kasur
Khanewal
Khushab
Lahore
Layyah
Lodhran
Mandi Bahauddin
Mianwali
Multan
Muzaffargarh
Nankana
Narowal
Okara
Pakpattan
Rahim Yar khan
Rajanpur
Rawalpindi
Sahiwal
Sargodha
Shiekupura
Sialkot
Toba Tek Singh
Vehari
Important cities
Lahore
Faisalabad
Rawalpindi
Gujranwala
Multan
Sargodha
Sialkot
Bahwalpur
Jhang
Sheikhupura
Okara
Gujrat
Kasur
Taxila
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History
Isolated remains of Homo Erectus in has been found indicating that Pakistan might have been inhabited since atleast the Middle Pleistocene era. The precise date of these remains is unclear, and archaeologists put it anywhere between 200,000 to 500,000 BCE. The fossils are the earliest human remains found in South Asia. More than 60% of Pakistanis have their mtDNA maternal roots in South Asian specific branches of haplogroup 'M'. Because of its great time depth and virtual absence in western Eurasians, it has been suggested that haplogroup M was brought to Asia after their evolution in Africa, along the southern route, by the earliest migration wave of anatomically modern humans, Homo Sapiens, nearly 60,000 years ago
The original inhabitants of Pakistan may have been the tribals speaking languages related to Munda family of languages. Pakistan was the site of the world's oldest 8,000 year old civilisation at Mehrgarh in the Balochistan province. The Mehrgarh declined about the same time as the Indus Valley Civilization only 200 Kilometers south east was developing. It has been surmised that the Mehrgarh residents moved to fertile Indus River valley as Balochistan became arid over time.
The neolithic culture is indicated by the discovery of ground and polished stone axes, hoes, pestle, and bone implements at the well-known menhir-site of Burzahom, ten miles east of , Srinagar. Burazahoma is famous as one of the only two megalithic sites in the extreme north-west of Pakistan. We do not exactly know the cultural horizon of the Burazahoma megalithic, nor the Purpose for which they were erected, but the indications are, they were put in places towards the end of the neolithic period at that site, between 3000 BCE. The original inhabitants of ancient Kashmir, and rest of ancient Pakistan, were the aborigine tribes speaking languages related to Munda languages. The Tibetan tribes migrated to the Ladakh region of Kashmir. The Dravidians invaded from the Iranian plateau and settled in the Indus valley around 4000 BCE. The Dravidian culture blossomed over the centuries and gave rise to the Indus Valley Civilization of Pakistan around 3000 BCE. The main site of the Indus Valley Civilization in Punjab was the city of Harappa. The Indus Valley Civilization spanned much of what is today Pakistan, but suddenly went into decline just prior to the invasion of Indo-European Aryan tribes from the Eastern Europe. A branch of these tribes called the Indo-Aryans are believed to have founded the Vedic Civilization that have existed between Sarasvati River and Ganges river around 1500 BCE and also infuenced the Indus Valley Civilization. This civilization helped shape subsequent cultures in South Asia. Due to its location, the Kashmir region came under constant attack and influence from the west. Influenced by Uighurs, Tibetans, Persians, Greeks, Mauryans, Kushans, Arabs, Turks, Afghans, and Sikhs, Kashmir has developed a unique culture that combined that of significant Middle Eastern and Central Asian influences even prior to the coming of Islam.
The ancient name of Kashmir was 'Kashyapa'. The Kashmiris were in ancient times were foloowed tribal religions then Hinduism was arrived from India and later replaced by Buddhism. The Kashmiris were predominantly Buddhist and were in the process of coming under the influence of Hinduism when Muslim missionaries, Sayed Sharafuddin Bulbul Shah from Turkey and Shah Mir from Iran arrived in Kashmir. These Muslim missionaries converted thousands of Kashmiris including the Kashmir's Buddhist King Rinchan to Islam. After converting to Islam King Rinchan ruled as Sultan Malik Sadruddin in 1330 CE. After the death Sultan Malik Sadruddin, Shah Mir ascended the throne under the name of Sultan Shamas-ud-din, and his dynasty ruled the Kashmir for 222 years. The majority of Kashmiri population converted to Islam during the rule of this Muslim dynasty.. The Muslim technocrats, bureaucrats, soldiers, traders, scientists, architects, teachers, theologians and sufis flocked from the rest of the Muslim world to Islamic Sultanate and settled in Kashmir. Emperor Akbar conquered Kashmir and the Mughals ruled from 1587 to 1752. The Afghanistan's ruler Sultan Ahmad Shah Durrani conquered Kashmir in 1752 and Afghans ruled until 1819. The Sikh invaded and conquered Kashmir in1819 and started reign of terror in Kashmir.
The British defeated the Sikhs in 1846 and 'sold' Kashmir province to a Hindu Dogra chieftain for 7.5 million rupees, nearly $160. The Hindu Dogra rulers persecuted the Muslim majority and promoted Hinduism and a large number Hindu migrants settled in the Jammu region. Athe time of independence, the Muslim majority of Kashmir wanted to join Pakistan in 1947 but the Hindu Dogra ruler instead signed to join Hindu India. This action led to invasion and occupation of Kashmir by the Indian army. The Pakistan's volunteers joined the Kashmiri Muslim armed resistence and liberataed nearly quater of Kashmir from Indian occupation. The UN Security Council resolution on April 21, 1948 demanded that the Kashmiri people should decide their own future in a democratic referendum. The India has refused to allow the referendum to take place since the Muslim population of Kashmir will vote to join Pakistan.
Geography
Kashmir province is bordered by China in the north, India in the east, Punjab and Sarhad provinces in the south. The Kashmir province is divided into four main regions Jammu, Ladakh, Kashmir Valley and the Northern areas. The total area of Kashmir is 222,236 km².
Demography and Society
The population of province of Kashmir is nearly 11 million in 2005. The ethnic groups of Kashmir are: Kashmiris, Dards, Ladakhis, Dogras, Hanjis, Gujjars, Hunzas, etc. Nearly 90% of the population is Muslim, approximately 7% Hindu and 2% Buddhists.
Districts
Anantnag
http://www.shaikhsiddiqui.com/kashmir.html
Astore
Baramulla
Budgam
Diamer
Doda
Ganche
Ghizer
Gilgit
Hunza
Jammu
Kargil
Kathua
Kupwara
Leh
Muzaffarabad
Poonch
Pulwama
Rajauri Garden
Skardu
Srinagar
Udhampur
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History
Isolated remains of Homo Erectus in has been found indicating that Pakistan might have been inhabited since atleast the Middle Pleistocene era. The precise date of these remains is unclear, and archaeologists put it anywhere between 200,000 to 500,000 BCE. The fossils are the earliest human remains found in South Asia. More than 60% of Pakistanis have their mtDNA maternal roots in South Asian specific branches of haplogroup 'M'. Because of its great time depth and virtual absence in western Eurasians, it has been suggested that haplogroup M was brought to Asia after their evolution in Africa, along the southern route, by the earliest migration wave of anatomically modern humans, Homo Sapiens, nearly 60,000 years ago
The original inhabitants of Pakistan may have been the tribals speaking languages related to Munda family of languages. Pakistan was the site of the world's oldest 8,000 year old civilisation at Mehrgarh in the Balochistan province. The Mehrgarh declined about the same time as the Indus Valley Civilization only 200 Kilometers south east was developing. It has been surmised that the Mehrgarh residents moved to fertile Indus River valley as Balochistan became arid over time. The Dravidians invaded from the Iranian plateau and settled in the Indus valley around 4000 BCE. The Dravidian culture blossomed over the centuries and gave rise to the Indus Valley Civilization of Pakistan around 3000 BCE. The main site of the Indus Valley Civilization in Sindh was the city of Moenjo Daro and Moenjo Daro and smaller Chanhu Daro. The Indus Valley Civilization spanned much of what is today Pakistan, but suddenly went into decline just prior to the invasion of Indo-European Aryan tribes from the Eastern Europe. A branch of these tribes called the Indo-Aryans are believed to have founded the Vedic Civilization that have existed between Sarasvati River and Ganges river around 1500 BCE and also infuenced the Indus Valley Civilization. This civilization helped shape subsequent cultures in South Asia. Due to its location, the Sindh region came under constant attack and influence from the west. Conquered by the Persians, Greeks, Mauryans, Kushans, Arabs, Turks, Afghans and Balochs the Sindh developed a unique culture that combined that of significant Middle Eastern and Central Asian influences even prior to the coming of Islam.
The Sindh were in ancient times predominantly Buddhist and were in the process of coming under the influence of Hinduism when Umayyad Muslim Arab army led by Muhammad bin Qasim conquered Sindh, and the present Pakistan from Kashmir to the Arabian Sea, in 713. The predominant population of Sindh, and the rest of Pakistan, converted to Islam but there were significant non-Muslim population of Hindus. Arab rule ended with the ascension of the Soomro dynasty, who were local Sindhi Muslims and who controlled the province directly and as vassals from 1058 to 1249. Various Turkish dynasties conquered the area by 977 CE and the region loosely became part of the Ghaznavid Empire and then the Delhi Sultanate which lasted until 1524. The Mughals conquered the region and their rule lasted for another two centuries, while another local Sindhi Muslim group the Samma challenged Mughal rule from their base at Thatta. The Muslim technocrats, bureaucrats, soldiers, traders, scientists, architects, teachers, theologians and sufis flocked from the rest of the Muslim world to Islamic Sultanate in South Asia and many settled in Sindh. The Muslim Sufi played a pivotal role in converting the millions of native people to Islam. Sindh, though part of larger empires, continued to enjoy certain autonomy as a loyal Muslim domain and came under the rule of the Arghun Dynasty and Turkhan or Tarkhan dynasty from 1519 to 1625. Sind became a vassal-state of the Afghan Durrani Empire by 1747. It was then ruled by Kalhora rulers. It remained under Balochi Talpurs rule by 1783. British arrived in Sindh in 19th century and conquest in it 1843. In 1843 British forces under General Charles Napier conquered Sindh. Sindh was made part of British Empire and became a separate province in 1935. The British ruled the area for a century and Sindh was home to many prominent Muslim leaders including Muhammad Ali Jinnah who agitated for greater Muslim autonomy.
Following World War II, Britain withdrew and Sindh voted to join Pakistan in 1947 and the Hindu migrated to India while Muslim immigrants from India settled in Sindh. Relations in the province have since been defined by power struggles between the Urdu speakers and the local Sindhis who have also resented the influx of Pashtun and Punjabi immigrants to Karachi.
Geography
Sindh is located at the northeastern corner of South Asia just before the Iranian plateau in the west. It is the third largest province geographically. Its size is about 579 km north-south and 442 km (extreme) or 281 km (average) east-west, with an area of 140,915 km². Sindh is bounded by the Thar Desert to the east, the Kirthar Mountains to the west, and the Arabian Sea in the south. In the center is the fertile plain where the Indus river runs through. Largely irrigated, the Indus' devastating floods are now under control. The province of Sindh borders Punjab in the north and Balochistan in the west. Its capital is Karachi an other important cities include Thatta, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas, Shahdadpur, Tando Adam, Tando Allah Yar, Nawabshah, Larkana, Shikarpur, Khairpur, Badin.
Demography and Society
The population is approximately 45 million in 2005 with over half being urban dwellers, mainly found in Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur and Larkana. A large section of the population speak Sindhi and Urdu languages. Other languages spoken include Siraiki, Balochi, Brohi, Punjabi, Pakhtu, Rajasthani and Gujarati. Urban areas of Sindh are multi-ethnic centres and sometimes highly polarized as a result.
Sindh's population is over 98% Muslim and mainly Sunnis with large Shia minority. Nearly all Sunnis belong to the Hanafi school of juriprudence. The Shias predominantly belong to the Ithna 'ashariyah school of juriprudence. There are also small but important Shia Nizari Ismailis and Shia Dawoodi Bohras. The province of Sindh is also home to the vast majority of Hindus in Pakistan and they number less than one million. Smaller groups of Christians, Parsis or Zoroastrians and Ahmadis can also be found in the province.
The Sindhis as a whole are composed of various sub-groups related to the Punjabis and Siraikis minorities as well as of Baloch origin. A small group either partially descended from or claiming descent from early Muslim settlers including Arabs, Turks, and Persians is also found in the province and are referred to as Ashraf or nobles.
Economy
Sindh is the backbone of Pakistan economy as it generates approximately 70% of the total national revenue whereas in return federal government pays back just 23% from financial divisible pool. Sindh government considers that the formula of financial resource distribution i.e NFC award is solely population denominated.
Sindh is in many ways the main province of economic activity in Pakistan and has a highly diversified economy with heavy industry and finance centered in and around Karachi to a substantial agricultural base along the Indus. Pakistan's rapidly growing information technology sector (IT) is also centered in Karachi and manufacturing includes machine products, cement, plastics, and various other goods.
Agriculture is also very important in Sind. The main crops are Cotton, Rice, Wheat and Sugar Cane, with Rice being the most important. Other crops include fruits and vegetables especially Bananas and Mangoes.
Districts
Badin
Dadu
Ghotki
Hyderabad,
Jacobabad
Kamber Ali Khan
Karachi
Kashmore
Khairpur
Larkana
Matiari
Mirpurkhas
Naushero Feroze
Nawabshah
Sanghar
Shikarpur
Sukkur
Tando Allah Yar
Tando Muhammad Khan
Tharparkar
Thatta
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History
Isolated remains of Homo Erectus in has been found indicating that Pakistan might have been inhabited since atleast the Middle Pleistocene era. The precise date of these remains is unclear, and archaeologists put it anywhere between 200,000 to 500,000 BCE. The fossils are the earliest human remains found in South Asia. More than 60% of Pakistanis have their mtDNA maternal roots in South Asian specific branches of haplogroup 'M'. Because of its great time depth and virtual absence in western Eurasians, it has been suggested that haplogroup M was brought to Asia after their evolution in Africa, along the southern route, by the earliest migration wave of anatomically modern humans, Homo Sapiens, nearly 60,000 years ago
The original inhabitants of Pakistan may have been the tribals speaking languages related to Munda family of languages. Pakistan was the site of the world's oldest 8,000 year old civilisation at Mehrgarh in the Balochistan province. The Mehrgarh declined about the same time as the Indus Valley Civilization only 200 Kilometers south east was developing. It has been surmised that the Mehrgarh residents moved to fertile Indus River valley as Balochistan became arid over time. The Dravidians invaded from the Iranian plateau and settled in the Indus valley around 4000 BCE. The Dravidian culture blossomed over the centuries and gave rise to the Indus Valley Civilization of Pakistan around 3000 BCE. The main site of the Indus Valley Civilization in Sindh was the city of Moenjo Daro and Moenjo Daro and smaller Chanhu Daro. The Indus Valley Civilization spanned much of what is today Pakistan, but suddenly went into decline just prior to the invasion of Indo-European Aryan tribes from the Eastern Europe. A branch of these tribes called the Indo-Aryans are believed to have founded the Vedic Civilization that have existed between Sarasvati River and Ganges river around 1500 BCE and also infuenced the Indus Valley Civilization. This civilization helped shape subsequent cultures in South Asia. Due to its location, the Sindh region came under constant attack and influence from the west. Conquered by the Persians, Greeks, Mauryans, Kushans, Arabs, Turks, Afghans and Balochs the Sindh developed a unique culture that combined that of significant Middle Eastern and Central Asian influences even prior to the coming of Islam.
The Sindh were in ancient times predominantly Buddhist and were in the process of coming under the influence of Hinduism when Umayyad Muslim Arab army led by Muhammad bin Qasim conquered Sindh, and the present Pakistan from Kashmir to the Arabian Sea, in 713. The predominant population of Sindh, and the rest of Pakistan, converted to Islam but there were significant non-Muslim population of Hindus. Arab rule ended with the ascension of the Soomro dynasty, who were local Sindhi Muslims and who controlled the province directly and as vassals from 1058 to 1249. Various Turkish dynasties conquered the area by 977 CE and the region loosely became part of the Ghaznavid Empire and then the Delhi Sultanate which lasted until 1524. The Mughals conquered the region and their rule lasted for another two centuries, while another local Sindhi Muslim group the Samma challenged Mughal rule from their base at Thatta. The Muslim technocrats, bureaucrats, soldiers, traders, scientists, architects, teachers, theologians and sufis flocked from the rest of the Muslim world to Islamic Sultanate in South Asia and many settled in Sindh. The Muslim Sufi played a pivotal role in converting the millions of native people to Islam. Sindh, though part of larger empires, continued to enjoy certain autonomy as a loyal Muslim domain and came under the rule of the Arghun Dynasty and Turkhan or Tarkhan dynasty from 1519 to 1625. Sind became a vassal-state of the Afghan Durrani Empire by 1747. It was then ruled by Kalhora rulers. It remained under Balochi Talpurs rule by 1783. British arrived in Sindh in 19th century and conquest in it 1843. In 1843 British forces under General Charles Napier conquered Sindh. Sindh was made part of British Empire and became a separate province in 1935. The British ruled the area for a century and Sindh was home to many prominent Muslim leaders including Muhammad Ali Jinnah who agitated for greater Muslim autonomy.
Following World War II, Britain withdrew and Sindh voted to join Pakistan in 1947 and the Hindu migrated to India while Muslim immigrants from India settled in Sindh. Relations in the province have since been defined by power struggles between the Urdu speakers and the local Sindhis who have also resented the influx of Pashtun and Punjabi immigrants to Karachi.
Geography
Sindh is located at the northeastern corner of South Asia just before the Iranian plateau in the west. It is the third largest province geographically. Its size is about 579 km north-south and 442 km (extreme) or 281 km (average) east-west, with an area of 140,915 km². Sindh is bounded by the Thar Desert to the east, the Kirthar Mountains to the west, and the Arabian Sea in the south. In the center is the fertile plain where the Indus river runs through. Largely irrigated, the Indus' devastating floods are now under control. The province of Sindh borders Punjab in the north and Balochistan in the west. Its capital is Karachi an other important cities include Thatta, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas, Shahdadpur, Tando Adam, Tando Allah Yar, Nawabshah, Larkana, Shikarpur, Khairpur, Badin.
Demography and Society
The population is approximately 45 million in 2005 with over half being urban dwellers, mainly found in Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur and Larkana. A large section of the population speak Sindhi and Urdu languages. Other languages spoken include Siraiki, Balochi, Brohi, Punjabi, Pakhtu, Rajasthani and Gujarati. Urban areas of Sindh are multi-ethnic centres and sometimes highly polarized as a result.
Sindh's population is over 98% Muslim and mainly Sunnis with large Shia minority. Nearly all Sunnis belong to the Hanafi school of juriprudence. The Shias predominantly belong to the Ithna 'ashariyah school of juriprudence. There are also small but important Shia Nizari Ismailis and Shia Dawoodi Bohras. The province of Sindh is also home to the vast majority of Hindus in Pakistan and they number less than one million. Smaller groups of Christians, Parsis or Zoroastrians and Ahmadis can also be found in the province.
The Sindhis as a whole are composed of various sub-groups related to the Punjabis and Siraikis minorities as well as of Baloch origin. A small group either partially descended from or claiming descent from early Muslim settlers including Arabs, Turks, and Persians is also found in the province and are referred to as Ashraf or nobles.
Economy
Sindh is the backbone of Pakistan economy as it generates approximately 70% of the total national revenue whereas in return federal government pays back just 23% from financial divisible pool. Sindh government considers that the formula of financial resource distribution i.e NFC award is solely population denominated.
Sindh is in many ways the main province of economic activity in Pakistan and has a highly diversified economy with heavy industry and finance centered in and around Karachi to a substantial agricultural base along the Indus. Pakistan's rapidly growing information technology sector (IT) is also centered in Karachi and manufacturing includes machine products, cement, plastics, and various other goods.
Agriculture is also very important in Sind. The main crops are Cotton, Rice, Wheat and Sugar Cane, with Rice being the most important. Other crops include fruits and vegetables especially Bananas and Mangoes.
Districts
Badin
Dadu
Ghotki
Hyderabad,
Jacobabad
Kamber Ali Khan
Karachi
Kashmore
Khairpur
Larkana
Matiari
Mirpurkhas
Naushero Feroze
Nawabshah
Sanghar
Shikarpur
Sukkur
Tando Allah Yar
Tando Muhammad Khan
Tharparkar
Thatta
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History
Isolated remains of Homo Erectus in has been found indicating that Pakistan might have been inhabited since atleast the Middle Pleistocene era. The precise date of these remains is unclear, and archaeologists put it anywhere between 200,000 to 500,000 BCE. The fossils are the earliest human remains found in South Asia. More than 60% of Pakistanis have their mtDNA maternal roots in South Asian specific branches of haplogroup 'M'. Because of its great time depth and virtual absence in western Eurasians, it has been suggested that haplogroup M was brought to Asia after their evolution in Africa, along the southern route, by the earliest migration wave of anatomically modern humans, Homo Sapiens, nearly 60,000 years ago
The original inhabitants of Pakistan may have been the tribals speaking languages related to Munda family of languages. Pakistan was the site of the world's oldest 8,000 year old civilisation at Mehrgarh in the Balochistan province. The Mehrgarh declined about the same time as the Indus Valley Civilization only 200 Kilometers south east was developing. It has been surmised that the Mehrgarh residents moved to fertile Indus River valley as Balochistan became arid over time. Shahi Tump in the valley of Kej in Mekran was also settled during Indus Valley Civilization era. Balochistan was invaded by various Eurasian groups including the Aryans, Persians, Greeks, Kushans, Arabs, Turks, Mongols, Mughals, Afghans, and the British. Aryan invasions appear to have led to the eventual demise of the Elamo-Dravidians with the exception of the Brahui who may have arrived much later as did the Balochis themselves. The Balochis began to arrive from their homeland in northern Iran and appear to be an offshoot of the Kurdish tribes from Kurdistan that would mainly populate the western end of the Iranian plateau. The Balochi tribes eventually became a sizable group rivalled only by another Iranian group, the Pakhtuns, while the Brahuis increasingly came under the cultural influence of the Balochis. Umayyad Muslim Arab army led by Muhammad bin Qasim conquered annexed the region and conversion to Islam was coupled with the Balochi assimilation of Arab culture as well. Today, many Balochis believe that their origins are Semitic and not Iranian contrary to linguistic and historical evidence. Balochi tradition holds that they left their Aleppo homeland in Syria at some point during the 1st millennium CE and moved to Balochistan, but it appears more likely that the Balochis are an Iranian group who have absorbed some Arab ancestry and cultural traits instead. Balochistan subsequently was dominated by empires based in Iran and Afghanistan as well as the Mughal empire based in South Asia. Ahmad Shah Durrani annexed the region as part of a greater Afghanistan. The area would eventually revert to local Balochi control, while parts of the northern regions would continue to be dominated by Pakhtun tribes. The Muslim technocrats, bureaucrats, soldiers, traders, scientists, architects, teachers, theologians and sufis flocked from the rest of the Muslim world to Islamic Sultanate in South Asia and many settled in Balochistan. During the period of the British rule, there were four Princely States in Balochistan: Makran, Kharan, Las Bela and Kalat, the largest and most powerful. At independence in 1947, Balochistan became part of Pakistan. Parts of Balochistan were held by Oman as late as the 1950s, but they were eventually turned over to Pakistan. Included in these areas is the coastal city of Gwadar.
Geography
Balochistan is located at the eastern edge of the Iranian plateau and in the difficult to define border region between Southwest, Central, and South Asia. It is geographically the largest of the four provinces at 347,190 km² and composes 42% of the total land area of Pakistan. Balochistan province borders Sarhad and Afghanistan in the north, Punjab and Sindh in the east, Iran in the west and Arabian Sea in the South. The population density is very low due to the mountainous terrain and scarcity of water. The southern region is known as Makran. A region in the centre of the province is known as Kalat. The Sulaiman Mountains dominate the northeast corner and the Bolan Pass is a natural route into Afghanistan towards Kandahar. Much of the province south of the Quetta region is sparse desert terrain with pockets of inhabitable towns mostly near rivers and streams. The capital city is Quetta, located in the most densely populated district in the northeast of the province. Quetta is situated in a river valley near the border with Afghanistan, with a road to Kandahar in the northwest. At Gwadar on the coast the Pakistani government is currently undertaking a large project with Chinese help to build a large port. This is being done partially to provide the Pakistan Navy with another base, and to reduce Pakistan's reliance on Karachi and Port Muhammad Bin Qasim, which currently are the only major ports.
Demographics and Society
Balochistan has a population of around 10 million inhabitants. The Baloch numerically dominate the south of the province, while the Pakhtuns are the majority in and around Quetta and the north. Near the Kalat region and other parts of the region the Brahui are a significant presence, while along the coast various Makrani peoples of mixed origins can be found such as the Meds and small groups of descendents of African known as the Habshi, from Hubsh which means Ethiopia in Arabic, can also be found. Persian-speaking Dehwars also live in the Kalat region and further west towards the border with Iran. The major Baloch tribes are: Bugti, Mengal, Marri, Bizenjo, Jamali, etc. In addition, nearly one million Afghan refugees can be found in the province including Pakhtuns, Tajiks, and Hazaras. Sindhi farmers have also moved to the more arable lands in the east especially in Las Bela district. Over 99% of the population is Muslim with Sunni majority and a Shia minority. There are also small Zikri, Hindu and Christian minorities.
Economy
The economy of the province is largely based upon the production of natural gas, coal and minerals. The province's natural resources significantly help to meet the energy needs of Pakistan as a whole, but mainly benefit Pakhtun mine workers than the more nomadic Baloch. Infrastructure outside of Quetta is still in development as is the province as a whole. Tourism remains limited but has increased due to the exotic appeal of the province. Limited farming in the east as well as fishing along the Arabian Sea coastline are other forms of income and sustenance for the local populations. Due to the tribal lifestyle of many Baloch and Brahui, animal husbandry is important as are trading bazaars found throughout the province.Though the province remains underdeveloped, changes are coming as plans for pipelines running from Iran and as well Central Asian pipelines are all envisioned to be built in Balochistan.
Districts
Awaran
Barkhan
Bolan
Chagai
Dera Bugti
Gwadar
Jafarabad
Jhal Magsi
Kalat
Kharan
Kohlu
Khuzdar
Qilla Abdullah
Qilla Saifullah
Lasbela
Loralai
Mastung
Musakhel
Nasirabad
Panjgur
Pishin
Quetta
Sibi
Turbat or Kech
Zhob
Ziarat
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The Mughal Empire, (Mughal alternative spelling Mogul) was an empire that at its greatest territorial extent ruled parts of Afghanistan and most of the South Asia between 1526 and 1857. The empire was founded by the Turkish-Mongol leader Babar in 1526, when he defeated Sultan Ibrahim Lodi, the last of the Delhi Sultans at the First Battle of Panipat. The word "Mughal" is the Persian version of "Mongol".
In the early 16th century, descendants of the Mongols, Turks, Persians, and Afghans — the Mughals — invaded the South Asia under the leadership of Mohammad Zahir-ud-Din Babar. Babar was the great-grandson of Timur Lenk (Timur the Lame, from which the Western name Tamerlane is derived), who had invaded South Asia and conquered Delhi in 1398 and then led a empire based in Samarqand, Farghana valley (in modern-day Uzbekistan) that united Persian-based Mongols (Babar's maternal ancestors) and other West Asian peoples. Babar was driven from Samarqand and initially established his rule in Kabul in 1504; he later became the first Mughal ruler (1526–30). His determination was to expand eastward into Punjab, where he had made a number of forays including an attack on the Gakhar stronghold of Pharwala. Then an invitation from an opportunistic Afghan chief in Punjab brought him to the very heart of the Delhi Sultanate, ruled by Ibrahim Lodi (1517-26).
Babar, a seasoned military commander, entered South Asia in 1526 with his well-trained veteran army of 12,000 to meet the Sultan's huge but unwieldy and disunited force of more than 100,000 men. Babar defeated Sultan Ibrahim Lodhi decisively at Panipat (in modern-day Haryana, about ninety kilometers north of Delhi). Employing gun carts, moveable artillery, and superior cavalry tactics, Babar achieved a resounding victory. A year later, he decisively defeated a Rajput confederacy led by Rana Sangha. In 1529 Babar routed the joint forces of Afghans and the Sultan of Bengal but died in 1530 before he could consolidate his military gains. He left behind as legacies his memoirs (Babarnama), several beautiful gardens in Kabul and Lahore, and descendants who would fulfil his dream of establishing an empire in the South Asia.
When Babar died, his son Humayun (1530–56) inherited a difficult task. He was pressed from all sides by a reassertion of Afghan claims to the Delhi throne, by disputes over his own succession, and by the Afghan-Rajput march into Delhi in 1540. He was defeated and he fled to Persia, where he spent nearly ten years as an embarrassed guest at the Safavid court of Shah Tahmasp. During Sher Shah's reign, an imperial unification and administrative framework were established, but would be further developed by Akbar later in the century. In 1545 Humayun gained a foothold in Kabul with Safavid assistance and reasserted his South Asian claim, a task made easier by the weakening of Afghan power in the area after the death of Sher Shah Suri in May 1545, and took control of Delhi in 1555. However, he was not in power a few years before he took a fatal fall down his library's stairs.
The empire was largely conquered by Sher Shah during the time of Humayun, but under Akbar, it grew considerably, and continued to grow until the end of Aurangzeb's rule. Jahangir, the son of Akbar, ruled the empire between (1605-1627). In October 1627, Shah Jahan, son of Jahangir, "succeeded to the throne", where he "inherited a vast and rich empire" in South Asia; and "at mid-century this was perhaps the greatest empire in the world". The Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, commissioned between (1630 - 1653), the Taj Mahal, in Agra, South Asia.
After Aurangzeb died in 1707, the empire started a slow and steady decline in actual power, although it maintained all the trappings of power in the South Asia for another 150 years. In 1739 it was defeated by an army from Persia led by Nadir Shah. In 1756 an army of Ahmad Shah looted Delhi again. The British Empire finally dissolved it in 1857, immediately prior to which it existed only at the sufferance of the British East South Asia Company.
Religion
A picture from the inside of the Moghul palace Khas Mahal. The Mughal ruling class were jovial and clement Muslims, although many of the subjects of the Empire were non-Muslims. When Babar first founded the Empire, he did not emphasize his religion, but rather his Mughal heritage. Under Akbar, the court abolished the Jizya, the tax on non-Muslims, and abandoned use of the lunar Muslim calendar in favor of a solar calendar more useful for agriculture. One of Akbar's most unusual ideas regarding religion was Din-i-Ilahi ('Faith of God' in English), which was an eclectic mix of Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity. It was proclaimed the state religion until his death. These actions were later retracted by Aurangzeb, known for his religiosity.
Political Economy
The Mughals used the mansabdar system to generate land revenue. The emperor would grant revenue rights to a mansabdar in exchange for promises of soldiers in war-time. The greater the size of the land the emperor granted, the greater the number of soldiers the mansabdar had to promise. The mansab was both revocable and non-hereditary; this gave the center a fairly large degree of control over the mansabdars.
Establishment and reign of Babar
In the early 16th century, descendants of the Mongol, Turkic, Persian, and Afghan invaders of Southwest Asia — the Mughals — invaded the South Asia under the leadership of Zahir-ud-Din Babar. Babar was the great-grandson of Timur Lenk (Timur the Lame, from which the Western name Tamerlane is derived), who had invaded South Asia and plundered Delhi in 1398 and then led a short-lived empire based in Samarkand (in modern-day Uzbekistan) that united Persian-based Mongols (Babar's maternal ancestors) and other West Asian peoples. Babar was driven from Samarkand and initially established his rule in Kabul in 1504; he later became the first Mughal ruler (1526–30). His determination was to expand eastward into Punjab, where he had made a number of forays including an attack on the Gakhar stronghold of Pharwala. Then an invitation from an opportunistic Afghan chief in Punjab brought him t
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