Saturday, February 28, 2009
TRANSPORT IN PAKISTAN
Much of Pakistan's road network (National Highways) and railway network were built before 1947, during the British Raj. In recent years, new national highways have been built, with the addition of motorways. Airports and seaports have been built recently within the last 30 years.
Rail
Main article: Pakistan Railways
Lahore Railway Station
Outer Platform, Lahore Railway Station
Domestic
Rail services in Pakistan are provided by the state-run Pakistan Railways, under the supervision of the Ministry of Railways. Pakistan Railways provides an important mode of transportation in Pakistan, catering to the large-scale movement of people and freight. The railway network comprises 8,163 km[1] of which broad gauge (1.676-m) forms 7,718 km including 293 km of electrified track. Narrow gauge (1-metre) tracks form the remaining 445 km. Passenger earnings comprise of 50% of the total revenue. During 1999-2000 this amounted to Rs. 4.8 billion.[citation needed] Pakistan Railways carry 65 million passengers annually and daily operates 228 mail, express and passenger trains.[citation needed] Pakistan Railways also operate special trains for various occasions. The Freight Business Unit with 12000 personnel operates over 200 freight stations on the railway network. The FBU serves the Port of Karachi and Port Qasim as well as in various other stations along the network and generates revenue from the movement of agricultural, industrial and imported products such as wheat, coal, fertilizer, cement, and sugar. About 39% of the revenue is generated from the transportation of petroleum, 19% from imported wheat, fertilizer and rock phosphate. The remaining 42% is earned from domestic traffic.[citation needed] The freight rates structure is based on market trends in road transport which is the main competitor to rail transport.
Metros
The Karachi Circular Railway, which opened in the early 1940s, is the only functioning metro in Pakistan as of date. In 1976, Karachi was slated to begin work on an underground metro system, but plans have been put on hold since. The Lahore Metro is another proposal still in planning and is scheduled to be completed by 2020.
International
Flag of Iran Iran - A broad gauge railway line runs from Zahedan to Quetta, and a standard gauge line is being built from Zahedan to Kerman in central Iran, linking with the rest of the Iranian rail network. On May 18, 2007, a MOU for rail cooperation was signed by Pakistan and Iran under which the line will be completed by December 2008. When the rail systems link up at Zahedan, there will be a break of gauge between the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways standard gauge tracks and Pakistan Railways broad gauge.
Flag of Afghanistan Afghanistan - Currently there is no rail link to Afghanistan since no railway network is present in that country, however Pakistan Rail has proposed to help build a Afghani Rail Network in three phases. The first phase will stretch from the Chaman to Spin Boldak in Afghanistan. The second phase will extend line to Kandahar and the third phase will eventually connect to Herat. From there, the line will be extended to Khushka, Turkmenistan. The final phase would link 1676mm gauge with Central Asian 1524mm gauge. It is not clear where the break of gauge station will be.[3] The proposed line will also be connected the port town of Gwadar via Dalbadin and Taftan, thus connecting the port town to Central Asia.
Flag of the People's Republic of China China - There is no link with China however, on February 28, 2007 contracts were awarded for feasibility studies on a proposed line from Havelian via the Khunjerab pass at 4730m above sea level, to the Chinese railhead at Kashgar, a distance of about 750 km.
Flag of Turkmenistan Turkmenistan - via Afghanistan
Road
Makran Coastal Highway, Gwadar
M2 to Islamabad
National Highways
Main article: National Highways of Pakistan
During the 1990s, Pakistan began an ongoing project to rebuild all national highways throughout the country specifically to important financial, cargo and textile centers. The National Highway Authority or NHA is responsible for the maintenance of all national highways in Pakistan.
Motorways
Main article: Motorways of Pakistan
The construction of motorways began in the early 1990s with the idea building a world class road network and to reduce the load off the heavily used national highways throughout the country. The M2 was the first motorway completed in 1998, linking the cities of Islamabad and Lahore. In the past 5 years, many new motorways have opened up including the M1, M3.
Waterways
The waterway network in Pakistan is in its infancy with Karachi being the only major city situated next to the Arabian Sea. Still plans are being proposed for the development of the waterways in the country along the Indus River and through the Punjab as it would boost employment opportunities and the economic and social development of Pakistan.
* Port of Gawadar - Gawadar, Balochistan
* Port of Karachi - Karachi City Center
* Port Qasim - East Karachi
* Port of Pasni - Pasni, Balochistan
Air
Pakistan has 139 airports. The main airport include:
* Jinnah International Airport (Karachi)
* Allama Iqbal International Airport (Lahore)
* Benazir Bhutto International Airport (Islamabad)
* Peshawar International Airport
* Quetta International Airport
* Sialkot International Airport
There are also several smaller airports which have flights to and from the Gulf because of the large Pakistani diaspora working in the region. There are 91 airports with paved runways of which 14 have runways longer than 3,047 meters. The remaining 48 airports have unpaved runways including one airport with a runway longer than 3,047 meters. Pakistan also has eighteen heliports.
Local Transport
Motorbikes and scooters: cheap and simple transport
A Pakistani rickshaw
In urban areas there are several means of transport available, catering to a wide range of budgets
Buses
Daewoo Express
Customised buses and trucks in Pakistan
Daewoo City Bus
* Inter City
Bus service in urban areas and between cities is well established with services run by both public and private sectors. Bus services like Daewoo Express, Skyway and Niazi Bus have set up modern intercity service in Pakistan which connects to most cities in Pakistan and runs 24 hours a day. Intercity buses tend to be more modern and well kept as compared to urban transport within cities which are also well established, however the fleet of buses used tend to be in horrible shape and are not air-conditioned.
International
International bus services are also well established in Pakistan and connect to various countries:
- Quetta - Zahidan, Iran - Quetta - Mashad, Iran - Gwadar - Zahidan, Iran (2010) - Karachi - Quetta - Zahidan - Tehran, Iran (proposed) - Peshawar - Jalalabad, Afghanistan - Peshawar - Kabul, Afghanistan - Islamabad - Dushanbe, Uzbekistan - Islamabad - Kashghar, China - Lahore - Delhi, India
Auto Rickshaws
Auto rickshaws are a popular method of traveling in cities and are found in almost every city and town in Pakistan. The fare is usually negotiable before commencing a journey, however due to the level of pollution contributed by the auto-rickshaws, the government has recently begun banning older auto richshaws and replacing them with CNG auto rickshaws, which tend to be less noisy, forms less pollutants and are much bigger and more comfortable than the older sets of richshaws. The Punjab Government decided in 2005 to replace two-stroke three-wheelers with CNG-fitted four-stroke rickshaws in Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi and Gujranwala. Three manufacturers were ordered to produce 60,000 four-stroke vehicles, but they reportedly supplied 2,000 to the government which were now plying on city roads. Similar ordinances are now being considered in other provinces of Pakistan. A new form of transport in Pakistan is the Qing-Qi (pronounced "ching-chee"), which is a cross between a motorcycle and auto-rickshaw. It runs just like a motorcycle but comes with three wheels instead of two and carries a much heavier load on its back. It is an urban transport vehicle and is used mostly for short distances.
Taxis
Another very common sight seen mainly at hotels and airports yellow taxis. The drivers charge according to a meter located on the dashboard of the car, but fares can be negotiated if there is no meter. The cab drivers are reliable and will take passengers to any destination required. There are also numerous privately run services that use cars and minibuses of various types throughout Pakistan, providing a reliable and quick means of transport. Recently, the Radio Cab was introduced in Pakistan, which offers riders to call a toll free number to get in touch with the closes taxi stand. This service is currently offered in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Karachi, Peshawar and Lahore. Services for Hyderabad and Sialkot are now being made.
Cars
Over the years, the number of cars on Pakistani roads has tripled. Traffic jams are a common scene in major cities across Pakistan. The most popular cars on Pakistani roads are, Suzuki Mehran, Daihatsu Coure, Suzuki Alto, Honda Civic and Toyota Vitz. In late 2005, Suzuki introduced the APV (All-Purpose Vehicle) the first luxury family van in Pakistan. Utility vehicles (SUVs or 4x4s) are also a familiar sight in Pakistan. This type of car is very multi functional as it allows long distance and off road travel, within cities as well as city to city travel. The most popular models are the Toyota Land Cruiser, Toyota Prado, Mitsubishi Pajero, Kia Sportage can also be sighted.
Society And Culture Of Pakistan
Pakistan has a rich and unique culture that has preserved established traditions throughout history. Many cultural practices, foods, monuments, and shrines were inherited from the rule of Muslim Mughal and Afghan emperors. The national dress of shalwar qamiz is originally of Central Asian origin derived from Turko-Iranian nomadic invaders and is today worn in all parts of Pakistan. Women wear brightly coloured shalwar qamiz, while men often wear solid-coloured ones. In cities western dress is also popular among the youth and the business sector.
Pakistani society is largely multilingual and 96% Muslim, with high regard for traditional family values, although urban families have grown into a nuclear family system due to the socio-economic constraints imposed by the traditional joint family system. Recent decades have seen the emergence of a middle class in cities like Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Hyderabad, Faisalabad, and Peshawar that wish to move in a more liberal direction,[77] as opposed to the northwestern regions bordering Afghanistan that remain highly conservative and dominated by centuries-old regional tribal customs. Increasing globalization has increased the influence of "Western culture" with Pakistan ranking 46th on the A.T. Kearney/FP Globalization Index.[78] There are an approximated four million people of Pakistani descent living abroad,[79] with close to a half-million expatriates living in the United States,[80] around a million living in Saudi Arabia[81] and nearly one million in the United Kingdom, all providing burgeoning cultural connections.[82]
The variety of Pakistani music ranges from diverse provincial folk music and traditional styles such as Qawwali and Ghazal Gayaki to modern forms fusing traditional and western music, such as the synchronisation of Qawwali and western music by the world renowned Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. In addition Pakistan is home to many famous folk singers such as the late Alam Lohar, who is also well known in Indian Punjab. The arrival of Afghan refugees in the western provinces has rekindled Pashto and Persian music and established Peshawar as a hub for Afghan musicians and a distribution centre for Afghan music abroad.[83] State-owned Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) and Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation were the dominant media outlets, but there are now numerous private television channels. Various American, European, and Asian television channels and films are available to the majority of the Pakistani population via private Television Networks, cable, and satellite television. There are also small indigenous film industries based in Lahore and Peshawar (often referred to as Lollywood). Although Bollywood films have been banned from being played in public cinemas since 1965,[84] Indian film stars are still generally popular in Pakistan due to the fact that Pakistanis are easily able to buy Bollywood films from local shops for private home viewing. But recently Pakistan allowed selected Bollywood films to be shown in Pakistani cinemas.
The architecture of the areas now constituting Pakistan can be designated to four distinct periods — pre-Islamic, Islamic, colonial and post-colonial. With the beginning of the Indus civilization around the middle of the 3rd millennium[85] B.C., an advanced urban culture developed for the first time in the region, with large structural facilities, some of which survive to this day.[86] Mohenjo Daro, Harappa and Kot Diji belong to the pre-Islamic era settlements. The rise of Buddhism and the Persian and Greek influence led to the development of the Greco-Buddhist style, starting from the 1st century CE. The high point of this era was reached with the culmination of the Gandhara style. An example of Buddhist architecture is the ruins of the Buddhist monastery Takht-i-Bahi in the northwest province. The arrival of Islam in today's Pakistan meant a sudden end of Buddhist architecture.[87] However, a smooth transition to predominantly pictureless Islamic architecture occurred. The most important of the few completely discovered buildings of Persian style is the tomb of the Shah Rukn-i-Alam in Multan. During the Mughal era design elements of Islamic-Persian architecture were fused with and often produced playful forms of the Hindustani art. Lahore, occasional residence of Mughal rulers, exhibits a multiplicity of important buildings from the empire, among them the Badshahi mosque, the fortress of Lahore with the famous Alamgiri Gate, the colourful, still strongly Persian seeming Wazir Khan Mosque as well as numerous other mosques and mausoleums. Also the Shahjahan Mosque of Thatta in Sindh originates from the epoch of the Mughals. In the British colonial period, predominantly functional buildings of the Indo-European representative style developed from a mixture of European and Indian-Islamic components. Post-colonial national identity is expressed in modern structures like the Faisal Mosque, the Minar-e-Pakistan and the Mazar-e-Quaid.
The literature of Pakistan covers the literatures of languages spread throughout the country, namely Urdu, Sindhi, Punjabi, Pushto, Baluchi as well as English[88] in recent times and in the past often Persian as well. Prior to the 19th century, the literature mainly consisted of lyric poetry and religious, mystical and popular materials. During the colonial age the native literary figures, under the influence of the western literature of realism, took up increasingly different topics and telling forms. Today, short stories enjoy a special popularity.[89] The national poet of Pakistan, Muhammad Iqbal, suggested the creation of a separate homeland for the Muslims of India. His book The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam is a major work of modern Islamic philosophy. The most well-known representative of the contemporary Urdu literature of Pakistan is Faiz Ahmed Faiz. Sufi Shah Abdul Latif is considered one of the most outstanding mystical poets.[90] Mirza Kalich Beg has been termed the father of modern Sindhi prose.[91] In Punjabi, naats and qawaalis are delivered. The Pushto literature tradition is a cultural link between Pakistan and neighbouring Afghanistan. Extensive lyric poetry and epic poems have been published in Pushto. In Baluchi language songs and ballads are popular.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
List of colleges/universities in Pakistan
Ayub Medical College
COMSATS Institute of Information Technology (CIIT)
Frontier Medical College
Hazara University Dhodial, Mansehra
Bahawalpur
Quaid-e-Azam Medical College
The Islamia University Of Bahawalpur
The Islamia University Of Bahawalpur
Dera Ismail Khan
Gomal University
Qurtaba Uni of Science & Information Technology
Faisalabad
Punjab College of Commerce
Agriculture University
AL-KHAIR Textile Institute
Excellent College for Girls
Faisalabad College of Science & Commerce
Faisalabad Institute of Textile and Fashion Design
Govt. College University
Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan
ITHM College
M.A. Jinnah Group of Colleges
National College of Textile Education
National Textile University
NFC Institute of Engineering & Fertilizer Research
Pakistan College of Commerce
Preston University
Punjab Medical College
Shiblee College of Commerce & Science
The City College of Commerce
University College for Women Faisalabad (UCF)
University of Agriculture
University of Faisalabad
Gujranwala
College of Computer Sciences
GIFT University
Govt. Islamia College
Govt. Islamia College, Gujranwala
Preston University
University of The Punjab
Gujrat
University of Gujrat
Hyderabad
Isra University
Liaquat Medical College
Islamabad
Air University
Allama Iqbal Open University
Bahria Institutes of Management & Com. Sci.
Bahria University
COMSATS Institute of Information Technology
Federal Urdu University of Arts, Sci. and Tech.
Foundation University
Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan
Institute of Science and Technology
International Islamic University
Iqra Univeristy
Margalla Institute of Health Sciences (MIHS)
Mohammad Ali Jinnah University
National University of Comp. & Emerging Sci.
NUML
Pakistan Institute of Development Ecenomics
Pakistan Institute of Eng. & Applied Sci.
Preston University
Quaid-i-Azam University
Thames Business School (TBS)
Jamshoro
Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences
Mehran University of Engineering & Technology
University of Sindh
Jhang
Govt. College
Karachi
Aga Khan Medical College
Aga Khan university
Al-Khair University
Allama Iqbal Medical College
Altamasha Institute of Dental Medicine
ANEES HUSSAIN
ANIS HASSAN School of Accoyntancy
Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology
Baqai Medical University
CAA Model School & College Jiap Karachi
CAM School of Law
CAMS Commerce College
Centre Of Finance Exellence
College of Accounting & Management Sciences (CAMS)
College of Physicians & Surgeons Pakistan
CPSP
Dadabhoy Institute of Higher Education
Dow Medical College
Dow University of Health Sciences
Fatima Jinnha Dentel College
Greenwich University
Hamdard University
Indus Institute of Higher Education
Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture
Institute of Business Administration
Institute of Business and Technology
Institute of Business Management
Institute of Business Management (IoBM)
Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan
Institute of Science & Technology (SZABIST)
Iqra Univeristy
Jinnah Medical and Dental College
Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre
Jinnah University for Women
Karachi Institute of Economics & Technology
Karachi Institute of Information Technology
Karachi Medical and Dental College
Karachi University
Khadim Ali Shah Bukhari Institute of Technology
Mohammad Ali Jinnah University
NED University of Engineering & Technology
Newports Institute of Communication & Economics
Pakistan Institute of Management
Pakistan Naval Academy
Prestion Institute of management science & tech.
Preston University
Progressive Public School
School of Business Studies ( SBS )
Sind Medical College
Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation
Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology
Textile Institute of Pakistan
The College of Engineering PAF.
University of Karachi
Usman Instituate IT
Ziauddin Medical Universit
Khairpur
Shah Abdul Latif University
Khuzdar
Balochistan University of Engineering & Technology
UNIVERSITY OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
Kohat
Kohat University of Science & Technology
Preston University
Lahore
Ad-Dawa Open University
Aitchison College
Allama Iqbal Medical College
Allied College Of Textile Management & Administrat
Altus College
Aptech
Beaconhouse National University
CAPS
Centre of Financial Excellence
College Of Tourism & Multimedia Computing
COMSATS
CORVIT
Cosmin Education Services
Defence Degree College of Women
Eastern College of Management Sciences
Edge Systems International
European University
FJMC
Forman Christian College University
Gates College
Global College
Government College For Women
Govt College University
Govt. Apwa College (Women) Lahore
Govt. College of Home Economics,
Govt. College of Science
Govt. College of Technology
Govt. Dyal Singh College
Govt. Fatima Jinnah College For Women
Govt. Islamia College
Govt. Islamia College For Women
Govt. Post Graduate Islamia College of Commerce
Hailey College of Banking and Finance
Hailey College of Commerce
Hajvery University
IBA Grads
Imperial College of Business Studies
Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan
Institute Of Computer And Emerging Sciences
Institute Of Management Sciences (IMS Pakaims)
Institute of Social Sciences
Institute Of Toursim & Hotal Management
Iqra University Lahore
ISA(Institute Of South Asia)
Islamia College Of Commerce
Jamia Ashrafia
King Edward Medical College
Kinnaird College for Women
KIPS College
Lahore College for Women University
Lahore College of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Lahore Grammer College(Only For Girls)
Lahore Law College
Lahore Medical & Dental College Lahore
Lahore School Of Economics
Lahore School of Information Technology
Lahore University Of Management Sciences (LUMS)
Leads Group Of Colleges
Minhaj Colleges
National College of Arts (NCA)
National College of Business Admin. & Eco.(NCBA&E)
National Engineers Training Services
National Institute of Languages
National Textile College & Management Institute
National Textile College of Manag. Sci.
National University (FAST)
NETCOMM
Newports University
NK-FACT
OPSTEC
Oriental College Of Arts
Pakistan College Of Law
Pakistan Finance College
Pakistan Institute of Management
Peak Solution
Petroman Institute of Management Sciences
Premier College of Business and Administration
Preston University
Preston University
PUCIT
Punjab Inst. Of Medical Studies
Punjab University
Quaid-e-Azam College
Quaid-e-Azam College (QCIT)
Queen Mary College
Renaissance, The School
Resource Academia
Scholars College of Computer Science
SERVICES INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES (SIMS)
Sharif Trust Institute Of Information Tecnology
Skills Institute of Information Technology
Sofia College Of Arts & Sci.
ST.Anthony College
Standered College
STEP
Superior College
Tahir Computer College
The City (APIIT)
The Educators College
The Minhaj University
The University Of Lahore
Unique College
University Law College
University of Central Punjab
University of Education
University of Engineering and Technology (UET)
University of Health Sciences
University of Management And Technology (UMT)
University of South Asia
University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences (UVAS)
Virtual University
West Minster College
Wise Girls College
Larkana
Chandka Medical College
Manshera
Hazara University
Mirpur
Muhammad Medical College
Multan
Bahauddin Zakariya University
BZ University College of Engineering & Technology
Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan
NFC Institute of Engineering & Technological Training
NISHTAR MEDICAL COLLEGE
Preston University
Muzaffarabad
AZAD JAMMU & KASHMIR UNIVERSITY
Nawabshah
Peoples Medical College
Quaid-e-Awam Uni of Engineering, Sci & Tech
Quaid-e-Awam University of Eng. and Tech.
Nowshera
Northern University
Peshawar
Agriculture University Peshawar
CECOS University
City University of Science & Information Technolog
Gandhara University
Institute of Management Sciences
KHYBER MEDICAL COLLEGE
NWFP University of Engineering & Technology
Preston University
Sarhad University
University of Peshawar
Quetta
Balochistan University of Info. Tech.& Mang. Sci
Bolan Medical College
Preston University
The Command and Staff College
University of Balochistan
Rahim Yar Khan
SHAIKH ZAYED MEDICAL COLLEGE
RawalPindi
APCOMS
Army Medical College
Barani Institute of Information Technology
Fatima Jinnah Women University
Fauji Foundation College for Boys
Islamic International Medical College
NUST
Pakistan Institute of Computer Sciences
Pir Mehar Ali Shah University of Arid Agriculture
Rawalpindi Medical College
Riphah International University
University of Arid Agriculture
Sargodha
University of Sargodha
Sialkot
National Engineers Training Services
Sudhnuti
Mohi-ud-Din Islamic University
Swabi
GIKI, Engineering Sciences & Technology
Taxila
University of Engineering and Technology Taxila
Wah Cantt
University of Wah
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
List of Pakistani universities
Aga Khan University.
Resource Development Department, Stadium Road, P.O.Box 3500,Karachi-74800 PakistanPhone #: (92-21) 493 0051 Ext: 2910/2911Fax: (92-21) 493 4294 E-mail: resource.development@aku.edu or sports.centre@aku.eduURL: http://www.aku.edu or http://www.amaan.com/univ/aku.htmAllama Iqbal Open University.
Block # 3, Sector II-8, IslamabadPhone #: (92-51) 435-748, 435-762, 435-749, 435-750Fax #: (92-51) 435-766Email: mscs@aiou.edu.pk
Balochistan University of Engineering & Technology
University Campus, Khuzdar, PakistanPhone #: (92-87) 412-752, 412-524
Baqai Medical University.
51, Deh tor, Gadap Road, Superhighway Karachi-74600, PakistanPhone #: (92-21) 635-0434, 635-0433, 635-1011Fax 3: (92-21) 661-7968
Hamdard University .
Madina Al-Hikmat, Mohammad Bin Qasim Avenue,Deh Bund Murad Khan, Karachi-74700, PakistanPhone #: (92-21) 699-6002, 699-6001Fax #: (92-21) 699-6002Email: registrar@hamdard.edu
International Islamic University.
52-West Waheed Plaza, Jinnah Avenue, Blue Area, Islamabad, PakistanPhone #: (92-51) 823-080Fax #: (92-51) 826-727Email: dballu@paknet1.ptc.pkMehran University of Engineering & Technology.
Jamshoro, Hyderabad, PakistanPhone #: 992-221) 771-214, 771-704, 771-226Fax #: (92-221) 771-382Email: reg@muet.its.super.net.pk
NED University of Engineering & Technology.
University Raod, Karachi-75270, PakistanPhone #: (92-21) 9243261-8Fax #: (92-21) 496-1934
National University of Engineering & Technology.
Tamizuddin Road, Lalkurti, Rawalpindi, PakistanPhone #: (92-51) 927-1580, 927-1596Fax #: (92-51) 927-1577Email: nust@paknet2.net.pk
NWFP Agricultural University.
602, Kashif Center, Shahra-e-Faisal, Peshawar, PakistanPhone #: (92-91) 40239, 40230
Nicon Center of Computer Sciences.
19/M, Mohammad Hanif Kayani Road,Model Town Extension, Lahore.Tel: 042-5167980 Fax: 5168990modeltown@niconpak.comhttp://www.niconpak.com
Nicon Center of Computer Sciences.
13P, F7 Markaz, Jinnah Super,IslamabadTel: 051- 274840 Fax: 051-276811islamabad@niconpak.com
Nicon Center of Computer Sciences.
14 A, Murree Road, Adjacent KFC,RawalpindiTel: 051-273838 Fax: 051-278933rawalpindi@niconpak.com
Nicon Center of Computer Sciences.
P.O. Box: 20373,501, Aldurrah Building, AjmanUAETel: 06-7471855 Fax: 06-7472038niconuae@emirates.net.ae
Quaid-e-Azam University of Engineering & Technology.
University Road, Karachi-75300, PakistanTelephone:4988000-2, 4980072, 4980059, 474583UAN 111-994-994Fax: (92-21) 4982393Email: webmaster@ssuet.edu.pk
Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology.
Quaid-e-Azam Campus, Lahore, PakistanPhone #: (92-42) 586-4185, 586-4534Fax #: (92-42) 586-4534
Shah Abdul Latif University.
81, 2nd Floor, Motandas Building, M.A. Jinnah Road, Khairpur, PakistanPhone #: (92-792) 4492, 4491
Sindh Agricultural University.
Sindh Secretariat, 4-B, Block 93-94, Court Road, Tando Jam, PakistanPhone #: (92-2233) 5869Fax #: (92-2233) 5300
Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology.
90, Clifton, Karachi 75530, PakistanPhone: (92-21) 583-0447 & 48, (92-21) 583-8034 & 35Fax: (92-21) 583-0446E-mail: info@szabist.edu.pkWeb Site: http://www.szabist.edu.pk
The Punjab University.
Quaid-e-Azam Campus, Lahore, PakistanPhone #: (92-42) 586-4185, 586-4534Fax #: (92-42) 586-4534
University of Karachi.
University Road, P.O. Box: 8403, Karachi-75250, PakistanPhone #: (92-21) 496-8530, 496-5787Fax #: (92-21) 496-9729
University of Sindh.
Allama I.I. Kazi Campus, Jamshoro, Hyderabad, PakistanPhone #: (92-221) 771-188, 771-249, 771-690, 771-681
Ziauddin Medical University.
4/B, Block-6, Clifton, Karachi-75600, PakistanPhone #: (92-21) 586-2939, 586-2937, 583-3673Fax #: (92-21) 586-2940Email: zmu@khi.comrol.com
EDUCATION
Education in Pakistan is divided into five levels: primary (grades one through five); middle (grades six through eight); high (grades nine and ten, leading to the Secondary School Certificate); intermediate (grades eleven and twelve, leading to a Higher Secondary School Certificate); and university programmes leading to graduate and advanced degrees.[69]
Pakistan also has a parallel secondary school education system in private schools, which is based upon the curriculum set by the University of Cambridge. Some students choose to take the O level and A level exams, which are administered by the British Council,[70] in place of government exams.
There are currently 730 technical & vocational institutions in Pakistan.[71] The minimum qualifications to enter male vocational institutions, is the completion of grade 8. The programmes are generally two to three years in length. The minimum qualifications to enter female vocational institutions, is the completion of grade 5.[72]
All academic education institutions are the responsibility of the provincial governments. The federal government mostly assists in curriculum development, accreditation and some financing of research.
English medium education is to be extended, on a phased basis, to all schools across the country.[73] Through various educational reforms, by the year 2015, the ministry of education expects to attain 100% enrolment levels amongst primary school aged children, and a literacy rate of 86% amongst people aged over 10.[74]
Pakistan also has madrassahs that provide free education and also offer free boarding and lodging to students who come mainly from the poorer strata of society and not necessarily. [75] After recent criticism, efforts have been made to regulate them by including modern disciplines such as English, science, mathematics, economics, and computer science. [76]
LANGUAGE
English is the official language of Pakistan and used in official business, government, and legal contacts. The constitution of Pakistan is written in English. Urdu is the national language, usually spoken to communicate with different ethnic groups. Punjabi is the most commonly spoken ethnic language.. Other major languages spoken in Pakistan include (in order of number of speakers): Pashto, Sindhi, Saraiki and Balochi; English is mostly spoken by educated people.
Following are the major languages spoken in Pakistan. The percentage of Pakistanis who are native speakers of that language is also given.
Punjabi 44.68%
Pashto 15.42%
Sindhi 14.1%
Seraiki 8.38%
Urdu 7.57%
Balochi 3.57%
Others 6.08%
Other languages include Brahui, Potwari, Kashmiri, Persian, Dari, Hindko, Gujrati, Memoni, Makrani, Marwari, Bengali, Gojri, and Dogri.
Government of Pakistan and Politics of Pakistan
Parliament house in Islamabad
The government of Pakistan was based on the Government of India Act (1935) for the first nine years after independence. The first Constitution of Pakistan was adopted in 1956, but was suspended in 1958 by General Ayub Khan. The Constitution of 1973—suspended in 1977, by Zia-ul-Haq, but re-instated in 1991—is the country's most important document, laying the foundations of government. Pakistan is a semi-presidential federal democratic republic with Islam as the state religion. The bicameral legislature comprises a 100-member Senate and a 342-member National Assembly. The President is the Head of State and the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces and is elected by an electoral college. The prime minister is usually the leader of the largest party in the National Assembly. Each province has a similar system of government with a directly elected Provincial Assembly in which the leader of the largest party or alliance becomes Chief Minister. Provincial Governors are appointed by the President.
The Pakistani military has played an influential role in mainstream politics throughout Pakistan's history, with military presidents ruling from 1958–71, 1977–88 and from 1999–2008. The leftist Pakistan Peoples Party, led by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, emerged as a major political player during the 1970s. Under the military rule of Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, Pakistan began a marked shift from the British-era secular politics and policies, to the adoption of Shariat and other laws based on Islam. During the 1980s, the anti-feudal, pro-Muhajir Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) was started by unorthodox and educated urban dwellers of Sindh and particularly Karachi. The 1990s were characterized by coalition politics dominated by the Pakistan Peoples Party and a rejuvenated Muslim League.
In the October 2002 general elections, the Pakistan Muslim League (Q) (PML-Q) won a plurality of National Assembly seats with the second-largest group being the Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP), a sub-party of the PPP. Zafarullah Khan Jamali of PML-Q emerged as Prime Minister but resigned on 26 June 2004 and was replaced by PML-Q leader Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain as interim Prime Minister. On 28 August 2004 the National Assembly voted 191 to 151 to elect the Finance Minister and former Citibank Vice President Shaukat Aziz as Prime Minister. The Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, a coalition of Islamic religious parties, won elections in North-West Frontier Province, and increased their representation in the National Assembly - until their defeat in the 2008 elections.
Prime Minister's Secretariat, Islamabad
Pakistan is an active member of the United Nations (UN) and the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), the latter of which Pakistan has used as a forum for Enlightened Moderation, a plan to promote a renaissance and enlightenment in the Muslim world. Pakistan is also a member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO). In the past, Pakistan has had mixed relations with the United States; in the early 1950s, Pakistan was the United States' "most allied ally in Asia"[26] and a member of both the Central Treaty Organisation (CENTO) and the Southeast Asia Treaty Organisation (SEATO). During the Soviet-Afghan War in the 1980s Pakistan was a major U.S. ally. But relations soured in the 1990s, when sanctions were applied by the U.S. over suspicions of Pakistan's nuclear activities. However, the 11 September 2001 attacks and the subsequent War on Terrorism led to an improvement in U.S.–Pakistan ties, especially after Pakistan ended its support of the Taliban regime in Kabul. This was evidenced by a major increase in American military aid, providing Pakistan $4 billion more in three years after the 9/11 attacks than before.[27]
On 18 February 2008, Pakistan held its general elections after Benazir Bhutto's assassination postponed the original date of 8 January 2008.[28] The Pakistan Peoples Party won the majority of the votes and formed an alliance with the Pakistan Muslim League (N). They nominated and elected Yousaf Raza Gilani as Prime Minister of Pakistan.[29] On 18 August 2008, Pervez Musharraf resigned as President of Pakistan amidst increasing calls for his impeachment.[30] In the presidential election that followed, Asif Ali Zardari of Pakistan People's Party won by a landslide majority and became President of Pakistan.
POLTICAL PARTIES OF PAKISTAN
In February 1981, leaders of nine political parties opposing the martial law regime, and led by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), formed the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy (MRD) and by declaration called for an immediate end to martial law and restoration of the parliamentary system of 1973. Following the end of martial law in 1985, political parties were legalized, although regulated by the Political Parties Act that required all parties to register to be eligible for election. The elections that followed President Zia's sacking of Prime Minister Junejo in 1986, coupled with national elections called after Zia's subsequent death in an airplane crash in 1988, have resulted in a rebirth of full and open political activity.
The populist Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) led by Benazir Bhutto, daughter of the late Prime Minister Zulfikar Bhutto, won a plurality in the National Assembly and formed a government with the support of appointed members and independents. The opposition coalesced around other parties, especially the Pakistan Muslim League (PML), and the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), as well as disaffected PPP members who had been displaced when Benazir Bhutto claimed the party leadership on her return from exile overseas in 1986. One of these, Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, joined with Nawaz Sharif, the PML chief minister of Punjab, to become leader of the opposition in the Assembly. In 1990, Jatoi became interim prime minister when Benazir Bhutto was dismissed by the president.
In the elections of fall 1990, Nawaz Sharif emerged as prime minister and leader of the Islamic Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI), a multi-party coalition based on Sharif's PML and the JI. But in elections in the fall of 1993, following the resignations of both the president and the prime minister, Bhutto's PPP, the lead party in the PDA, commanded a thin majority in the National Assembly, guaranteeing her return to power. The IJI came in a close second even though the Islamic parties suffered severe reverses nationally.
In the 1990s, party politics in Pakistan became increasingly regional, and party lines relatively porous, with much shifting of supporters into and out of the PPP and the PML. Each of these parties drew nearly 40% of the popular vote, and emerged as the only parties with national scope; both improved their positions in provincial assemblies.
In 1994, the PPP government depended on the support of former PML members and nonelected assembly members, plus leaders like Jatoi, a charter PPP member who had been in and out of the party in recent years. Similarly, during its period in power from 1990 to 1993, the PML formed a government only with the support of other parties, most of which have strength only in regional terms, mainly the JI, the Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP), the Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan (JUP), and the Jamiat-ul-Ulema-Islam (JUI). And both the PPP and the PML have competed successfully in forming governments in provincial assemblies only when they have recruited (or neutralized) strong regional parties, like the Awami National Party (ANP) in the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP) and the Muhajir Quami Movement (MQM) in Sindh.
The two main political parties up until the elections of October 2002 were Sharif's Muslim League and Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party, with the Muslim League winning a resounding victory in the national elections held in February 1997. In 1996, noted Pakistan cricketer Imran Khan founded the Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf (PTI) or "Movement for Justice," a new political party dedicated to creating an "egalitarian, modern Islamic state" in Pakistan.
Unlike in the past, political parties were not banned under General Musharraf's military government, but they were sidelined from the political process until the 10 October 2002 parliamentary and provincial elections. In the general election, Quaid-e-Azam, a political faction of the PML supportive of Musharraf, came in first place. Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party came in third, and Sharif's PML-Nawaz was a distant fourth (both Bhutto and Sharif were barred from running). A 6-party hard-line Islamic coalition, Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (United Action Front or MMA), came in third in the polls. The MMA is dominated by Jamaat-i-Islami, and it campaigned on an anti-American platform, voicing support for the Taliban in Afghanistan. It secured voters from the middle class and in urban areas in addition to rural ones.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Shopping Markets of Lahore



Heart Of PAKISTAN

Sunday, February 22, 2009
Struggle Of freedom
On December 25, 1876 a child was born in a prominent mercantile family of Karachi who was destined to change the course of history in South Asia and to carve out a homeland for the Muslims of India where they could pursue their destiny according to their faith and ideology.
From his very childhood, young Jinnah developed the habit of stem independence and self-reliance. In 1892, he was called to the Bar at the very early age of 16. He stayed for four year in England and on his return, started his practice in Bombay. The early period was spent in hard and constant labour. However, he soon came to be looked upon not only as a brilliant lawyer, but also as a man of great integrity and character. He was soon elected to the Imperial Legislative Council where he moved the famous Muslim Waqf Bill-the first instance of a Bill passing into legislation on the motion of a private Member.
A lover of freedom and a great patriot, Mr. Jinnah began by accommodating the Congress point of view; and was called the, Ambassador of Hindu-Muslim Unity' when he brought about a rapprochement between the Congress and the Muslim League in 1916. He soon felt, however, that the Congress was merely a camouflage for consolidating Hindu India at the expense of Muslim, and it was at the London Meetings of the Round Table Conference during 1930-32 that he received the shock of his life. "In the face of danger" he said, "the Hindu sentiment, the Hindu mind, the Hindu attitude led me to the conclusion that there was no hope of unity".
Mr. Jinnah returned from England in 1934, and set out to galvanise the Muslim League into a most dynamic organisation. "We are a Nation" he asserted, "with our own distinctive culture and civilisation, language and literature, art and architecture, names and nomenclature, sense of value and proportion, legal/ laws and moral code, custom and calendar, history and tradition, aptitude and ambitions; in short, we have our own distinctive outlook on life and of life. By all canons of international law we are a Nation."
In subsequent years, Mr. Jinnah, popularly known by the title 'Quaid-e- Azam' (the Great Leader), came to symbolise the Muslim aspirations for a separate independent homeland, and in 1940 the Muslim League, under his inspiring leadership, demanded that India should be partitioned and the Muslim majority areas should constitute the sovereign, independent State of Pakistan. It was his ardent advocacy and unbending character, his unshakable determination and his 'Power of persuasion that brought about the successful fruition of the Muslim struggle in the shape of Pakistan.
The Quaid was seventy-one when Pakistan was born. He was spared by Almighty only for one year to set the ship of the new State on its keel. Even during the brief period of his Governor Generalship he strove hard to lay down correct precedents for the growth of a democratic tradition in Pakistan.
He died on September 11, 1948 deeply mourned by a grateful Nation but as one of the great immortals of history .