71 Interesting Facts About Pakistan

Last updated on September 30th, 2022

38. Pakistan is the only Muslim country after Turkey to open Combat Jobs for women.

39. Shandur Pass located in Chitral District and Ghizer (Gherz) District, Balawaristan, North Pakistan is home to the world’s highest Polo ground at 3,700 meters. Since 1936, traditional polo festival is being held on Shandur Top.

40. Pakistan is also home to the world’s second-largest Muslim population, behind Indonesia. Note that India is home to the world’s third-largest Muslim population.

41. An earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale struck the Kashmir region in Pakistan on 8 October 2005. The earthquake caused displacement of approximately 3 million people.

42. The majority of Pakistan’s population is Muslim, amounting to 96.4%, while the rest includes Hindus and Christians.

43. Pakistan generates a whopping $500 million in freelancing. Freelancing is the way of providing technical expertise via the internet. Pakistan ranks on the 4th spot behind India, Bangladesh, and the United States.

44. The borders of Pakistan were drawn two days after on 17th August 1947, after the separation of India and Pakistan.

45. Gwadar port is the largest deep sea port in the world, located on the southwestern Arabian Sea along the coastline of Balochistan, Pakistan. The port has an area of 64,000 square meters and has a depth of more than 14 meters.

46. In 1965, Pakistan had a second war with India over Kashmir. The seventeen-day war caused thousands of casualties on both sides, and also witnessed the largest tank battle since World War II.

47. Pakistan and India both claimed victory in the war of 1965, which ended after a ceasefire declaration by the intervention of the Soviet Union and the United States.

48. Benazir Bhutto became the first female Prime Minister of Pakistan, and of any Muslim nation.

Benazir Bhutto – born on June 21, 1953, in Karachi, Pakistan, the child of former premier Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. She was killed by a suicide bomber in 2007.

49. Pakistan is also home to a lake which is one of a kind – Ansoo Lake (Tear Lake). The shape of the lake resembles that of a tear. The lake also looks like a human eye with an eyebrow, which becomes prominent during the summer days when the ice melts. The lake has a central island which resembles the iris. Share this fact about Pakistan with your friends and surprise them with your knowledge of the country’s geography.

Masjid e Tooba or Tooba Mosque is known as the Gol Masjid or Round Mosque. The mosque was completed in 1969 and can house 5,000 faithful.
Masjid e Tooba or Tooba Mosque is known as the Gol Masjid or Round Mosque. The mosque was completed in 1969 and can house 5,000 faithful.

50. Pakistan is also home to the largest single dome mosque in the world – Masjid e Tooba. The mosque is located in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan, and is locally known as the Gol Masjid. The dome of the mosque is 212 ft in diameter and is 51.48 ft high. It is balanced on a low surrounding wall with no central pillars. It was built in 1969.

51. Located at the northern end of the Kaghan Valley, Lake Saiful Muluk, is one of the highest lakes in Pakistan, at an elevation of 3,224 m (10,578 feet) above sea level.

The sunset picture of Mohenjo-daro
The sunset picture of Mohenjo-daro, a UNESCO world heritage site, in Sindh province, Pakistan.

52. Mohenjo-Daro is an archaeological site in the province of Sindh, Pakistan. It was one of the largest and most advanced cities in the world during its time (built around 2500 BCE).

There are 6 cultural properties from Pakistan inscribed on the World Heritage List.

  • Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro (1980)
  • Buddhist Ruins of Takht-i-Bahi and Neighbouring City Remains at Sahr-i-Bahlol (1980)
  • Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore (1981)
  • Historical Monuments at Makli, Thatta (1981)
  • Rohtas Fort (1997)
  • Taxila (1980)

53. On August 31st, 2007, General Parvez Musharraf amended the constitution of Pakistan to allow himself a third term as president.

54. Makli Hill located in Thatta, Pakistan is home to over half a million tombs and graves. It is one of the largest necropolis (a large, designed cemetery with elaborate tomb monuments) in the world. The tombs were built over a period of 400 years between the 14th and 18th centuries.

55. Gaddani, Pakistan is also home to the world’s third-largest ship breaking yard.

The Badshahi Mosque or the Royal Mosque in Lahore
The Badshahi Mosque or the Royal Mosque in Lahore. Photo © Smandy

56. The Badshahi Mosque in Lahore, Pakistan is one of the world’s largest mosques. It was commissioned by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 1671 and its construction completed in 1673. However, the mosque was largely used for military purposes during the Sikh era and the British rule for many years until the independence of Pakistan when it was restored to its original condition.

The Khyber Gate was built in 1964, at the mouth of the Khyber Pass, facts about Pakistan
The Khyber Gate was built in 1964, at the mouth of the Khyber Pass, where the Jamrud Fort is also located near Peshawar city in Pakistan. Photo © Shahid Khan

57. Darra Adam Khel is a city situated in Khyber Regency, south of the city of Peshawar. Almost three-quarters of the population of the city, generally regarded as the largest illegal gun market in the world, is involved in the gun business. Replicas of nearly every gun available on the market are produced in the region. The business came into existence in 1897 and is run by the local Afridi tribe.

58. Sohail Abbas, a Pakistani field hockey defender, is the highest goal scorer in the history of field hockeywith his current goal tally at 348.

59. Pakistan is also famous for truck art (decorating trucks with complex floral patterns and poetic calligraphy). Trucks are painted with a splash of colors and the artists’ creativity is very appealing.

60. When Pakistan became independent, it received between 10 and 12 million refugees from different parts of India. Many of these people had lost everything they had and used a different language for communicating with the locals. Pakistanis smilingly welcomed these people to their nation and helped them to lead a prosperous life.

61. Sylvester Stallone’s Rambo III was shot in Pakistan.

62. On May 2, 2011 – Osama bin Laden was killed by U.S. special forces during a raid in Abbottabad, Pakistan. He was the leader of Al Qaeda.

63. In 2013, Lonely Planet–the largest travel guide book publisher in the world–titled Pakistan, ‘The Next Big Thing’.

64. Shalwar kameez is the traditional Pakistani dress, which is worn by 80% or 90% of Pakistanis.

65. Pakistani intelligence is considered the best intelligence corps in the world, even better than the CIA.

66. Pakistan is also known for its missile technology, which is one of the best in the world.

67. Pakistan is world’s fourth largest milk producing country while India tops the list.

68. Pakistan is also one of the top producers and exporters of surgical instruments in the world. According to a source, almost 99% of these instruments are produced in Sialkot.

69. Pakistan is the fourth largest cotton producing country in the world.

70. Mango is the national fruit of Pakistan, and its national flower is Jasmine.

71. Islamic law became the law of the land in Pakistan after legislation was passed in 1991.

Some quick stats and facts

  • On November 29, 2007, Musharraf took the oath as President for the third time.
  • The Pakistani rupee is the official currency of Pakistan.
  • The markhor is the national animal of Pakistan. Its national bird is the chukar partridge.
  • March 23rd is Pakistan’s Republic Day or “Pakistan Day.”
  • In 1973, Pakistan adopted a constitution for the parliamentary system of government.
  • Port Muhammad Bin Qasim is the major port in Karachi, Pakistan.
  • Allama Muhammad Iqbal is the National Poet of Pakistan.
  • Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah (1876-1948) is the Father of the Nation of Pakistan.
  • Moenjo Daro, Harappa, Taxila, Kot Diji, Mehr Garh, Takht Bhai, Juniper Shaft cave, the Murghagull Gharra cave and Mughall saa cave are major archaeological sites in Pakistan.
  • Pakistan’s major crops include cotton, wheat, rice and sugarcane.
  • Textiles, cement, fertilizer, steel, sugar, electric goods and shipbuilding are the major industries in Pakistan.
  • There are 151 airports in Pakistan (2013).
  • A total length of 11,881 km is covered by railways in Pakistan. Out of this length, 11,492 km is the broad gauge, while 389 km is the narrow gauge.
  • There is 263,942 km of roadway infrastructure in Pakistan, out of which 708 km is the expressway.
  • There are 51 universities and 155,000 primary schools in Pakistan.
  • A person at the age of 18 is qualified to vote in Pakistan.
  • The Supreme Court is the highest court in Pakistan.
  • The United States, Hong Kong S.A.R., Germany, United Kingdom, Japan and the United Arab Emirates are major export trade partners of Pakistan.
  • Pakistan imports: machinery, electrical goods, petroleum products, transportation equipment, metals and metal products, fertilizer and foodstuffs.
  • Afghanistan, China, India, and Iran share a border with Pakistan.
  • Pakistan’s national language is Urdu, while its official language is English.

. . . continue reading on the next page