National symbols of Pakistan
Encyclopedia
Pakistan
has several official national symbols including a historic document, a flag, an emblem, an anthem, a memorial tower as well as several national heroes. The symbols were adopted at various stages in the existence of Pakistan and there are various rules and regulations governing their definition or use. The oldest symbol is the Lahore Resolution
, adopted by the All India Muslim League on 23 March 1940, and which presented the official demand for the creation of a separate country for the Muslims of India
. The Minar-e-Pakistan memorial tower which was built in 1968 on the site where the Lahore Resolution was passed. The national flag was adopted just before independence was achieved on 14 August 1947. The national anthem and the state emblem were each adopted in 1954. There are also several other symbols including the national animal, bird, flower and tree.
The Lahore Resolution (Qarardad-e-Lahore ), also known as the Pakistan Resolution, was a formal political statement adopted by the All India Muslim League at the occasion of its three-day general session on 22–24 March 1940 at Minto Park (now Iqbal Park
), Lahore. The resolution called for greater Muslim autonomy in British India and has been largely interpreted as a demand for a separate Muslim state. The idea of separate state for Indian Muslims was first suggested by Muhammad Iqbal
in 1930 and the name of Pakistan was proposed by Choudhary Rahmat Ali
in his Pakistan Declaration pamphlet in 1933. Initially, Muhammad Ali Jinnah and other leaders were in favour of Hindu-Muslim unity, but the volatile political climate and religious hostilities of the 1930s made the idea more appealing.
In his speech, Jinnah criticised the Indian National Congress
and the nationalist Muslims, and espoused the Two-Nation Theory
and the reasons for the demand for separate Muslim homelands. Sikandar Hayat Khan, the Chief Minister of the Punjab
, drafted the original resolution, but disavowed the final version, which followed endless redrafting by the Subject Committee of the Muslim League. The text unambiguously rejected the concept of a "United India" because of increasing inter-communal violence and recommended the creation of an independent Muslim state. The resolution was moved in the general session by A.K. Fazlul Huq, Chief Minister of Bengal
and was supported seconded by several leaders. The principle text of the Lahore Resolution was passed on 24 March 1940. In 1941 it became part of the Muslim League's constitution. By 1946, it formed the basis for the struggle of the Muslim League for a separate Muslim state. The statement declared:
The Minar-e-Pakistan (Urdu: مينارِ پاكستان; Mīnār-ĕ Pākistān) or Tower of Pakistan is a 60 metre tall concrete minaret in Iqbal Park in Lahore. The Minar was built on the site where the Muslim League passed the Lahore Resolution, demanding the creation of Pakistan. Pakistan now celebrates this day as a national holiday each year under the name of Pakistan Day which is also the day in 1956 when the country became the first Islamic Republic
in the world. It was designed by Muhammad Wali Ullah Khan and built by Mian Abdul Khaliq Company. The base of the tower is raised about 4 metres from the ground. The next 13 metres form a sculpted, flower-like base and from this point the Minar tapers as it rises. The base platform is shaped like a five-pointed star and it encloses crescent shaped pools. It is constructed of reinforced concrete, with the floors and walls rendered in stone and marble.
The national flag was designed by Syed Ameer uddin kidwai and was based on the original flag of the Muslim League. It was adopted by the Constituent Assembly
on August 11, 1947, just days before independence. The flag is referred to in the national anthem as Parcham-e-Sitāra-o-Hilāl in Urdu (lit. Flag of the Crescent and Star). The flag comprises a dark green field, representing the Muslim
majority of Pakistan, with a vertical white stripe in the hoist, representing religious minorities
. In the centre is a white crescent moon, representing progress, and a white five-pointed star, representing light and knowledge. The flag symbolizes Pakistan's commitment to Islam, the Islamic world and the rights of religious minorities. The flag is flown on several important days of the year including Republic Day and Independence Day. The flag is also flown on the residences and motor vehicles of many public officials including the President
and the Prime Minister.
The national anthem of Pakistan or Qaumī Tarāna (Urdu: قومى ترانہ), is played during any event involving the hoisting of the flag, for example Republic Day (March 23) and Independence Day (August 14). The Constituent Assembly had not adopted a national anthem by the time Pakistan became independent, so when the flag was hoisted at the independence ceremony it was accompanied by the song, "Pakistan Zindabad, Azadi Paendabad". Muhammad Ali Jinnah asked a Lahore-based Hindu writer, Jagannath Azad
, to write a national anthem for Pakistan. Jinnah may have done this to promote a more secular idealism for Pakistan. The anthem written by Azad was quickly approved by Jinnah, and it was played on Radio Pakistan
. Azad's work remained as Pakistan’s national anthem for about eighteen months.
A National Anthem Committee was formed in 1948, but it had difficulty finding suitable music and lyrics. The impending state visit of the Shah of Iran
in 1950, resulted in the hasty adoption of a three stanza composition by Ahmed Ghulamali Chagla
. Initially it was performed without lyrics for the Prime Minister
Liaquat Ali Khan
on August 10, 1950 and was approved for playing during the visit of the Shah. However, the anthem was not officially adopted until August 1954. The National Anthem Committee eventually approved lyrics written by Abu-Al-Asar Hafeez Jullandhuri
and the new national anthem was first played properly on Radio Pakistan on August 13, 1954. Official approval was announced by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on August 16, 1954 followed by a performance of the national anthem in 1955 involving eleven major singers of Pakistan including Ahmad Rushdi.
The State Emblem was adopted in 1954 and symbolizes Pakistan's ideological foundation, the basis of its economy, its cultural heritage and its guiding principles. The four components of the emblem are a crescent and star crest above a shield, which is surrounded by a wreath, below which is a scroll. The crest and the green colour of the emblem are traditional symbols of Islam. The quartered shield in the centre shows cotton, wheat, tea and jute, which were the major crops of Pakistan at independence and signify the agricultural base of the economy. The floral wreath, surrounding the shield, represents the floral designs used in traditional Mughal
art and emphasizes the cultural heritage of Pakistan. The scroll supporting the shield contains Muhammad Ali Jinnah's motto in Urdu, which reads from right to left: (ایمان ، اتحاد ، نظم) "Iman, Ittehad, Nazm" translated as "Faith, Unity, Discipline" and were intended as the guiding principles for Pakistan.
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
has several official national symbols including a historic document, a flag, an emblem, an anthem, a memorial tower as well as several national heroes. The symbols were adopted at various stages in the existence of Pakistan and there are various rules and regulations governing their definition or use. The oldest symbol is the Lahore Resolution
Lahore Resolution
The Lahore Resolution , commonly known as the Pakistan Resolution , was a formal political statement adopted by the Muslim League at the occasion of its three-day general session on 22–24 March 1940 that called for greater Muslim autonomy in British India...
, adopted by the All India Muslim League on 23 March 1940, and which presented the official demand for the creation of a separate country for the Muslims of India
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
. The Minar-e-Pakistan memorial tower which was built in 1968 on the site where the Lahore Resolution was passed. The national flag was adopted just before independence was achieved on 14 August 1947. The national anthem and the state emblem were each adopted in 1954. There are also several other symbols including the national animal, bird, flower and tree.
Lahore Resolution and Minar-e-Pakistan
The Lahore Resolution (Qarardad-e-Lahore ), also known as the Pakistan Resolution, was a formal political statement adopted by the All India Muslim League at the occasion of its three-day general session on 22–24 March 1940 at Minto Park (now Iqbal Park
Iqbal Park
Iqbal Park is large area of green space, located at the heart of Lahore city in Pakistan. The park accommodates Minar-e-Pakistan , a 60 meters tall distinctive monument in the shape of a minaret that has been built in commemoration of the Lahore Resolution passed at the three-day general session...
), Lahore. The resolution called for greater Muslim autonomy in British India and has been largely interpreted as a demand for a separate Muslim state. The idea of separate state for Indian Muslims was first suggested by Muhammad Iqbal
Muhammad Iqbal
Sir Muhammad Iqbal , commonly referred to as Allama Iqbal , was a poet and philosopher born in Sialkot, then in the Punjab Province of British India, now in Pakistan...
in 1930 and the name of Pakistan was proposed by Choudhary Rahmat Ali
Choudhary Rahmat Ali
Choudhry Rahmat Ali was a Pakistani Muslim nationalist who was one of the earliest proponents of the creation of the state of Pakistan. He is credited with creating the name "Pakistan" for a separate Muslim homeland in South Asia and is generally known as the founder of the movement for its...
in his Pakistan Declaration pamphlet in 1933. Initially, Muhammad Ali Jinnah and other leaders were in favour of Hindu-Muslim unity, but the volatile political climate and religious hostilities of the 1930s made the idea more appealing.
In his speech, Jinnah criticised the Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
and the nationalist Muslims, and espoused the Two-Nation Theory
Two-Nation Theory
The Two-Nation Theory proposed by Allama Iqbal is the ideology that the primary identity of Muslims in the Indian subcontinent is their religion, rather than their language or ethnicity, and therefore Indian Hindus and Muslims are two distinct nationalities, regardless of ethnic or other...
and the reasons for the demand for separate Muslim homelands. Sikandar Hayat Khan, the Chief Minister of the Punjab
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
, drafted the original resolution, but disavowed the final version, which followed endless redrafting by the Subject Committee of the Muslim League. The text unambiguously rejected the concept of a "United India" because of increasing inter-communal violence and recommended the creation of an independent Muslim state. The resolution was moved in the general session by A.K. Fazlul Huq, Chief Minister of Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
and was supported seconded by several leaders. The principle text of the Lahore Resolution was passed on 24 March 1940. In 1941 it became part of the Muslim League's constitution. By 1946, it formed the basis for the struggle of the Muslim League for a separate Muslim state. The statement declared:
Islamic republic
Islamic republic is the name given to several states in the Muslim world including the Islamic Republics of Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, and Mauritania. Pakistan adopted the title under the constitution of 1956. Mauritania adopted it on 28 November 1958. Iran adopted it after the 1979 Iranian...
in the world. It was designed by Muhammad Wali Ullah Khan and built by Mian Abdul Khaliq Company. The base of the tower is raised about 4 metres from the ground. The next 13 metres form a sculpted, flower-like base and from this point the Minar tapers as it rises. The base platform is shaped like a five-pointed star and it encloses crescent shaped pools. It is constructed of reinforced concrete, with the floors and walls rendered in stone and marble.
National flag
The national flag was designed by Syed Ameer uddin kidwai and was based on the original flag of the Muslim League. It was adopted by the Constituent Assembly
Constituent assembly
A constituent assembly is a body composed for the purpose of drafting or adopting a constitution...
on August 11, 1947, just days before independence. The flag is referred to in the national anthem as Parcham-e-Sitāra-o-Hilāl in Urdu (lit. Flag of the Crescent and Star). The flag comprises a dark green field, representing the Muslim
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
majority of Pakistan, with a vertical white stripe in the hoist, representing religious minorities
Status of minorities in Pakistan
Pakistan is a very diverse society with various ethnic and religious minorities.-Afghan:Pakistan has absorbed millions of Afghan refugees since their nation was invaded by the then Soviet Union in 1979. Even prior to that, Afghans historically travelled to the region of Pakistan for business,...
. In the centre is a white crescent moon, representing progress, and a white five-pointed star, representing light and knowledge. The flag symbolizes Pakistan's commitment to Islam, the Islamic world and the rights of religious minorities. The flag is flown on several important days of the year including Republic Day and Independence Day. The flag is also flown on the residences and motor vehicles of many public officials including the President
President of Pakistan
The President of Pakistan is the head of state, as well as figurehead, of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Recently passed an XVIII Amendment , Pakistan has a parliamentary democratic system of government. According to the Constitution, the President is chosen by the Electoral College to serve a...
and the Prime Minister.
National anthem
The national anthem of Pakistan or Qaumī Tarāna (Urdu: قومى ترانہ), is played during any event involving the hoisting of the flag, for example Republic Day (March 23) and Independence Day (August 14). The Constituent Assembly had not adopted a national anthem by the time Pakistan became independent, so when the flag was hoisted at the independence ceremony it was accompanied by the song, "Pakistan Zindabad, Azadi Paendabad". Muhammad Ali Jinnah asked a Lahore-based Hindu writer, Jagannath Azad
Jagannath Azad
Jagan Nath Azad was a renowned & respected Urdu poet, writer and academician. A literary giant, Azad penned over 70 books, including poetry collections, epic poems, biographies & travelogues....
, to write a national anthem for Pakistan. Jinnah may have done this to promote a more secular idealism for Pakistan. The anthem written by Azad was quickly approved by Jinnah, and it was played on Radio Pakistan
Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation
The Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation or Radio Pakistan is the state-run radio service of Pakistan.- History :The Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation, popularly called Radio Pakistan came into being as Pakistan Broadcasting Service on 14 August 1947 when Pakistan emerged on the world map as a new...
. Azad's work remained as Pakistan’s national anthem for about eighteen months.
A National Anthem Committee was formed in 1948, but it had difficulty finding suitable music and lyrics. The impending state visit of the Shah of Iran
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
Mohammad Rezā Shāh Pahlavi, Shah of Iran, Shah of Persia , ruled Iran from 16 September 1941 until his overthrow by the Iranian Revolution on 11 February 1979...
in 1950, resulted in the hasty adoption of a three stanza composition by Ahmed Ghulamali Chagla
Ahmed Ghulamali Chagla
Ahmed Ghulamali Chagla Urdu: احمد غلام علی چھاگلہ wrote the score for the national anthem of Pakistan, in 1950. He was born in May 1902 into a prominent Karachi family. His father, Ghulamali Chagla was the third elected president of the municipality of Karachi, serving from 1921 to 1922...
. Initially it was performed without lyrics for the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Pakistan
The Prime Minister of Pakistan , is the Head of Government of Pakistan who is designated to exercise as the country's Chief Executive. By the Constitution of Pakistan, Pakistan has the parliamentary democratic system of government...
Liaquat Ali Khan
Liaquat Ali Khan
For other people with the same or similar name, see Liaqat Ali Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan was a Pakistani statesman who became the first Prime Minister of Pakistan, Defence minister and Commonwealth, Kashmir Affairs...
on August 10, 1950 and was approved for playing during the visit of the Shah. However, the anthem was not officially adopted until August 1954. The National Anthem Committee eventually approved lyrics written by Abu-Al-Asar Hafeez Jullandhuri
Hafeez Jullandhuri
Abu-Al-Asar Hafeez Jalandhari Pakistani writer, poet and, above all, composer of the National Anthem of Pakistan. He was born in Jalandhar, Punjab, British India on January 14, 1900. After independence of Pakistan in 1947, Hafeez Jalandhari moved to Lahore...
and the new national anthem was first played properly on Radio Pakistan on August 13, 1954. Official approval was announced by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on August 16, 1954 followed by a performance of the national anthem in 1955 involving eleven major singers of Pakistan including Ahmad Rushdi.
State emblem
The State Emblem was adopted in 1954 and symbolizes Pakistan's ideological foundation, the basis of its economy, its cultural heritage and its guiding principles. The four components of the emblem are a crescent and star crest above a shield, which is surrounded by a wreath, below which is a scroll. The crest and the green colour of the emblem are traditional symbols of Islam. The quartered shield in the centre shows cotton, wheat, tea and jute, which were the major crops of Pakistan at independence and signify the agricultural base of the economy. The floral wreath, surrounding the shield, represents the floral designs used in traditional Mughal
Mughal painting
Mughal painting is a particular style of South Asian painting, generally confined to miniatures either as book illustrations or as single works to be kept in albums, which emerged from Persian miniature painting, with Indian Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist influences, and developed largely in the court...
art and emphasizes the cultural heritage of Pakistan. The scroll supporting the shield contains Muhammad Ali Jinnah's motto in Urdu, which reads from right to left: (ایمان ، اتحاد ، نظم) "Iman, Ittehad, Nazm" translated as "Faith, Unity, Discipline" and were intended as the guiding principles for Pakistan.
Other symbols
| Title | Symbol | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Great Leader Father of the Nation Father of the Nation is an honorific title given to a man considered the driving force behind the establishment of their country, state or nation... |
Muhammad Ali Jinnah Muhammad Ali Jinnah Muhammad Ali Jinnah was a Muslim lawyer, politician, statesman and the founder of Pakistan. He is popularly and officially known in Pakistan as Quaid-e-Azam and Baba-e-Qaum .... |
lit. Quaid-e-Azam |
| Mother of the Nation | Fatima Jinnah Fatima Jinnah Fatima Jinnah , was one of the figurative and pioneering woman figure in Pakistan Movement and was the younger sister of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan. An active political figure in the movement for independence from the British Raj, she is commonly known in Pakistan as Khātūn-e... |
lit. Madar-i-Millat |
| National poet | Allama Muhammad Iqbal Muhammad Iqbal Sir Muhammad Iqbal , commonly referred to as Allama Iqbal , was a poet and philosopher born in Sialkot, then in the Punjab Province of British India, now in Pakistan... |
|
| Official map | by Mahmood Alam Suhrawardy | |
| National language National language A national language is a language which has some connection—de facto or de jure—with a people and perhaps by extension the territory they occupy. The term is used variously. A national language may for instance represent the national identity of a nation or country... |
Urdu Urdu Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an... |
|
| National flower | Common Jasmine Jasminum officinale Jasminum officinale is a species of jasmine, in the family Oleaceae, famous for its scent.-Garden history:... |
|
| National tree | Deodar (Himalayan Cedar) | |
| National animal | Markhor Markhor The Markhor is a large species of wild goat that is found in northeastern Afghanistan, Pakistan , India, southern Tajikistan and southern Uzbekistan... (Himalayan Goat-Antelope) |
|
| National bird | Chukar Chukar The Chukar Partridge or Chukar is a Eurasian upland gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae. It has been considered to form a superspecies complex along with the Rock Partridge, Philby's Partridge and Przevalski's Partridge and treated in the past as conspecific particularly with the first... (Red-legged Partridge) |
|
| National game National sport A national sport or national pastime is a sport or game that is considered to be an intrinsic part of the culture of a nation. Some sports are de facto national sports, as baseball is in the U.S., while others are de jure as lacrosse and ice hockey are in Canada.-De jure national sports:-De facto... |
Field hockey Field hockey Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks... |
|
| National mosque | Faisal Mosque Faisal Mosque The Faisal Mosque is the largest mosque in Pakistan and is located in the national capital city of Islamabad.Faisal Mosque is conceived as the National Mosque of Pakistan... |
|
| National Mausoleum | Mazar-e-Quaid Mazar-e-Quaid Mazar-e-Quaid or the National Mausoleum refers to the tomb of the founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah. It is an iconic symbol of Karachi throughout the world. The mausoleum , completed in the 1960s, is situated at the heart of the city. it is white in colour.- External links :* * * *... |
|
| National monument | Bab-e-Pakistan Bab-e-Pakistan The Bab-e-Pakistan The Bab-e-Pakistan The Bab-e-Pakistan (Urdu: Gateway of Pakistan is a national monument in Lahore, Pakistan which is being built on the site of one of the major refugee camps which operated in the aftermath of Partition of India... |
lit. Gateway of Pakistan |
| National monument | Pakistan Monument | |
| National Library National library A national library is a library specifically established by the government of a country to serve as the preeminent repository of information for that country. Unlike public libraries, these rarely allow citizens to borrow books... |
National Library of Pakistan National Library of Pakistan The National Library of Pakistan, is located at Constitution Avenue,Islamabad, Pakistan.National library of Pakistan was inaugurated on August 24, 1993 by the caretaker prime minister of Pakistan Mr.Moin Ahmad Qureshi... |