National Dress

The national dress of Pakistan is Shalwar Qameez (Urdu: شلوار قمیض ) for both men and women. It consists of a long, loose fitting tunic with very baggy trousers. The dress is believed to be an amalgamation of the dresses worn by the ancient Turks, Persians and Afghans (Pashtuns) who have left their impression on the people and culture of Pakistan.

The men's version consists of solid, masculine colours and is almost always accompanied by collar and buttons (similar to polo shirt). Men often wear an outer waistcoat over the shalwar kameez. The women's version almost never contains collar and buttons but is often embroidered and consists of feminine colors and may feature lace or flower patterns.

In the summer, a light, cotton version is often worn, while during the winter, a heavier, wool version is worn.

The sherwani or achkan with karakuli hat is the recommended dress for male government employees and officials, as it is not specifically associated with any of the provinces. Most male government officials wear the formal black sherwani on state occasions.

Popular media

Television

Traditionally, the government-owned Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) has been the dominant media player in Pakistan. The PTV channels are controlled by the government and oppositional views are not given much time. However, the past decade has seen emergence of several private TV channels (news, entertainment) such as GEO TV, AAJ TV, ARY Digital, dunya TVIndus Vision, HUM, MTV Pakistan and others. Traditionally the bulk of TV shows have been plays or soap operas, some of them critically acclaimed. Various American, European, Asian TV channels and movies are available to a majority of the population via Cable TV.

Radio

After independence, Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) was the sole radio channel in Pakistan during 1947. The Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation was formed on 14 August 1947 when Pakistan became independent. It was a direct descendant of the Indian Broadcasting Company which later became All India Radio. At independence Pakistan possessed three radio stations at Dhaka, Lahore andPeshawar. A major programme of expansion saw new stations opened at Karachi and Rawalpindi in 1948, and a new broadcasting house at Karachi in 1950. This was followed by new radio stations atHyderabad (1951), Quetta (1956), a second station at Rawalpindi (1960) and a receiving centre at Peshawar (1960). During the 1980s and 1990s the corporation expanded its network to many cities and towns of Pakistan to provide greater service to the local people. Today, there are over a hundred radio stations due to more liberal media regulations.

Cinema

An indigenous movie industry exists in Pakistan, and is known as "Lollywood" as it is based in Lahore, producing over forty feature-length films a year. In contrast, Indian movies are popular in Pakistan despite a ban since the Pakistan-India War in 1965. However, due to the massive film piracy industry in Pakistan, Indian Bollywood films and American Hollywood films have made it to Pakistani movie shelves and home videos for over thirty years. The Lollywood industry used to produce many Urdu films however as Lahore became the headquarters of the film industry, slowly the number of Urdu films decreased with the same rate of Punjabi language rising.

The film industry suffered badly during the rule of the military dictator Gen. Zia, who forced women to cover their heads even on government controlled Pakistan TV. The number of films produced per year also declined due to several other factors including the wide spread use of VCR and DVD players since even most patriotic Pakistanis like to watch Indian movies over their own. Today, Lollywood has totally collapsed and once busy film producing studios have been turned into more profitable business ventures. Most of cinema houses too have been turned into commercial business plazas.

Pakistan also has another film industry based in Peshawar, North West Frontier Province that produced Pashto language films. As demand for films has increased, Karachi has its own version of film festivals, which includes the Kara Film Festivals where many film producers, actors and film staff get together to celebrate achievements in the industry. Under the fear of Taliban and religious extremists, the film industry in Peshawar has come to a standstill today. The Northwestern province of Pakistan has its own culture which is very restricted and even in good old days the buses will turn off entertainment programs upon entering into this province.

Cuisine

Culinary art in Pakistan comprises a mix of Middle Eastern, Iranian, Afghan, north west Indian, and Turkish cuisine that reflects the country's history as well as the variation of cooking practices from across the surrounding regions. Urban centres of the country offer an amalgamation of recipes from all parts of the country, while food with specific local ingredients and tastes is available in rural areas and villages. Besides the main dishes of curry with or without meat cooked with vegetables or lentils, there are a number of provincial specialties such as karahi, biryani and tikka in various forms and flavours, eaten alongside a variety of breads such as naan, chapati and roti.

There are also local forms of grilled meat or kebabs, desserts, and a variety of hot and cold drinks.

Festivals

Ramadan

The holiest month of the Islamic Calendar. It is widely observed in Pakistan during which Muslim Pakistanis (about 97% of the population) fast, attend mosques with increased frequency and recite Quran. Special foods are cooked in greater quantities, parties are held and special accommodation is made by workplaces and educational institutes.


Chand Raat

After an Islamic month of fasting, Ramadan, just the night before Eid comes, everyone gets ready for Eid. In the night known as Chand Raat, girls put henna on their hands. Most people have parties at their house. People go out for the last minute shopping for gifts and sweets that will be given to friends and families. Even outside at the malls and the plazas, there are many colourful lights. There are large crowds in the city center to celebrate the beginning of Eid.


Eid celebrations


The two Eids, Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Adha commemorate the passing of the month of fasting, Ramadan, and the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ishmael for God. During these days there are national holidays and many festivals and events take place to celebrate Eid. As Pakistan is a Muslim state, there are three days off for all businesses and Government offices.
On the night before Eid, people search for the new moon to mark the end of Ramadan and arrival of Eid ul-Fitr. The day starts with morning prayers, then returning home for a large breakfast with family members. The day is spent visiting relatives and friends and sharing gifts and sweets with everyone. During the evening people hit the town for some partying, going to restaurants or relaxing in city parks.
On Eid ul-Fitr, money is given for charity and as gifts to young children.
On Eid ul-Adha, people may also distribute meat to relatives and neighbors and donate food for charity


Milaad un Nabi

Milaad un Nabi is a known religious festival which is celebrated in many parts of Pakistan. The Milaad is the celebration for the birthday of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.



Muharram (Ashura)

In Pakistan, the first ten days of Muharram are observed officially. The 10th day of Muharram is marked in the memory of Imam Hussain (Aliahsalam), the grandson of Muhammad, who was a martyr, along with 72 family members, friends and followers during the Battle of Karbala. It is marked mainly among the Shia community of Pakistan.


Jashn-e-Baharan

Jashn-e-Baharan also referred to as Basant is a pre-Islamic Punjabi festival that marks the coming of spring. Celebrations in Pakistan are centered in Lahore and people from all over the country and abroad come to the city for the annual festivities. Kite flying competitions take place all over the city's rooftops during Basant (now prohibited). The fertile province of Punjab was intimately tied via its agriculture to the different seasons of the year. The arrival of Spring was an important event for all farmers and was welcomed with a celebration, hence the origins of Jashn (celebration) Baharan (spring).


Nowruz

This festival is like Nowruz of Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asia. In Northern Pakistan (Chitral, Gilgit andBaltistan) Nowruz is celebrated as a socio-religious festival. It is also celebrated with much fervour in Balochistan and in almost all of Pakistan's major urban centres. The day coincides with the Spring Equinox on March 21, but the celebration continues for weeks. In Baltistan, the main features of Nowruz are the giving of coloured eggs to friends and polo matches. In Balochistan, the festival is marked with outdoor feasts, and the traditional jumping over a fire to wash away sins and usher in a fresh start. The origins of this festival are pre-Islamic and date back to when Pakistan was part of the Achaemenid and Sassanid Persian empires.


Independence Day

On August 14, the people of Pakistan celebrate the day Pakistan gained its independence from British India for an independent state for Muslims. There are many celebrations all over the country, the streets are full of joyful people singing and dancing. Concerts are held with many pop and classical singers. Parades are held in the capital city (Islamabad). Many people decorate their houses and fly the flag of Pakistan. At night, fireworks are used in many cities. Many people pray for the country and reflect on their pride in the country of Pakistan.



Defense Day Parade

September 6 is another patriotic day, when the Army of Pakistan is put on display for the general public to show Pakistan arms. All Government officials attend the ceremony and medals and recognitions are awarded to special people for their work. In March 2007, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) put on display the new joint manufactured Chinese-Pakistani aircraft called the JF-17 Thunder.

Visual arts

Painting

Ustad Allah Baksh, Ajaz Anwar, Ismail Gulgee, Jamil Naqsh and Sadequain are very prominent painters of Pakistan. Pakistani vehicle art is a popular folk art.


Architecture


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 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.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. However, a smooth transition to predominantly picture-less Islamic architecture occurred. The town of Uch Sharif contains the tombs of Bibi Jawindi, Baha'al-Halim and Jalaluddin Bukhari, which are considered some of the earliest examples of Islamic architecture in Pakistan and are on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. One of the most important of the few examples of the Persian style of architecture 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. The Shahjahan Mosque of Thatta in Sindh also originates from the epoch of the Mughals, as does the Mohabbat Khan Mosque in Peshawar.
In the British colonial age predominantly representative buildings of the Indo-European 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.



Recreation and sports


The official and national sport of Pakistan is field hockey and Polo is recognized as the State sport, although squash and cricket are also very popular. The national cricket team has won the Cricket World Cup once (in 1992), were runners-up once (in 1999) and co-hosted the games twice (in 1987 and 1996). They won the 20-20 International World Cup in 2009. The team has also won theAustralasia Cup in 1986, 1990, and 1994. The country will also be hosting the 2011 Cricket World Cup with India and Bangladesh.
At an international level, Pakistan has competed many times at the Summer Olympics in field hockey,boxing, athletics, swimming, and shooting. Hockey is the sport that Pakistan has been most successful at the Olympics, with three gold medals (1960, 1968, 1984). Pakistan has also won the Hockey World Cup four times (1971, 1978, 1982, 1994).[5] Pakistan has hosted several international competitions, including the SAFG in 1989 and 2004.
A1 Grand Prix racing is also becoming popular with the entry of a Pakistani team in the 2005 season. The Tour de Pakistan, modelled on the Tour de France, is an annual cycling competition that covers the length and breadth of Pakistan. Recently, football has grown in popularity across the country, where traditionally it had been played almost exclusively in the western province of Balochistan. Fifa has recently teamed up with the government to bring football closer to the northern areas too. Also, it is hoped that Pakistan will fare better in the Football World Cup qualifiers for 2010.


Cuisine


Culinary art in Pakistan comprises a mix of Middle Eastern, Indian, Iranian, Afghan, and Turkish cuisine that reflects the country's history as well as the variation of cooking practices from across the surrounding regions. Urban centres of the country offer an amalgamation of recipes from all parts of the country, while food with specific local ingredients and tastes is available in rural areas and villages. Besides the main dishes of curry with or without meat cooked with vegetables or lentils, there are a number of provincial specialties such as karahi, biryani and tikka in various forms and flavours, eaten alongside a variety of breads such as naan, chapati and roti.
There are also local forms of grilled meat or kebabs, desserts, and a variety of hot and cold drinks.

Performing arts

Music:

Pakistani music is represented by a wide variety of forms. It ranges from traditional styles such asQawwali and Ghazal to more modern forms that try to fuse traditional Pakistani music with Western music. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was internationally renowned for creating a form of music which synchronized Qawwali with western music. Popular forms of music also prevail, the most notable beingfilm music and Urdu and Punjabi pop music. In addition to this are the diverse traditions of folk music, as well as modern styles, with rock bands such as Call (band) being recognized internationally.


Dance:


Classical dances such as Kathak patronised by the Mughals are on the decline in Pakistan due to lack of state patronage.
But folk dances are still popular in Pakistan and vary according to region such as:
Bhangra -Punjab
Luddi - Punjab
Dhammal - Performed at Sufi shrines/ dargahs in Punjab and Sindh
Attan - Folk dance of Pashtuns of Northern Balochistan including Quetta
Khattak Dance - NWFP
Jhumar - Siraiki and Balochi folk dance
Ho Jamalo Sindhi dance
Lewa - Baluchi folk dance


Drama and theatre

These are very similar to stage plays in theatres. They are performed by well-known actors and actresses in the Lollywood industry. The dramas and plays deal with many themes from life events, often with a humorous touch.

Poetry

The Urdu language has a rich tradition of poetry and includes the famous poets Mirza Ghalib, Faiz Ahmad Faiz, Ahmad Faraz and Ahmad Nadeem Qasimi. Apart from Urdu poetry, Pakistani poetry also has blends of other regional languages. Persian poetry, Balochi poetry, Sindhi poetry , Punjabi poetry, Seraiki Poetry and Pashtu poetry have all incorporated and influenced Pakistani poetry.