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	<title>Comments on: Pir of London</title>
	<link>http://www.pakspectator.com/pir-of-london/</link>
	<description>A Candid Blog</description>
	<pubDate>Fri, 09 Jan 2009 03:32:47 +0000</pubDate>
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		<item>
		<title>By: MAHAGIR</title>
		<link>http://www.pakspectator.com/pir-of-london/#comment-139963</link>
		<dc:creator>MAHAGIR</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 18 Dec 2008 05:51:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://www.pakspectator.com/pir-of-london/#comment-139963</guid>
		<description>JIA MAHAGIR</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>JIA MAHAGIR</p>
]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>By: MAHAGIR</title>
		<link>http://www.pakspectator.com/pir-of-london/#comment-139961</link>
		<dc:creator>MAHAGIR</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 18 Dec 2008 05:48:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://www.pakspectator.com/pir-of-london/#comment-139961</guid>
		<description>Introduction
 Pakistan
 

 

Background:
 The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world and dating back at least 5,000 years, spread over much of what is presently Pakistan. During the second millennium B.C., remnants of this culture fused with the migrating Indo-Aryan peoples. The area underwent successive invasions in subsequent centuries from the Persians, Greeks, Scythians, Arabs (who brought Islam), Afghans, and Turks. The Mughal Empire flourished in the 16th and 17th centuries; the British came to dominate the region in the 18th century. The separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim state of Pakistan (with West and East sections) and largely Hindu India was never satisfactorily resolved, and India and Pakistan fought two wars - in 1947-48 and 1965 - over the disputed Kashmir territory. A third war between these countries in 1971 - in which India capitalized on Islamabad's marginalization of Bengalis in Pakistani politics - resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. In response to Indian nuclear weapons testing, Pakistan conducted its own tests in 1998. The dispute over the state of Kashmir is ongoing, but discussions and confidence-building measures have led to decreased tensions since 2002. 
 

 

Geography
 Pakistan
 

 

Location:
 Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north 
 
Geographic coordinates:
 30 00 N, 70 00 E 
 
Map references:
 Asia 
 
Area:
 total: 803,940 sq km 
land: 778,720 sq km 
water: 25,220 sq km 
 
Area - comparative:
 slightly less than twice the size of California
 
Land boundaries:
 total: 6,774 km 
border countries: Afghanistan 2,430 km, China 523 km, India 2,912 km, Iran 909 km 
 
Coastline:
 1,046 km
 
Maritime claims:
 territorial sea: 12 nm 
contiguous zone: 24 nm 
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm 
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin 
 
Climate:
 mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north 
 
Terrain:
 flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest; Balochistan plateau in west 
 
Elevation extremes:
 lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m 
highest point: K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m 
 
Natural resources:
 land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone 
 
Land use:
 arable land: 24.44% 
permanent crops: 0.84% 
other: 74.72% (2005) 
 
Irrigated land:
 182,300 sq km (2003) 
 
Total renewable water resources:
 233.8 cu km (2003) 
 
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
 total: 169.39 cu km/yr (2%/2%/96%) 
per capita: 1,072 cu m/yr (2000) 
 
Natural hazards:
 frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August) 
 
Environment - current issues:
 water pollution from raw sewage, industrial wastes, and agricultural runoff; limited natural fresh water resources; most of the population does not have access to potable water; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification 
 
Environment - international agreements:
 party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands 
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation 
 
Geography - note:
 controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion routes between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent 
 

 

People
 Pakistan
 

 

Population:
 167,762,040 (July 2008 est.) 
 
Age structure:
 0-14 years: 36.3% (male 31,316,803/female 29,567,622) 
15-64 years: 59.4% (male 51,000,863/female 48,648,480) 
65 years and over: 4.3% (male 3,409,246/female 3,819,026) (2008 est.) 
 
Median age:
 total: 21.2 years 
male: 21 years 
female: 21.4 years (2008 est.) 
 
Population growth rate:
 1.805% (2008 est.) 
 
Birth rate:
 26.93 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) 
 
Death rate:
 7.83 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) 
 
Net migration rate:
 -1.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.) 
 
Sex ratio:
 at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female 
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2008 est.) 
 
Infant mortality rate:
 total: 66.95 deaths/1,000 live births 
male: 67.05 deaths/1,000 live births 
female: 66.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.) 
 
Life expectancy at birth:
 total population: 64.13 years 
male: 63.07 years 
female: 65.24 years (2008 est.) 
 
Total fertility rate:
 3.58 children born/woman (2008 est.) 
 
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
 0.1% (2001 est.) 
 
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
 74,000 (2001 est.) 
 
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
 4,900 (2003 est.) 
 
Major infectious diseases:
 degree of risk: high 
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever 
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria 
animal contact disease: rabies 
note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008) 
 
Nationality:
 noun: Pakistani(s) 
adjective: Pakistani 
 
Ethnic groups:
 Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtun (Pathan), Baloch, Muhajir (immigrants from India at the time of partition and their descendants) 
 
Religions:
 Muslim 97% (Sunni 77%, Shi'a 20%), other (includes Christian and Hindu) 3% 
 
Languages:
 Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashtu 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries), Burushaski and other 8% 
 
Literacy:
 definition: age 15 and over can read and write 
total population: 49.9% 
male: 63% 
female: 36% (2005 est.) 
 

 

Government
 Pakistan
 

 

Country name:
 conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Pakistan 
conventional short form: Pakistan 
local long form: Jamhuryat Islami Pakistan 
local short form: Pakistan 
former: West Pakistan 
 
Government type:
 federal republic 
 
Capital:
 name: Islamabad 
geographic coordinates: 33 42 N, 73 10 E 
time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) 
 
Administrative divisions:
 4 provinces, 1 territory*, and 1 capital territory**; Balochistan, Federally Administered Tribal Areas*, Islamabad Capital Territory**, North-West Frontier Province, Punjab, Sindh 
note: the Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region consists of two administrative entities: Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas 
 
Independence:
 14 August 1947 (from British India) 
 
National holiday:
 Republic Day, 23 March (1956) 
 
Constitution:
 12 April 1973; suspended 5 July 1977, restored 30 December 1985; suspended 15 October 1999, restored in stages in 2002; amended 31 December 2003; suspended 3 November 2007; restored on 15 December 2007 
 
Legal system:
 based on English common law with provisions to accommodate Pakistan's status as an Islamic state; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations 
 
Suffrage:
 18 years of age; universal; joint electorates and reserved parliamentary seats for women and non-Muslims 
 
Executive branch:
 chief of state: President Pervez MUSHARRAF (since 20 June 2001) 
note: following an October 1999 military coup, General Pervez MUSHARRAF suspended Pakistan's constitution and assumed the additional title of Chief Executive; in May 2000, Pakistan's Supreme Court validated the 1999 coup and granted MUSHARRAF executive and legislative authority for three years following the coup; in June 2001, MUSHARRAF named himself president, replacing Mohammad Rafiq TARAR; an April 2002 referendum extended MUSHARRAF's presidency by five years; on 6 October 2007, MUSHARRAF was reelected President of Pakistan, although the Supreme Court was reviewing a challenge to his eligibility to serve another term; MUSHARRAF declared emergency rule from 3 November to 15 December, during which time he replaced several Supreme Court Justices; the reconstituted court upheld his presidency on 22 November 2007 
head of government: Syed Yousuf Raza GILANI (since 25 March 2008) 
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the President upon the advice of the prime minister 
elections: the president is elected by secret ballot (1,170 votes total) through an Electoral College comprising the members of the Senate, National Assembly, and the provincial assemblies for a five-year term; election last held on 6 October 2007 (next to be held in October 2012); the prime minister is selected by the National Assembly; election last held on 24 March 2008 
election results: MUSHARRAF reelected; MUSHARRAF 671 votes; Wajihuddin AHMED 8 votes; 6 votes invalid; GILANI elected prime minister GILANI 264 votes; Pervaiz ELAHI 42 votes; several abstentions 
 
Legislative branch:
 bicameral Parliament or Majlis-e-Shoora consists of the Senate (100 seats; members indirectly elected by provincial assemblies and the territories' representatives in the National Assembly to serve six-year terms; one half are elected every three years) and the National Assembly (342 seats; 272 members elected by popular vote; 60 seats reserved for women; 10 seats reserved for non-Muslims; to serve five-year terms) 
elections: Senate - last held in March 2006 (next to be held in March 2009); National Assembly - last held 18 February 2008 (next to be held in 2013) 
election results: Senate results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PML 38, MMA 18, PPPP 10, MQM 6, PML-N 4, PKMAP 3, ANP 2, PPP-S 2, BNP-A 1, BNP-M 1, JWP 1, NA 1, PML-F 1, independents 12; National Assembly results (as of 18 March 2008) - percent of votes by party - NA; seats by party - PPPP 121, PML-N 91, PML 54, MQM 25, ANP 13, MMA 6, PML-F 5, BNP-A 1, NPP 1, PPP-S 1, independents 18; note - by-elections for the remaining seats of the National Assembly will be held in mid-April 2008 
 
Judicial branch:
 Supreme Court (justices appointed by the president); Federal Islamic or Shari'a Court 
 
Political parties and leaders:
 Awami National Party or ANP [Asfandyar Wali KHAN]; Balochistan National Party-Hayee Group or BNP-H [Dr. Hayee BALOCH]; Balochistan National Party-Awami or BNP-A [Moheem Khan BALOCH]; Balochistan National Party-Mengal or BNP-M [Sardar Ataullah MENGAL]; Jamhoori Watan Party or JWP; Jamiat Ahle Hadith or JAH [Sajid MIR]; Jamaat-i Islami or JI [Qazi Hussain AHMED]; Jamiat Ulema-i Islam Fazlur Rehman or JUI-F [Fazlur REHMAN]; Jamiat Ulema-i Islam Sami-ul HAQ or JUI-S [Sami ul-HAQ]; Jamiat Ulema-i Pakistan or JUP [Shah Faridul HAQ]; Muttahida Majlis-e Amal or MMA [Qazi Hussain AHMED]; Muttahida Qaumi Movement or MQM [Altaf HUSSAIN]; National Alliance or NA [Ghulam Mustapha JATOI] (merged with PML); Pakhtun Khwa Milli Awami Party or PKMAP [Mahmood Khan ACHAKZAI]; Pakistan Awami Tehrik or PAT [Tahir ul QADRI]; Pakistan Muslim League-Functional or PML-F [Pir PAGARO]; Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Sharif or PML-N [Nawaz SHARIF]; Pakistan Muslim League or PML [Chaudhry Shujaat HUSSAIN]; Pakistan Peoples Party-SHERPAO or PPP-S [Aftab Ahmed Khan SHERPAO]; Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians or PPPP [Bilawal Bhutto ZARDARI, chairman; Asif Ali ZARDARI, co-chairman]; Pakistan Tehrik-e Insaaf or PTI [Imran KHAN]; Tehrik-i Islami [Allama Sajid NAQVI] 
note: political alliances in Pakistan can shift frequently 
 
Political pressure groups and leaders:
 military remains most important political force; ulema (clergy), landowners, industrialists, and small merchants also influential 
 
International organization participation:
 ADB, ARF, C (reinstated 2004), CP, ECO, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, SCO (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO 
 
Flag description:
 green with a vertical white band (symbolizing the role of religious minorities) on the hoist side; a large white crescent and star are centered in the green field; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam 
 

 

Economy
 Pakistan
 

 

Economy - overview:
 Pakistan, an impoverished and underdeveloped country, has suffered from decades of internal political disputes, low levels of foreign investment, and a costly, ongoing confrontation with neighboring India. However, since 2001, IMF-approved reforms - most notably, privatization of the banking sector - bolstered by generous foreign assistance and renewed access to global markets, have generated macroeconomic recovery. Pakistan has experienced GDP growth in the 6-8% range in 2004-07, spurred by gains in the industrial and service sectors. Poverty levels have decreased by 10% since 2001, and Islamabad has steadily raised development spending in recent years, including a 52% real increase in the budget allocation for development in FY07. In 2007 the fiscal deficit - a result of chronically low tax collection and increased spending - exceeded Islamabad's target of 4% of GDP. Inflation remains the top concern among the public, jumping from 6.9% in 2007 to more than 11% during the first few months of 2008, primarily because of rising world commodity prices. The Pakistani rupee has depreciated since the proclamation of emergency rule in November 2007. 
 
GDP (purchasing power parity):
 $446.1 billion (2007 est.) 
 
GDP (official exchange rate):
 $106.3 billion (2007 est.) 
 
GDP - real growth rate:
 6.3% (2007 est.) 
 
GDP - per capita (PPP):
 $2,600 (2007 est.) 
 
GDP - composition by sector:
 agriculture: 19.6% 
industry: 26.8% 
services: 53.7% (2007 est.) 
 
Labor force:
 49.18 million 
note: extensive export of labor, mostly to the Middle East, and use of child labor (2007 est.) 
 
Labor force - by occupation:
 agriculture: 42% 
industry: 20% 
services: 38% (2004 est.) 
 
Unemployment rate:
 7.5% plus substantial underemployment (2007 est.) 
 
Population below poverty line:
 24% (FY05/06 est.) 
 
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
 lowest 10%: 4% 
highest 10%: 26.3% (2002) 
 
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
 30.6 (2002) 
 
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
 6.9% (2007 est.) 
 
Investment (gross fixed):
 21.4% of GDP (2007 est.) 
 
Budget:
 revenues: $23.17 billion 
expenditures: $29.74 billion (2007 est.) 
 
Public debt:
 53.8% of GDP (2007 est.) 
 
Agriculture - products:
 cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; milk, beef, mutton, eggs 
 
Industries:
 textiles and apparel, food processing, pharmaceuticals, construction materials, paper products, fertilizer, shrimp 
 
Industrial production growth rate:
 6.8% (2007 est.) 
 
Electricity - production:
 89.82 billion kWh (2005) 
 
Electricity - production by source:
 fossil fuel: 68.8% 
hydro: 28.2% 
nuclear: 3% 
other: 0% (2001) 
 
Electricity - consumption:
 67.06 billion kWh (2005) 
 
Electricity - exports:
 0 kWh (2005) 
 
Electricity - imports:
 0 kWh (2005) 
 
Oil - production:
 68,220 bbl/day (2005 est.) 
 
Oil - consumption:
 345,000 bbl/day (2005 est.) 
 
Oil - exports:
 23,230 bbl/day (2004) 
 
Oil - imports:
 278,900 bbl/day (2004) 
 
Oil - proved reserves:
 289.2 million bbl (1 January 2006 est.) 
 
Natural gas - production:
 29.54 billion cu m (2005 est.) 
 
Natural gas - consumption:
 29.54 billion cu m (2005 est.) 
 
Natural gas - exports:
 0 cu m (2005 est.) 
 
Natural gas - imports:
 0 cu m (2005) 
 
Natural gas - proved reserves:
 764.6 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.) 
 
Current account balance:
 -$6.477 billion (2007 est.) 
 
Exports:
 $20.58 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.) 
 
Exports - commodities:
 textiles (garments, bed linen, cotton cloth, yarn), rice, leather goods, sports goods, chemicals, manufactures, carpets and rugs 
 
Exports - partners:
 US 21%, UAE 9%, Afghanistan 7.7%, China 5.3%, UK 5.1% (2006) 
 
Imports:
 $30.99 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.) 
 
Imports - commodities:
 petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, plastics, transportation equipment, edible oils, paper and paperboard, iron and steel, tea 
 
Imports - partners:
 China 13.8%, Saudi Arabia 10.5%, UAE 9.7%, US 6.5%, Japan 5.7%, Kuwait 4.7%, Germany 4.2% (2006) 
 
Economic aid - recipient:
 $1.666 billion (2005) 
 
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
 $16.03 billion (31 December 2007 est.) 
 
Debt - external:
 $40.32 billion (31 December 2007 est.) 
 
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
 $14.67 billion (2006 est.) 
 
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
 $885 million (2006 est.) 
 
Market value of publicly traded shares:
 $45.52 billion (2006) 
 
Currency (code):
 Pakistani rupee (PKR) 
 
Currency code:
 PKR 
 
Exchange rates:
 Pakistani rupees per US dollar - 60.6295 (2007), 60.35 (2006), 59.515 (2005), 58.258 (2004), 57.752 (2003) 
 
Fiscal year:
 1 July - 30 June 
 

 

Communications
 Pakistan
 

 

Telephones - main lines in use:
 5.24 million (2006) 
 
Telephones - mobile cellular:
 63.16 million (2007) 
 
Telephone system:
 general assessment: the telecommunications infrastructure is improving dramatically with foreign and domestic investments into fixed-line and mobile networks; mobile-cellular subscribership has skyrocketed, reaching some 63 million in mid-2007, up from only about 300,000 in 2000; fiber systems are being constructed throughout the country to aid in network growth; main line availability has risen only marginally over the same period and there are still difficulties getting main line service to rural areas 
domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable, cellular, and satellite networks 
international: country code - 92; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable systems that provide links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); 3 operational international gateway exchanges (1 at Karachi and 2 at Islamabad); microwave radio relay to neighboring countries (2006) 
 
Radio broadcast stations:
 AM 31, FM 68, shortwave NA (2006) 
 
Radios:
 13.5 million (1997) 
 
Television broadcast stations:
 20 (5 state-run channels and 15 privately-owned satellite channels) (2006) 
 
Televisions:
 3.1 million (1997) 
 
Internet country code:
 .pk 
 
Internet hosts:
 164,067 (2007) 
 
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
 30 (2000) 
 
Internet users:
 12 million (2006) 
 

 

Transportation
 Pakistan
 

 

Airports:
 146 (2007) 
 
Airports - with paved runways:
 total: 92 
over 3,047 m: 16 
2,438 to 3,047 m: 19 
1,524 to 2,437 m: 29 
914 to 1,523 m: 18 
under 914 m: 10 (2007) 
 
Airports - with unpaved runways:
 total: 54 
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 
1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 
914 to 1,523 m: 13 
under 914 m: 24 (2007) 
 
Heliports:
 18 (2007) 
 
Pipelines:
 gas 10,398 km; oil 2,076 km (2007) 
 
Railways:
 total: 8,163 km 
broad gauge: 7,718 km 1.676-m gauge (293 km electrified) 
narrow gauge: 445 km 1.000-m gauge (2006) 
 
Roadways:
 total: 258,340 km 
paved: 167,146 km (includes 711 km of expressways) 
unpaved: 91,194 km (2004) 
 
Merchant marine:
 total: 14 ships (1000 GRT or over) 325,254 GRT/536,876 DWT 
by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 10, petroleum tanker 3 
registered in other countries: 12 (Comoros 2, Hong Kong 1, North Korea 1, Malta 2, Panama 5, St Vincent and The Grenadines 1) (2007) 
 
Ports and terminals:
 Karachi, Port Muhammad Bin Qasim 
 

 

Military
 Pakistan
 

 

Military branches:
 Army (includes National Guard), Navy (includes Marines and Maritime Security Agency), Pakistan Air Force (Pakistan Fiza'ya) (2008) 
 
Military service age and obligation:
 16 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot be deployed for combat until age of 18; the Pakistani Air Force and Pakistani Navy have inducted their first female pilots and sailors (2006) 
 
Manpower available for military service:
 males age 16-49: 42,633,765 
females age 16-49: 40,114,017 (2008 est.) 
 
Manpower fit for military service:
 males age 16-49: 32,453,913 
females age 16-49: 31,369,057 (2008 est.) 
 
Manpower reaching military service age annually:
 males age 16-49: 1,976,444 
females age 16-49: 1,856,505 (2008 est.) 
 
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
 3.2% (2006; 3% 2007 est.) 
 

 

Transnational Issues
 Pakistan
 

 

Disputes - international:
 various talks and confidence-building measures cautiously have begun to defuse tensions over Kashmir, particularly since the October 2005 earthquake in the region; Kashmir nevertheless remains the site of the world's largest and most militarized territorial dispute with portions under the de facto administration of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas); UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) has maintained a small group of peacekeepers since 1949; India does not recognize Pakistan's ceding historic Kashmir lands to China in 1964; India and Pakistan have maintained their 2004 cease fire in Kashmir and initiated discussions on defusing the armed stand-off in the Siachen glacier region; Pakistan protests India's fencing the highly militarized Line of Control and construction of the Baglihar Dam on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir, which is part of the larger dispute on water sharing of the Indus River and its tributaries; to defuse tensions and prepare for discussions on a maritime boundary, India and Pakistan seek technical resolution of the disputed boundary in Sir Creek estuary at the mouth of the Rann of Kutch in the Arabian Sea; Pakistani maps continue to show the Junagadh claim in India's Gujarat State; by 2005, Pakistan, with UN assistance, repatriated 2.3 million Afghan refugees leaving slightly more than a million, many of whom remain at their own choosing; Pakistan has proposed and Afghanistan protests construction of a fence and laying of mines along portions of their porous border; Pakistan has sent troops into remote tribal areas to monitor and control the border with Afghanistan and to stem terrorist or other illegal activities 
 
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
 refugees (country of origin): 1,043,984 (Afghanistan) 
IDPs: undetermined (government strikes on Islamic militants in South Waziristan); 34,000 (October 2005 earthquake; most of those displaced returned to their home villages in the spring of 2006) (2007) 
 
Illicit drugs:
 opium poppy cultivation estimated to be 800 hectares in 2005 yielding a potential production of 4 metric tons of pure heroin; federal and provincial authorities continue to conduct anti-poppy campaigns that force eradication - fines and arrests will take place if the ban on poppy cultivation is not observed; key transit point for Afghan drugs, including heroin, opium, morphine, and hashish, bound for Western markets, the Gulf States, and Africa; financial crimes related to drug trafficking, terrorism, corruption, and smuggling remain problems 
 
jia mahagir!</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Introduction<br />
 Pakistan</p>
<p>Background:<br />
 The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world and dating back at least 5,000 years, spread over much of what is presently Pakistan. During the second millennium B.C., remnants of this culture fused with the migrating Indo-Aryan peoples. The area underwent successive invasions in subsequent centuries from the Persians, Greeks, Scythians, Arabs (who brought Islam), Afghans, and Turks. The Mughal Empire flourished in the 16th and 17th centuries; the British came to dominate the region in the 18th century. The separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim state of Pakistan (with West and East sections) and largely Hindu India was never satisfactorily resolved, and India and Pakistan fought two wars - in 1947-48 and 1965 - over the disputed Kashmir territory. A third war between these countries in 1971 - in which India capitalized on Islamabad&#8217;s marginalization of Bengalis in Pakistani politics - resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. In response to Indian nuclear weapons testing, Pakistan conducted its own tests in 1998. The dispute over the state of Kashmir is ongoing, but discussions and confidence-building measures have led to decreased tensions since 2002. </p>
<p>Geography<br />
 Pakistan</p>
<p>Location:<br />
 Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north </p>
<p>Geographic coordinates:<br />
 30 00 N, 70 00 E </p>
<p>Map references:<br />
 Asia </p>
<p>Area:<br />
 total: 803,940 sq km<br />
land: 778,720 sq km<br />
water: 25,220 sq km </p>
<p>Area - comparative:<br />
 slightly less than twice the size of California</p>
<p>Land boundaries:<br />
 total: 6,774 km<br />
border countries: Afghanistan 2,430 km, China 523 km, India 2,912 km, Iran 909 km </p>
<p>Coastline:<br />
 1,046 km</p>
<p>Maritime claims:<br />
 territorial sea: 12 nm<br />
contiguous zone: 24 nm<br />
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm<br />
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin </p>
<p>Climate:<br />
 mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north </p>
<p>Terrain:<br />
 flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest; Balochistan plateau in west </p>
<p>Elevation extremes:<br />
 lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m<br />
highest point: K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m </p>
<p>Natural resources:<br />
 land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone </p>
<p>Land use:<br />
 arable land: 24.44%<br />
permanent crops: 0.84%<br />
other: 74.72% (2005) </p>
<p>Irrigated land:<br />
 182,300 sq km (2003) </p>
<p>Total renewable water resources:<br />
 233.8 cu km (2003) </p>
<p>Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):<br />
 total: 169.39 cu km/yr (2%/2%/96%)<br />
per capita: 1,072 cu m/yr (2000) </p>
<p>Natural hazards:<br />
 frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August) </p>
<p>Environment - current issues:<br />
 water pollution from raw sewage, industrial wastes, and agricultural runoff; limited natural fresh water resources; most of the population does not have access to potable water; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification </p>
<p>Environment - international agreements:<br />
 party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands<br />
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation </p>
<p>Geography - note:<br />
 controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion routes between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent </p>
<p>People<br />
 Pakistan</p>
<p>Population:<br />
 167,762,040 (July 2008 est.) </p>
<p>Age structure:<br />
 0-14 years: 36.3% (male 31,316,803/female 29,567,622)<br />
15-64 years: 59.4% (male 51,000,863/female 48,648,480)<br />
65 years and over: 4.3% (male 3,409,246/female 3,819,026) (2008 est.) </p>
<p>Median age:<br />
 total: 21.2 years<br />
male: 21 years<br />
female: 21.4 years (2008 est.) </p>
<p>Population growth rate:<br />
 1.805% (2008 est.) </p>
<p>Birth rate:<br />
 26.93 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) </p>
<p>Death rate:<br />
 7.83 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) </p>
<p>Net migration rate:<br />
 -1.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.) </p>
<p>Sex ratio:<br />
 at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female<br />
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female<br />
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female<br />
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female<br />
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2008 est.) </p>
<p>Infant mortality rate:<br />
 total: 66.95 deaths/1,000 live births<br />
male: 67.05 deaths/1,000 live births<br />
female: 66.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.) </p>
<p>Life expectancy at birth:<br />
 total population: 64.13 years<br />
male: 63.07 years<br />
female: 65.24 years (2008 est.) </p>
<p>Total fertility rate:<br />
 3.58 children born/woman (2008 est.) </p>
<p>HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:<br />
 0.1% (2001 est.) </p>
<p>HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:<br />
 74,000 (2001 est.) </p>
<p>HIV/AIDS - deaths:<br />
 4,900 (2003 est.) </p>
<p>Major infectious diseases:<br />
 degree of risk: high<br />
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever<br />
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria<br />
animal contact disease: rabies<br />
note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008) </p>
<p>Nationality:<br />
 noun: Pakistani(s)<br />
adjective: Pakistani </p>
<p>Ethnic groups:<br />
 Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtun (Pathan), Baloch, Muhajir (immigrants from India at the time of partition and their descendants) </p>
<p>Religions:<br />
 Muslim 97% (Sunni 77%, Shi&#8217;a 20%), other (includes Christian and Hindu) 3% </p>
<p>Languages:<br />
 Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashtu 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries), Burushaski and other 8% </p>
<p>Literacy:<br />
 definition: age 15 and over can read and write<br />
total population: 49.9%<br />
male: 63%<br />
female: 36% (2005 est.) </p>
<p>Government<br />
 Pakistan</p>
<p>Country name:<br />
 conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Pakistan<br />
conventional short form: Pakistan<br />
local long form: Jamhuryat Islami Pakistan<br />
local short form: Pakistan<br />
former: West Pakistan </p>
<p>Government type:<br />
 federal republic </p>
<p>Capital:<br />
 name: Islamabad<br />
geographic coordinates: 33 42 N, 73 10 E<br />
time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) </p>
<p>Administrative divisions:<br />
 4 provinces, 1 territory*, and 1 capital territory**; Balochistan, Federally Administered Tribal Areas*, Islamabad Capital Territory**, North-West Frontier Province, Punjab, Sindh<br />
note: the Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region consists of two administrative entities: Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas </p>
<p>Independence:<br />
 14 August 1947 (from British India) </p>
<p>National holiday:<br />
 Republic Day, 23 March (1956) </p>
<p>Constitution:<br />
 12 April 1973; suspended 5 July 1977, restored 30 December 1985; suspended 15 October 1999, restored in stages in 2002; amended 31 December 2003; suspended 3 November 2007; restored on 15 December 2007 </p>
<p>Legal system:<br />
 based on English common law with provisions to accommodate Pakistan&#8217;s status as an Islamic state; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations </p>
<p>Suffrage:<br />
 18 years of age; universal; joint electorates and reserved parliamentary seats for women and non-Muslims </p>
<p>Executive branch:<br />
 chief of state: President Pervez MUSHARRAF (since 20 June 2001)<br />
note: following an October 1999 military coup, General Pervez MUSHARRAF suspended Pakistan&#8217;s constitution and assumed the additional title of Chief Executive; in May 2000, Pakistan&#8217;s Supreme Court validated the 1999 coup and granted MUSHARRAF executive and legislative authority for three years following the coup; in June 2001, MUSHARRAF named himself president, replacing Mohammad Rafiq TARAR; an April 2002 referendum extended MUSHARRAF&#8217;s presidency by five years; on 6 October 2007, MUSHARRAF was reelected President of Pakistan, although the Supreme Court was reviewing a challenge to his eligibility to serve another term; MUSHARRAF declared emergency rule from 3 November to 15 December, during which time he replaced several Supreme Court Justices; the reconstituted court upheld his presidency on 22 November 2007<br />
head of government: Syed Yousuf Raza GILANI (since 25 March 2008)<br />
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the President upon the advice of the prime minister<br />
elections: the president is elected by secret ballot (1,170 votes total) through an Electoral College comprising the members of the Senate, National Assembly, and the provincial assemblies for a five-year term; election last held on 6 October 2007 (next to be held in October 2012); the prime minister is selected by the National Assembly; election last held on 24 March 2008<br />
election results: MUSHARRAF reelected; MUSHARRAF 671 votes; Wajihuddin AHMED 8 votes; 6 votes invalid; GILANI elected prime minister GILANI 264 votes; Pervaiz ELAHI 42 votes; several abstentions </p>
<p>Legislative branch:<br />
 bicameral Parliament or Majlis-e-Shoora consists of the Senate (100 seats; members indirectly elected by provincial assemblies and the territories&#8217; representatives in the National Assembly to serve six-year terms; one half are elected every three years) and the National Assembly (342 seats; 272 members elected by popular vote; 60 seats reserved for women; 10 seats reserved for non-Muslims; to serve five-year terms)<br />
elections: Senate - last held in March 2006 (next to be held in March 2009); National Assembly - last held 18 February 2008 (next to be held in 2013)<br />
election results: Senate results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PML 38, MMA 18, PPPP 10, MQM 6, PML-N 4, PKMAP 3, ANP 2, PPP-S 2, BNP-A 1, BNP-M 1, JWP 1, NA 1, PML-F 1, independents 12; National Assembly results (as of 18 March 2008) - percent of votes by party - NA; seats by party - PPPP 121, PML-N 91, PML 54, MQM 25, ANP 13, MMA 6, PML-F 5, BNP-A 1, NPP 1, PPP-S 1, independents 18; note - by-elections for the remaining seats of the National Assembly will be held in mid-April 2008 </p>
<p>Judicial branch:<br />
 Supreme Court (justices appointed by the president); Federal Islamic or Shari&#8217;a Court </p>
<p>Political parties and leaders:<br />
 Awami National Party or ANP [Asfandyar Wali KHAN]; Balochistan National Party-Hayee Group or BNP-H [Dr. Hayee BALOCH]; Balochistan National Party-Awami or BNP-A [Moheem Khan BALOCH]; Balochistan National Party-Mengal or BNP-M [Sardar Ataullah MENGAL]; Jamhoori Watan Party or JWP; Jamiat Ahle Hadith or JAH [Sajid MIR]; Jamaat-i Islami or JI [Qazi Hussain AHMED]; Jamiat Ulema-i Islam Fazlur Rehman or JUI-F [Fazlur REHMAN]; Jamiat Ulema-i Islam Sami-ul HAQ or JUI-S [Sami ul-HAQ]; Jamiat Ulema-i Pakistan or JUP [Shah Faridul HAQ]; Muttahida Majlis-e Amal or MMA [Qazi Hussain AHMED]; Muttahida Qaumi Movement or MQM [Altaf HUSSAIN]; National Alliance or NA [Ghulam Mustapha JATOI] (merged with PML); Pakhtun Khwa Milli Awami Party or PKMAP [Mahmood Khan ACHAKZAI]; Pakistan Awami Tehrik or PAT [Tahir ul QADRI]; Pakistan Muslim League-Functional or PML-F [Pir PAGARO]; Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Sharif or PML-N [Nawaz SHARIF]; Pakistan Muslim League or PML [Chaudhry Shujaat HUSSAIN]; Pakistan Peoples Party-SHERPAO or PPP-S [Aftab Ahmed Khan SHERPAO]; Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians or PPPP [Bilawal Bhutto ZARDARI, chairman; Asif Ali ZARDARI, co-chairman]; Pakistan Tehrik-e Insaaf or PTI [Imran KHAN]; Tehrik-i Islami [Allama Sajid NAQVI]<br />
note: political alliances in Pakistan can shift frequently </p>
<p>Political pressure groups and leaders:<br />
 military remains most important political force; ulema (clergy), landowners, industrialists, and small merchants also influential </p>
<p>International organization participation:<br />
 ADB, ARF, C (reinstated 2004), CP, ECO, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, SCO (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO </p>
<p>Flag description:<br />
 green with a vertical white band (symbolizing the role of religious minorities) on the hoist side; a large white crescent and star are centered in the green field; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam </p>
<p>Economy<br />
 Pakistan</p>
<p>Economy - overview:<br />
 Pakistan, an impoverished and underdeveloped country, has suffered from decades of internal political disputes, low levels of foreign investment, and a costly, ongoing confrontation with neighboring India. However, since 2001, IMF-approved reforms - most notably, privatization of the banking sector - bolstered by generous foreign assistance and renewed access to global markets, have generated macroeconomic recovery. Pakistan has experienced GDP growth in the 6-8% range in 2004-07, spurred by gains in the industrial and service sectors. Poverty levels have decreased by 10% since 2001, and Islamabad has steadily raised development spending in recent years, including a 52% real increase in the budget allocation for development in FY07. In 2007 the fiscal deficit - a result of chronically low tax collection and increased spending - exceeded Islamabad&#8217;s target of 4% of GDP. Inflation remains the top concern among the public, jumping from 6.9% in 2007 to more than 11% during the first few months of 2008, primarily because of rising world commodity prices. The Pakistani rupee has depreciated since the proclamation of emergency rule in November 2007. </p>
<p>GDP (purchasing power parity):<br />
 $446.1 billion (2007 est.) </p>
<p>GDP (official exchange rate):<br />
 $106.3 billion (2007 est.) </p>
<p>GDP - real growth rate:<br />
 6.3% (2007 est.) </p>
<p>GDP - per capita (PPP):<br />
 $2,600 (2007 est.) </p>
<p>GDP - composition by sector:<br />
 agriculture: 19.6%<br />
industry: 26.8%<br />
services: 53.7% (2007 est.) </p>
<p>Labor force:<br />
 49.18 million<br />
note: extensive export of labor, mostly to the Middle East, and use of child labor (2007 est.) </p>
<p>Labor force - by occupation:<br />
 agriculture: 42%<br />
industry: 20%<br />
services: 38% (2004 est.) </p>
<p>Unemployment rate:<br />
 7.5% plus substantial underemployment (2007 est.) </p>
<p>Population below poverty line:<br />
 24% (FY05/06 est.) </p>
<p>Household income or consumption by percentage share:<br />
 lowest 10%: 4%<br />
highest 10%: 26.3% (2002) </p>
<p>Distribution of family income - Gini index:<br />
 30.6 (2002) </p>
<p>Inflation rate (consumer prices):<br />
 6.9% (2007 est.) </p>
<p>Investment (gross fixed):<br />
 21.4% of GDP (2007 est.) </p>
<p>Budget:<br />
 revenues: $23.17 billion<br />
expenditures: $29.74 billion (2007 est.) </p>
<p>Public debt:<br />
 53.8% of GDP (2007 est.) </p>
<p>Agriculture - products:<br />
 cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; milk, beef, mutton, eggs </p>
<p>Industries:<br />
 textiles and apparel, food processing, pharmaceuticals, construction materials, paper products, fertilizer, shrimp </p>
<p>Industrial production growth rate:<br />
 6.8% (2007 est.) </p>
<p>Electricity - production:<br />
 89.82 billion kWh (2005) </p>
<p>Electricity - production by source:<br />
 fossil fuel: 68.8%<br />
hydro: 28.2%<br />
nuclear: 3%<br />
other: 0% (2001) </p>
<p>Electricity - consumption:<br />
 67.06 billion kWh (2005) </p>
<p>Electricity - exports:<br />
 0 kWh (2005) </p>
<p>Electricity - imports:<br />
 0 kWh (2005) </p>
<p>Oil - production:<br />
 68,220 bbl/day (2005 est.) </p>
<p>Oil - consumption:<br />
 345,000 bbl/day (2005 est.) </p>
<p>Oil - exports:<br />
 23,230 bbl/day (2004) </p>
<p>Oil - imports:<br />
 278,900 bbl/day (2004) </p>
<p>Oil - proved reserves:<br />
 289.2 million bbl (1 January 2006 est.) </p>
<p>Natural gas - production:<br />
 29.54 billion cu m (2005 est.) </p>
<p>Natural gas - consumption:<br />
 29.54 billion cu m (2005 est.) </p>
<p>Natural gas - exports:<br />
 0 cu m (2005 est.) </p>
<p>Natural gas - imports:<br />
 0 cu m (2005) </p>
<p>Natural gas - proved reserves:<br />
 764.6 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.) </p>
<p>Current account balance:<br />
 -$6.477 billion (2007 est.) </p>
<p>Exports:<br />
 $20.58 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.) </p>
<p>Exports - commodities:<br />
 textiles (garments, bed linen, cotton cloth, yarn), rice, leather goods, sports goods, chemicals, manufactures, carpets and rugs </p>
<p>Exports - partners:<br />
 US 21%, UAE 9%, Afghanistan 7.7%, China 5.3%, UK 5.1% (2006) </p>
<p>Imports:<br />
 $30.99 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.) </p>
<p>Imports - commodities:<br />
 petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, plastics, transportation equipment, edible oils, paper and paperboard, iron and steel, tea </p>
<p>Imports - partners:<br />
 China 13.8%, Saudi Arabia 10.5%, UAE 9.7%, US 6.5%, Japan 5.7%, Kuwait 4.7%, Germany 4.2% (2006) </p>
<p>Economic aid - recipient:<br />
 $1.666 billion (2005) </p>
<p>Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:<br />
 $16.03 billion (31 December 2007 est.) </p>
<p>Debt - external:<br />
 $40.32 billion (31 December 2007 est.) </p>
<p>Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:<br />
 $14.67 billion (2006 est.) </p>
<p>Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:<br />
 $885 million (2006 est.) </p>
<p>Market value of publicly traded shares:<br />
 $45.52 billion (2006) </p>
<p>Currency (code):<br />
 Pakistani rupee (PKR) </p>
<p>Currency code:<br />
 PKR </p>
<p>Exchange rates:<br />
 Pakistani rupees per US dollar - 60.6295 (2007), 60.35 (2006), 59.515 (2005), 58.258 (2004), 57.752 (2003) </p>
<p>Fiscal year:<br />
 1 July - 30 June </p>
<p>Communications<br />
 Pakistan</p>
<p>Telephones - main lines in use:<br />
 5.24 million (2006) </p>
<p>Telephones - mobile cellular:<br />
 63.16 million (2007) </p>
<p>Telephone system:<br />
 general assessment: the telecommunications infrastructure is improving dramatically with foreign and domestic investments into fixed-line and mobile networks; mobile-cellular subscribership has skyrocketed, reaching some 63 million in mid-2007, up from only about 300,000 in 2000; fiber systems are being constructed throughout the country to aid in network growth; main line availability has risen only marginally over the same period and there are still difficulties getting main line service to rural areas<br />
domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable, cellular, and satellite networks<br />
international: country code - 92; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable systems that provide links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); 3 operational international gateway exchanges (1 at Karachi and 2 at Islamabad); microwave radio relay to neighboring countries (2006) </p>
<p>Radio broadcast stations:<br />
 AM 31, FM 68, shortwave NA (2006) </p>
<p>Radios:<br />
 13.5 million (1997) </p>
<p>Television broadcast stations:<br />
 20 (5 state-run channels and 15 privately-owned satellite channels) (2006) </p>
<p>Televisions:<br />
 3.1 million (1997) </p>
<p>Internet country code:<br />
 .pk </p>
<p>Internet hosts:<br />
 164,067 (2007) </p>
<p>Internet Service Providers (ISPs):<br />
 30 (2000) </p>
<p>Internet users:<br />
 12 million (2006) </p>
<p>Transportation<br />
 Pakistan</p>
<p>Airports:<br />
 146 (2007) </p>
<p>Airports - with paved runways:<br />
 total: 92<br />
over 3,047 m: 16<br />
2,438 to 3,047 m: 19<br />
1,524 to 2,437 m: 29<br />
914 to 1,523 m: 18<br />
under 914 m: 10 (2007) </p>
<p>Airports - with unpaved runways:<br />
 total: 54<br />
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1<br />
1,524 to 2,437 m: 16<br />
914 to 1,523 m: 13<br />
under 914 m: 24 (2007) </p>
<p>Heliports:<br />
 18 (2007) </p>
<p>Pipelines:<br />
 gas 10,398 km; oil 2,076 km (2007) </p>
<p>Railways:<br />
 total: 8,163 km<br />
broad gauge: 7,718 km 1.676-m gauge (293 km electrified)<br />
narrow gauge: 445 km 1.000-m gauge (2006) </p>
<p>Roadways:<br />
 total: 258,340 km<br />
paved: 167,146 km (includes 711 km of expressways)<br />
unpaved: 91,194 km (2004) </p>
<p>Merchant marine:<br />
 total: 14 ships (1000 GRT or over) 325,254 GRT/536,876 DWT<br />
by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 10, petroleum tanker 3<br />
registered in other countries: 12 (Comoros 2, Hong Kong 1, North Korea 1, Malta 2, Panama 5, St Vincent and The Grenadines 1) (2007) </p>
<p>Ports and terminals:<br />
 Karachi, Port Muhammad Bin Qasim </p>
<p>Military<br />
 Pakistan</p>
<p>Military branches:<br />
 Army (includes National Guard), Navy (includes Marines and Maritime Security Agency), Pakistan Air Force (Pakistan Fiza&#8217;ya) (2008) </p>
<p>Military service age and obligation:<br />
 16 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot be deployed for combat until age of 18; the Pakistani Air Force and Pakistani Navy have inducted their first female pilots and sailors (2006) </p>
<p>Manpower available for military service:<br />
 males age 16-49: 42,633,765<br />
females age 16-49: 40,114,017 (2008 est.) </p>
<p>Manpower fit for military service:<br />
 males age 16-49: 32,453,913<br />
females age 16-49: 31,369,057 (2008 est.) </p>
<p>Manpower reaching military service age annually:<br />
 males age 16-49: 1,976,444<br />
females age 16-49: 1,856,505 (2008 est.) </p>
<p>Military expenditures - percent of GDP:<br />
 3.2% (2006; 3% 2007 est.) </p>
<p>Transnational Issues<br />
 Pakistan</p>
<p>Disputes - international:<br />
 various talks and confidence-building measures cautiously have begun to defuse tensions over Kashmir, particularly since the October 2005 earthquake in the region; Kashmir nevertheless remains the site of the world&#8217;s largest and most militarized territorial dispute with portions under the de facto administration of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas); UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) has maintained a small group of peacekeepers since 1949; India does not recognize Pakistan&#8217;s ceding historic Kashmir lands to China in 1964; India and Pakistan have maintained their 2004 cease fire in Kashmir and initiated discussions on defusing the armed stand-off in the Siachen glacier region; Pakistan protests India&#8217;s fencing the highly militarized Line of Control and construction of the Baglihar Dam on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir, which is part of the larger dispute on water sharing of the Indus River and its tributaries; to defuse tensions and prepare for discussions on a maritime boundary, India and Pakistan seek technical resolution of the disputed boundary in Sir Creek estuary at the mouth of the Rann of Kutch in the Arabian Sea; Pakistani maps continue to show the Junagadh claim in India&#8217;s Gujarat State; by 2005, Pakistan, with UN assistance, repatriated 2.3 million Afghan refugees leaving slightly more than a million, many of whom remain at their own choosing; Pakistan has proposed and Afghanistan protests construction of a fence and laying of mines along portions of their porous border; Pakistan has sent troops into remote tribal areas to monitor and control the border with Afghanistan and to stem terrorist or other illegal activities </p>
<p>Refugees and internally displaced persons:<br />
 refugees (country of origin): 1,043,984 (Afghanistan)<br />
IDPs: undetermined (government strikes on Islamic militants in South Waziristan); 34,000 (October 2005 earthquake; most of those displaced returned to their home villages in the spring of 2006) (2007) </p>
<p>Illicit drugs:<br />
 opium poppy cultivation estimated to be 800 hectares in 2005 yielding a potential production of 4 metric tons of pure heroin; federal and provincial authorities continue to conduct anti-poppy campaigns that force eradication - fines and arrests will take place if the ban on poppy cultivation is not observed; key transit point for Afghan drugs, including heroin, opium, morphine, and hashish, bound for Western markets, the Gulf States, and Africa; financial crimes related to drug trafficking, terrorism, corruption, and smuggling remain problems </p>
<p>jia mahagir!</p>
]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>By: MAHAGIR</title>
		<link>http://www.pakspectator.com/pir-of-london/#comment-139959</link>
		<dc:creator>MAHAGIR</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 18 Dec 2008 05:43:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://www.pakspectator.com/pir-of-london/#comment-139959</guid>
		<description>AGAIN BELIEVING THAT ALL THE SITE VISITORS ARE FINE!

MY DEAR!

I! ON BEHALF OF ALL THE MAHAGIRS WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A SOUND SIGHT  OF SEVERAL VERY VERY DARK POINTS, WHICH MEDIA AS WELL AS THE ADMINISTERATION :-

1. MQM(ALTAF) IS REPRESENTING A WHOLE FAME PARTY BUT WHY THEY USED TO THREATEN THE MOST POWERFUL &#38; MOST HARDWORKING PATHAN AS WELL AS AFGHANI NATIONALS!

2. IF THEY MQM(ALTAF) IS A MULTI ETHANTIC PARTY, THEN WHY THEY USED URDU THE TOUNGE LANGUAGE OF PAKISTANI NATION AS THE PARTY LANGUAGE?

3. IF THE SAID PARTY! IS THE SAVIOUR OF ALL THE WHITECOLLERS PEOPLE! THEN WHY THEY ARE USING SUCH SHAMEFUL SCHEMES LIKE COMMUNITY POLICE?

4. IF THEY ARE THE TOTALLY MIDDLE CLASS REPRESENTATIVE THEN! WHY THEY ARE THEY ARE USING TO SLAUGHTERING MAHAGIRS!

5. IF THEY ARE, TOTALLY FACT BASED, THEN WHO WILL ANSWER ABOUT THE BLOOD OF INNOCENT MAHAGIRS!

6. IF THEY ARE OWNING THE CITY, THEN WHO GAVE THEM THE RIGHT?

7. IF THEY ARE ANTI TALIBAN &#38; ANTI SELFISH RELIGOUS PARTIES THEN WHO WILL ANS THE WHOLE MAHAGIR COMMUNITY AS WELL AS ALL THE PEOPLE AREOUND ALL OVER THE WORLD THAT MR. ALTAF HUSSAIN USE ISLAM AS WELL AS THE HOLY BOOK QURAN FOR THE THE PERPOSE OF TAKING OATH FROM THE BRAIN WASHED MAHAGIR BOYS!


LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST! OR MAY BE THE LEAST THAT !
WE MAHAGIRS HIGHLY CONDEMN THAT WE ARE NOT THE DISLOYL SECT! WE LOVE ALL THE NATIONS,COSTOUS,CAST ,CREED &#38; TOUNGES OF PAKISTAN!

ALTAF HUSSAIN IS NOT ONLY USING THE NAME OF MAHAGIRS UP TILL NOW BUT ALSO HANGING THE URDU LANGUAGE AS HIS OWN PROPERTY!

KINDLY TRY TO UNDERSTAND THAT ALTAF NEVER REPRESENT MAHAGIR SECT HE ONLY USES THE WORD,HE IS AGAINST THE IDEOLOGY OF MAHAGIRS!

KINDLY COMMENT ME ON m4mahagir@yahoo.com

ONE WHO IS AGAINST THE IDEOLOGY OF MAHAGIRS,HE IS THE BETRAYAL OF THE WHOLE MAHAGIR SECT, ONE WHO  CONSPIRE US, HE IS;WAS;WILL NEVER NEITHER &#38; NOR FROM US!HE DESERVS DEATH!

JIA MAHAGIR
SADA JIA MAHAGIR
SADA JIA PUNJABI
SADA JIA BALOUCHI
SADA JIA AFGHANI
SADA JIA SARAIKI
SADA JIA HINDKOS
SADA JIA HAZARAWALS
SADA JIA PAKHTOONS
SADA JIA SINDHIS
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BUT WE WILL NEVER COMPROMISE ON THE CASTE OF OURS!
MAHAGIRS DESERVES TO BE SOVERIGEN!

JIA MAHAGIR
m4mahagir@yahoo.com</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>AGAIN BELIEVING THAT ALL THE SITE VISITORS ARE FINE!</p>
<p>MY DEAR!</p>
<p>I! ON BEHALF OF ALL THE MAHAGIRS WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A SOUND SIGHT  OF SEVERAL VERY VERY DARK POINTS, WHICH MEDIA AS WELL AS THE ADMINISTERATION :-</p>
<p>1. MQM(ALTAF) IS REPRESENTING A WHOLE FAME PARTY BUT WHY THEY USED TO THREATEN THE MOST POWERFUL &amp; MOST HARDWORKING PATHAN AS WELL AS AFGHANI NATIONALS!</p>
<p>2. IF THEY MQM(ALTAF) IS A MULTI ETHANTIC PARTY, THEN WHY THEY USED URDU THE TOUNGE LANGUAGE OF PAKISTANI NATION AS THE PARTY LANGUAGE?</p>
<p>3. IF THE SAID PARTY! IS THE SAVIOUR OF ALL THE WHITECOLLERS PEOPLE! THEN WHY THEY ARE USING SUCH SHAMEFUL SCHEMES LIKE COMMUNITY POLICE?</p>
<p>4. IF THEY ARE THE TOTALLY MIDDLE CLASS REPRESENTATIVE THEN! WHY THEY ARE THEY ARE USING TO SLAUGHTERING MAHAGIRS!</p>
<p>5. IF THEY ARE, TOTALLY FACT BASED, THEN WHO WILL ANSWER ABOUT THE BLOOD OF INNOCENT MAHAGIRS!</p>
<p>6. IF THEY ARE OWNING THE CITY, THEN WHO GAVE THEM THE RIGHT?</p>
<p>7. IF THEY ARE ANTI TALIBAN &amp; ANTI SELFISH RELIGOUS PARTIES THEN WHO WILL ANS THE WHOLE MAHAGIR COMMUNITY AS WELL AS ALL THE PEOPLE AREOUND ALL OVER THE WORLD THAT MR. ALTAF HUSSAIN USE ISLAM AS WELL AS THE HOLY BOOK QURAN FOR THE THE PERPOSE OF TAKING OATH FROM THE BRAIN WASHED MAHAGIR BOYS!</p>
<p>LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST! OR MAY BE THE LEAST THAT !<br />
WE MAHAGIRS HIGHLY CONDEMN THAT WE ARE NOT THE DISLOYL SECT! WE LOVE ALL THE NATIONS,COSTOUS,CAST ,CREED &amp; TOUNGES OF PAKISTAN!</p>
<p>ALTAF HUSSAIN IS NOT ONLY USING THE NAME OF MAHAGIRS UP TILL NOW BUT ALSO HANGING THE URDU LANGUAGE AS HIS OWN PROPERTY!</p>
<p>KINDLY TRY TO UNDERSTAND THAT ALTAF NEVER REPRESENT MAHAGIR SECT HE ONLY USES THE WORD,HE IS AGAINST THE IDEOLOGY OF MAHAGIRS!</p>
<p>KINDLY COMMENT ME ON <a href="mailto:m4mahagir@yahoo.com">m4mahagir@yahoo.com</a></p>
<p>ONE WHO IS AGAINST THE IDEOLOGY OF MAHAGIRS,HE IS THE BETRAYAL OF THE WHOLE MAHAGIR SECT, ONE WHO  CONSPIRE US, HE IS;WAS;WILL NEVER NEITHER &amp; NOR FROM US!HE DESERVS DEATH!</p>
<p>JIA MAHAGIR<br />
SADA JIA MAHAGIR<br />
SADA JIA PUNJABI<br />
SADA JIA BALOUCHI<br />
SADA JIA AFGHANI<br />
SADA JIA SARAIKI<br />
SADA JIA HINDKOS<br />
SADA JIA HAZARAWALS<br />
SADA JIA PAKHTOONS<br />
SADA JIA SINDHIS<br />
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<p>;<br />
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BUT WE WILL NEVER COMPROMISE ON THE CASTE OF OURS!<br />
MAHAGIRS DESERVES TO BE SOVERIGEN!</p>
<p>JIA MAHAGIR<br />
<a href="mailto:m4mahagir@yahoo.com">m4mahagir@yahoo.com</a></p>
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	<item>
		<title>By: MAHAGIR</title>
		<link>http://www.pakspectator.com/pir-of-london/#comment-139950</link>
		<dc:creator>MAHAGIR</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 18 Dec 2008 05:12:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://www.pakspectator.com/pir-of-london/#comment-139950</guid>
		<description>M A H A G I  R 

Hi! 

Believing that you all are fine &#38; enjoying the day &#38; nights with heart &#38; soul. 

My highly respectable friends! 

Boys &#38; girls! 

Mothers &#38; fathers! 

Dude &#38; babes! 

The cause of this message is just to convey a significant point; the point is pretty much clear. 

My friends! 

Here approximately each &#38; every body used up all the communicating sites just for their mind &#38; heart smoothness. But I don't want to act upon them. I don't have any intention to cheat or to fraud you.   

I SMMS@M on behalf of all MAHAGIRS' nationals just want to describe some facts about the anti MAHAGIR organizations &#38; anti nationalists. This anti nationalist squad is a pressure group, they just want to hijack the administration of the government &#38; skyjack the power of the common man. 

This anti MAHAGIR gang is a offspring of ours. They traitor us (the whole MAHAGIR sect),they are the agents of a group of criminals. The intention of them is just to have a complete &#38; Un shareable possession in Karachi. They put off all the rules, regulations, policy, conventions, theory, principles, and strategy just to gain the taste of power. 

They have a policy to cut off all the addressing finger, they have an strategy to slice all the thinking minds. 

My dear comrades! 

I just have an ambition to create an equal right oriented society, it is not a easy or trouble free thing but if I want then I will have to pay! 

In recent they created a panic in Karachi by twisting a matter of fact of PAKHTOONS &#38; URDU-SPEAKING people, formerly they called up all the PAKHTOONS, TALIBAN. In past they demoralize the sect of ours by forming a anti MAHAGIR group, by demolishing the hub of "MAHAGIR-QOUMI-MOVEMENT", "BAIT-UL-HAMZA". 

Last but not the least all the MAHAGIRS are peace lovers, we don't have any flatten intention for any of the nationalists. 

My dear friends! 

Concluding that 

MAHAGIRS are the peace lovers; we have no mash motive for Punjabis. 

MAHAGIRS are moderation lovers; we have no merciless thoughts for SINDHIS. 

MAHAGIRS are education lovers; we have no vicious feeling for PAKHTOONS. 

MAHAGIRS are religion lover; we have no unkind sentiments for BALOCHIS. 

MAHAGIRS are fun lovers; we have no harsh scheme for SARAIKIS. 

MAHAGIRS are art lover; we no callous suggestion for any of the sect, group, splinter group, bloc, division &#38; band of people following any ideology. 

But, but we will not allow any body to play with the ideology, creed, principles, beliefs, philosophy &#38; dogma of MAHAGIRS nationalists. We have our own view points. We will save the sovereignty of ours at any cost. 

Kindly strengthen us by publishing, polishing, propagating, transmitting, and circulating the facts as written. 

Kindly join us if the thoughts of mine are the heart beats of yours. 

  

"If you want a beam of light, then you will have to light up your self". 

  

Take care, 

Have fun! 

Be optimist!                                                                  Your MAHAGIRS friend. 

                                                                                    SMMS@M 
 

when there is faith, then there is no fear</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>M A H A G I  R </p>
<p>Hi! </p>
<p>Believing that you all are fine &amp; enjoying the day &amp; nights with heart &amp; soul. </p>
<p>My highly respectable friends! </p>
<p>Boys &amp; girls! </p>
<p>Mothers &amp; fathers! </p>
<p>Dude &amp; babes! </p>
<p>The cause of this message is just to convey a significant point; the point is pretty much clear. </p>
<p>My friends! </p>
<p>Here approximately each &amp; every body used up all the communicating sites just for their mind &amp; heart smoothness. But I don&#8217;t want to act upon them. I don&#8217;t have any intention to cheat or to fraud you.   </p>
<p>I SMMS@M on behalf of all MAHAGIRS&#8217; nationals just want to describe some facts about the anti MAHAGIR organizations &amp; anti nationalists. This anti nationalist squad is a pressure group, they just want to hijack the administration of the government &amp; skyjack the power of the common man. </p>
<p>This anti MAHAGIR gang is a offspring of ours. They traitor us (the whole MAHAGIR sect),they are the agents of a group of criminals. The intention of them is just to have a complete &amp; Un shareable possession in Karachi. They put off all the rules, regulations, policy, conventions, theory, principles, and strategy just to gain the taste of power. </p>
<p>They have a policy to cut off all the addressing finger, they have an strategy to slice all the thinking minds. </p>
<p>My dear comrades! </p>
<p>I just have an ambition to create an equal right oriented society, it is not a easy or trouble free thing but if I want then I will have to pay! </p>
<p>In recent they created a panic in Karachi by twisting a matter of fact of PAKHTOONS &amp; URDU-SPEAKING people, formerly they called up all the PAKHTOONS, TALIBAN. In past they demoralize the sect of ours by forming a anti MAHAGIR group, by demolishing the hub of &#8220;MAHAGIR-QOUMI-MOVEMENT&#8221;, &#8220;BAIT-UL-HAMZA&#8221;. </p>
<p>Last but not the least all the MAHAGIRS are peace lovers, we don&#8217;t have any flatten intention for any of the nationalists. </p>
<p>My dear friends! </p>
<p>Concluding that </p>
<p>MAHAGIRS are the peace lovers; we have no mash motive for Punjabis. </p>
<p>MAHAGIRS are moderation lovers; we have no merciless thoughts for SINDHIS. </p>
<p>MAHAGIRS are education lovers; we have no vicious feeling for PAKHTOONS. </p>
<p>MAHAGIRS are religion lover; we have no unkind sentiments for BALOCHIS. </p>
<p>MAHAGIRS are fun lovers; we have no harsh scheme for SARAIKIS. </p>
<p>MAHAGIRS are art lover; we no callous suggestion for any of the sect, group, splinter group, bloc, division &amp; band of people following any ideology. </p>
<p>But, but we will not allow any body to play with the ideology, creed, principles, beliefs, philosophy &amp; dogma of MAHAGIRS nationalists. We have our own view points. We will save the sovereignty of ours at any cost. </p>
<p>Kindly strengthen us by publishing, polishing, propagating, transmitting, and circulating the facts as written. </p>
<p>Kindly join us if the thoughts of mine are the heart beats of yours. </p>
<p>&#8220;If you want a beam of light, then you will have to light up your self&#8221;. </p>
<p>Take care, </p>
<p>Have fun! </p>
<p>Be optimist!                                                                  Your MAHAGIRS friend. </p>
<p>                                                                                    SMMS@M </p>
<p>when there is faith, then there is no fear</p>
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	<item>
		<title>By: Kashif</title>
		<link>http://www.pakspectator.com/pir-of-london/#comment-91071</link>
		<dc:creator>Kashif</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 03 Sep 2008 04:37:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://www.pakspectator.com/pir-of-london/#comment-91071</guid>
		<description>Well,for me whenever I see (and hear) an Altaf Bhais's speech being telecasted on the TV channels via Telephone and a large number of people sitting there with almost a pin drop silence and the way Bhai delivers his speech, I dont know why I somehow feel that another religious sect is in the making.

Pardon me but I just cant escape this feeling.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Well,for me whenever I see (and hear) an Altaf Bhais&#8217;s speech being telecasted on the TV channels via Telephone and a large number of people sitting there with almost a pin drop silence and the way Bhai delivers his speech, I dont know why I somehow feel that another religious sect is in the making.</p>
<p>Pardon me but I just cant escape this feeling.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>By: Aftab S. Alam</title>
		<link>http://www.pakspectator.com/pir-of-london/#comment-91042</link>
		<dc:creator>Aftab S. Alam</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 03 Sep 2008 04:17:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://www.pakspectator.com/pir-of-london/#comment-91042</guid>
		<description>Mugsi Sahib, you say, "..............Nine Zero, the dreaded headquarter of MQM." You forgot to mention that it's loved by MQM's voters, it is not that only Mushahid, Pervez Elahi and Shujat have been there. Nawaz and BB and Zardari have all had the honour to be pilgrims there. No matter how much you hate it, those who know the importance of its votebank do care. MQM's stength and popularity bothers you a lot doesn't it, but then it is time you learnt to respect it.

Great day!</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Mugsi Sahib, you say, &#8220;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;..Nine Zero, the dreaded headquarter of MQM.&#8221; You forgot to mention that it&#8217;s loved by MQM&#8217;s voters, it is not that only Mushahid, Pervez Elahi and Shujat have been there. Nawaz and BB and Zardari have all had the honour to be pilgrims there. No matter how much you hate it, those who know the importance of its votebank do care. MQM&#8217;s stength and popularity bothers you a lot doesn&#8217;t it, but then it is time you learnt to respect it.</p>
<p>Great day!</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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