Landmarks of Pakistan

Each country has symbols, monuments, structures which become its recognition the world over. Eiffel Tower of France, Statue of Liberty of USA and the London Bridge for UK. As of Pakistan, Koh Kambaran (Ras Koh Hills), Minar-e-Pakistan, the Grand Trunk Road, the Badshahi Mosque, Shahi Qilla, Shalamar Bagh, the River Indus, the K-2 , the Trango Towers, the KKH, Zamzamma (the Kim's Gun), the Rohtas Fort and the Blind Dolphin of River Indus are some of the many landmarks that have become synonymous to Pakistan. Two buildings attributed to Jinnah (Quaid-e-Azam), founder of Pakistan, one his mausoleum at Karachi and his last resting place at Ziarat, Balochistan just before his death have assumed significant importance. The tower like structure of Government College (and University) at Lahore not only is a symbol of structural might but also of quality education and torch bearer of enlightenment for future generations. An exception has been made in this section by adding "Kafir Kalash - the Wearers of the Black Robe" as one of the landmarks of Pakistan, for the simple reason that these people are unique in the entire world and tourists from all over the world come to see them and try to trace back their ancestry. This section of MadeinPk.COM highlights the history, importance and structure details of some of the landmarks in Pakistan. Koh Kambaran (Ras Koh Hills) Mosques Badshahi Mosque Faisal Mosque Masjid Wazir Khan Shah Jahan Mosque Masjid Mahabat Khan Bhong Mosque Forts, Monuments and Gardens Lahore Fort Rohtas Fort Drawar Fort Ranikot Fort Minar-e-Pakistan National Monument Ziarat Residency Wah Gardens Shalamar Gardens Chauburji Hiran Minar Kallar Kahar Tombs and Mausoleums Makli Necropolis Tomb-Qutbuddin Aibak Jahangir's Tomb Tomb of Noor Jahan Mazar-e-Quaid Natural Wonders K-2 Trango Towers Blind Dolphin Khewra Salt Mines Bhambhore Kafir Kalash Man made Structures and Objects Khojak Railway Tunnel Grand Trunk Road Khyber Pass Karakoram Highway GCU Lahore Zamzamma Sukkur Barrage

Mega Projects of Pakistan

Indus Basin Water Treaty 1960 At the time of partition of India and Pakistan, there arose a dispute on the use of water resources since all rivers flowing in to Pakistan originated from India. The accord signed in 1960 at Karachi, Pakistan gave water of Indus, Jhelum and Chenab to Pakistan, whereas Ravi and Beas (Sutlej in Pakistan) were to be used by India. The treaty was signed by Pakistani president Ayub Khan and Indian prime minister Nehru. Consequent to this agreed upon distribution, decision was taken to build to big water storages on the Indus (Tarbela Dam) and Jhelum (Mangla Dam) rivers. Thereafter, many small dams have also been added. In 90s, Ghazi Barotha project came up without constructing a water reservoir for generating electricity. Highways and Motorways Pakistan inherited a poor infrastructure of road network throughout the country. With the passage of time, the road network has been considerable been improved. The construction of first mega project in this sector was the Super Highway connecting Karachi and Hyderabad in the province of Sind. Much later, the marvel of road construction saw coming up of the Karakoram Highway (KKH) connecting Pakistan to China over some of the rugged mountains of the world along the gushing and roaring river Indus. Then came the era of Motorways in the 90s with the construction of M-2, connecting Lahore and Islamabad. This chain is now been extended to many other destinations and is still expanding. The recent addition is the Coastal Highway, connecting Karachi to the newly developed port of Gwadar along the Makran coast skirting the Arabian Sea. Sea Ports Since 1947, Pakistan has had only one sea port at Karachi, which has been under tremendous pressure to bear the burden of all export and import related activities. Karachi. Although Pakistan has a long stretch of coastline along the Arabian Sea from the Sir Creek in the east to Gwader in the west, no worthwhile effort had been put to increase the outlets to the sea. Port Bin Qasim, some 35 kilometres west of Karachi was the second outlet added mainly to import raw material for the only Steel Mills of the country. Later Pakistan Navy constructed and developed a new base for itself at Ormara. Now work is underway to develop a deep sea port at Gwader, just at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, which would go a long way in reducing shipping costs for all imports, specially crude oil from the Gulf states as well as providing a short cut to warm waters to CARs, Afghanistan and China in the north. Future Requirement of Water and Construction of Big Dams Presently, out of a total of 77 million acres of cultivable land in Pakistan, only only 44 million acres is under cultivation due to sacristy of water, which is to the magnitude of 9 MAF. Due to silting of Mangla and Tarbela Dams, water capacity is reducing @ 3.6 MAF and if this trend continues, there will be a shortfall of 25 MAF of water by 2020. Although the present government has undertaken a gigantic task of brick lining the small water courses from canals to farms, this would be able to save only 5 MAF of water, leaving a net shortfall of 15-20 MAF of water. Unless, 3-5 major dams are built by 2016, Pakistan will have left with no water to irrigate its lands. Therefore the cabinet has recently decided to build five major dams on the Indus and other rivers to save excess water running down the Indus into Arabian Sea. The proposed dams on the Indus include Skardu, Bhasha, Akhori and Kalabagh dams. Out of these Kalabagh Dam has been much controversial, specially by the NWFP and Sind provinces. Therefore , for the time being the government has decided to go ahead with the construction of Bhasha and Munda Dams, both located in the NWFP. Comparison - Skardu, Bhasha, Akhori and Kalabagh Dams All mega dams planned on River Indus are equally important - however, Skardu Dam being far up in the north may prove to be expensive since the transmission losses from extended power lines will be more besides submerging of Skardu city. Bhasha Dam will have a live storage capacity of 7.30 MAF and installed power generation capacity of 4500 megawatts. It will store only 50 MAF glacial water from the northern mountains. Estimated cost $ 6.5 billion. Kalabagh Dam is planned to be constructed below Akhori (Talagang) with a live storage capacity of 6.1 MAF and installed capacity of maximum 3,600 megawatts at an estimated cost of 6.1 billion $. Unlike Bhasha, it will also have 90 MAF water inlet from Soan, Kabul, Chitral and Haro rivers and thus will be able to store the monsoon water from these additional rivers. Akhori Dam near Talagang will be able to store 6 MAF while water available will be 14 MAF with an installed capacity of 600 megawatts Skardu Dam is presently under study and hence most of the data is only approximate. The water available will be 27 MAF. Munda Dam is a prelude to the construction of Kalabagh Dam, basically designed to save Nowshera from flooding and to alleviate any misgivings the people of NWFP may have on the construction of Kalabagh Dam, which must be built to store all downstream rain/monsoon water which gets wasted away due to non availability of any water storage reservoir downstream Kalabagh. Water Disputes with India Since the Indus Basin Treaty, India has been violating it in one way or the other. The Baglihar Dam being the latest incursion on the water being made available to Pakistan from the Chenab river. As per the Treaty, India is not allowed to build storage or diversion of the river water. However, under the garb of only installing hdro-electricity generation capability, India has planned construction in such a way that the site can store the river water and can thus be controlled to her advantage. Presently, the World Bank is monitoring the issue and no decision has yet been taken.

Nuclear Pakistan

Pakistan's Nuclear Explosion - Takbeer Day - May 28, 1998

Pakistan's nuclear weapons program was established in 1972 by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, who founded the program while he was Minister for Fuel, Power and Natural Resources, and later became President and Prime Minister. Shortly after the loss of East Pakistan in the 1971 war with India, Bhutto initiated the program with a meeting of physicists and engineers at Multan in January 1972.

India's 1974 testing of a nuclear "device" gave Pakistan's nuclear program new momentum. Through the late 1970s, Pakistan's program acquired sensitive uranium enrichment technology and expertise. The 1975 arrival of Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khanconsiderably advanced these efforts. Dr. Khan is a German-trained metallurgist who brought with him knowledge of gas centrifuge technologies that he had acquired through his position at the classified URENCO uranium enrichment plant in the Netherlands.

Dr. Khan also reportedly brought with him uranium enrichment technologies from Europe. He was put in charge of building, equipping and operating Pakistan's Kahuta facility, which was established in 1976. Under Khan's direction, Pakistan employed an extensive clandestine network in order to obtain the necessary materials and technology for its developing uranium enrichment capabilities.

In 1985, Pakistan crossed the threshold of weapons-grade uranium production, and by 1986 it is thought to have produced enough fissile material for a nuclear weapon. Pakistan continued advancing its uranium enrichment program, and according to Pakistani sources, the nation acquired the ability to carry out a nuclear explosion in1987.

Infrastructure

Pakistan's nuclear program is based primarily on highly enriched uranium (HEU), which is produced at the A. Q. Khan research laboratory at Kahuta, a gas centrifuge uranium enrichment facility. The Kahuta facility has been in operation since the early 1980s. By the early 1990s, Kahuta had an estimated 3,000 centrifuges in operation, and Pakistan continued its pursuit of expanded uranium enrichment capabilities

Nuclear Tests

On May 28, 1998 Pakistan announced that it had successfully conducted five nuclear tests. The Pakistani Atomic Energy Commission reported that the five nuclear tests conducted on May 28 generated a seismic signal of 5.0 on the Richter scale, with a total yield of up to 40 KT (equivalent TNT). Dr. A.Q. Khan claimed that one device was a boosted fission device and that the other four were sub-kiloton nuclear devices.

On May 30, 1998 Pakistan tested one more nuclear warhead with a reported yield of 12 kilotons. The tests were conducted atBalochistan, bringing the total number of claimed tests to six. It has also been claimed by Pakistani sources that at least one additional device, initially planned for detonation on 30 May 1998, remained emplaced underground ready for detonation.

The decision of nuclear tests was made by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, amid high pressure from the world. These tests came slightly more than two weeks after India carried out five nuclear tests of its own on May 11 and 13 and after many warnings by Pakistani officials that they would respond to India.

Pakistan: Art And Culture

Pakistan has every reason to be proud of the thousands of years old and rich tradition of its arts and crafts. In the post-independence period, the successive governments have been providing substantial state help and initiative for the uplift of arts and crafts in the country. A wider recognition of the accomplishments of crafts-people has been facilitated by the activities of the National Crafts Council and promotional plans of organizations such as the Export Promotion Bureau and Small Industries Corporations.Pakistani craftsmen are well reputed in producing quality products in clay, stone, fabrics, carpets, wood, metal, jewelry and leather. Culture Pakistan has been the cradle of a civilization that dates back more than five millennium. Over the centuries, through successive waves of migrations from the north-west, as well as by internal migrations across the subcontinent, Aryans, Persians, Greeks, Arabs, and Mughals came and settled in this region. However, it was Islam and Islamic traditions that finally took roots and formed the mainspring of Pakistan's cultural heritage. Muslims from the earliest days, built cities, forts, palaces, mosques, madrassas (religious schools), tombs and mausoleums which are marked by simplicity and grandeur, with open spaces and abundance of light in accordance with the Islamic concept of man's direct and open relationship with the Creator. Pakistan inherits immense treasure of culture, and the government is trying its best to preserve and promote this cultural treasure. There are several government agencies such as Pakistan National Council of Arts, Lok Virsa (Folk Heritage), National Film Development Corporation, Authority for Preservation of Moenjodaro and National Archives of Pakistan, each to perform a given set of functions in this area.