Lecture 21: Noun and Narrative

Assignment No. XXXIII. (a) Identify ‘Noun’ in the following paragraphs; (b) read the
excerpt carefully and write a note on ‘The Features that define Pakistan’.
Pakistan, populous and multiethnic country of South Asia. Having a predominately Indo-Iranian
speaking population, Pakistan has historically and culturally been associated with its
neighbours Iran, Afghanistan, and India. Since Pakistan and India achieved independence in 1947, Pakistan has
been distinguished from its larger southeastern neighbour by its overwhelmingly Muslim population (as opposed
to the predominance of Hindus in India). Pakistan has struggled throughout its existence to attain political stability
and sustained social development. Its capital is Islamabad, in the foothills of the Himalayas in the northern part
of the country, and its largest city is Karachi, in the south on the coast of the Arabian Sea.

Pakistan was brought into being at the time of the partition of British India, in response to the demands
of Islamic nationalists: as articulated by the All India Muslim League under the leadership of Mohammed Ali
Jinnah, India’s Muslims would receive just representation only in their own country. From independence until
1971, Pakistan (both de facto and in law) consisted of two regions—West Pakistan, in the Indus River basin in
the northwestern portion of the Indian subcontinent, and East Pakistan, located more than 1,000 miles (1,600 km)
to the east in the vast delta of the Ganges-Brahmaputra river system. In response to grave internal political
problems that erupted in civil war in 1971, East Pakistan was proclaimed the independent country of Bangladesh.

Pakistan encompasses a rich diversity of landscapes, starting in the northwest, from the
soaring Pamirs and the Karakoram Range through a maze of mountain ranges, a complex of valleys, and
inhospitable plateaus, down to the remarkably even surface of the fertile Indus River plain, which drains
southward into the Arabian Sea. It contains a section of the ancient Silk Road and the Khyber Pass, the famous
passageway that has brought outside influences into the otherwise isolated subcontinent. Lofty peaks such
as K2 and Nanga Parbat, in the Pakistani-administered region of Kashmir, present a challenging lure to mountain
climbers. Along the Indus River, the artery of the country, the ancient site of Mohenjo-Daro marks one of the
cradles of civilization.

Yet, politically and culturally, Pakistan has struggled to define itself. Established as a parliamentary
democracy that espoused secular ideas, the country has experienced repeated military coups, and religion—that
is to say, adherence to the values of Sunni Islam—has increasingly become a standard by which political leaders
are measured. In addition, northern Pakistan—particularly the Federally Administered Tribal Areas—has become
a haven for members of neighboring Afghanistan’s ousted Taliban regime and for members of numerous other
Islamic extremist groups. In various parts of the country, instances of ethnic, religious, and social conflict have
flared up from time to time, often rendering those areas virtually ungovernable by the central authorities, and acts
of violence against religious minorities have increased.

At the time of partition in 1947, as many as 10 million Muslim refugees fled their homes in India and
sought refuge in Pakistan—about 8 million in West Pakistan. Virtually an equal number of Hindus and Sikhs were
uprooted from their land and familiar surroundings in what became Pakistan, and they fled to India. Unlike the
earlier migrations, which took centuries to unfold, these chaotic population transfers took hardly one year. The
resulting impact on the life of the subcontinent has reverberated ever since in the rivalries between the two
countries, and each has continued to seek a lasting modus vivendi with the other. Pakistan and India have fought
four wars, three of which (1948–49, 1965, and 1999) were over Kashmir. Since 1998 both countries have also
possessed nuclear weapons, further heightening tensions between them.

Pakistan is bounded by Iran to the west, Afghanistan to the northwest and north, China to the northeast,
and India to the east and southeast. The coast of the Arabian Sea forms its southern border. Since 1947 the
Kashmir region, along the western Himalayas, has been disputed, with Pakistan, India, and China each controlling
sections of the territory. Part of the Pakistani-administered territory comprises the so-called Azad Kashmir (“Free
Kashmir”) region—which Pakistan nonetheless considers an independent state, with its capital at Muzaffarabad.
The remainder of Pakistani-administered Kashmir consists of Gilgit and Baltistan, known collectively as the
Northern Areas.

Aridity is the most pervasive aspect of Pakistan’s climate, and its continental nature can be seen in the
extremes of temperature. Pakistan is situated on the edge of a monsoonal (i.e., wet-dry) system. Precipitation
throughout the country generally is erratic, and its volume is highly variable. The rainy monsoon winds, the exact
margins of which vary from year to year, blow in intermittent bursts, and most moisture comes in the summer.
Tropical storms from the Arabian Sea provide precipitation to the coastal areas but are also variable in character.
The efficiency of the monsoonal precipitation is poor, because of its concentration from early July to mid-
September, when high temperatures maximize loss through evaporation. In the north the mean annual precipitation
at Peshawar is 13 inches (330 mm), and at Rawalpindi it reaches 37 inches (950 mm). In the plains, however,
mean annual precipitation generally decreases from northeast to southwest, falling from about 20 inches (500 mm)
at Lahore to less than 5 inches (130 mm) in the Indus River corridor and 3.5 inches (90 mm) at Sukkur. Under
maritime influence, precipitation increases slightly to about 6 inches (155 mm) at Hyderabad and 8 inches (200
mm) at Karachi.

The 20-inch (500-mm) precipitation line, which runs northwest from near Lahore, marks off the Potwar
Plateau and a part of the Indus plain in the northeast; these areas receive enough rainfall for dry farming (farming
without irrigation). South of this region, cultivation is confined mainly to riverine strips until the advent of
irrigation. Most of the Balochistan plateau, especially in the west and south, is exceptionally dry.

Pakistan’s continental type of climate is characterized by extreme variations of temperature, both

seasonally and daily. High elevations modify the climate in the cold, snow-covered northern mountains;
temperatures on the Balochistan plateau are somewhat higher. Along the coastal strip, the climate is modified by
sea breezes. In the rest of the country, temperatures reach great extremes in the summer; the mean temperature
during June is 100 °F (38 °C) in the plains, where the highest temperatures can exceed 117 °F (47 °C). Jacobabad,
in Sind, has recorded the highest temperature in Pakistan, 127 °F (53 °C). In the summer, hot winds called loos
blow across the plains during the day. Trees shed their leaves to avoid excessive moisture loss. The dry, hot
weather is broken occasionally by dust storms and thunderstorms that temporarily lower the temperature. Evenings
are cool; the diurnal variation in temperature may be as much as 20 to 30 °F (11 to 17 °C). Winters are cold, with
minimum mean temperatures of about 40 °F (4 °C) in January.

Differences of latitude, elevation, soil type, and climate have favored a variety of plant growth. Drought-
resistant vegetation in the desert consists of stunted thorny scrub, mostly acacia. The plains present a parkland
view of scattered trees. Dry scrub forests, called rakhs, grow in parts of the arid plain. In the northern and
northwestern foothills and plains, shrub forests, principally acacia, and wild olive are found. In the wetter parts of
the northern and northwestern mountains, evergreen coniferous softwood forests, with some broad-leaved species,
grow. Fir, deodar, blue pine (Pinus wallichiana), and spruce are the principal coniferous trees. At lower elevations,
below 3,000 feet (900 metres), broad-leaved oaks, maples, birches, walnuts, and chestnuts predominate. Conifers
are an important source of commercial timber. In the arid landscape of the Potwar Plateau, some hills are only
thinly wooded. In the northern ranges of the Balochistan plateau are some groves of pine and olive. The babul tree
(Acacia Arabica) is common in the Indus River valley, as are many species of fruit trees. The country’s forest
cover is naturally sparse, but it has been diminished further by excessive timber cutting and overgrazing.

Destruction of natural habitats and excessive hunting have led to a reduction in the range of animal life
in large parts of the country, but wildlife can still be found in abundance in some areas. The variety of large
mammals in the northern mountains includes brown bears, Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus, also known as
the Himalayan bear), leopards, rare snow leopards, Siberian ibex (Capra ibex sibirica), and wild sheep, including
markhors, Marco Polo sheep (Ovis ammon polii, a type of argali), and Chiltan wild goats (Capra aegagrus
chialtanensis).Manchhar Lake in Sind has many aquatic birds, including mallards, teals, shovelers, spoonbills,
geese, pochards, and wood ducks. Crocodiles, gavials (crocodile-like reptiles), pythons, and wild boars inhabit
the Indus River delta area. The Indus River itself is home to the Indus river dolphin, a freshwater dolphin whose
habitat has been severely stressed by hunting, pollution, and the creation of dams and barrages. At least two types
of sea turtles, the green and olive ridley, nest on the Makran coast.

Desert gazelles are widely distributed, including nilgais, chinkaras (Gazella gazella bennetti),
and muntjacs. Jackals, foxes, and various wild cats (including Eurasian lynxes, caracals, fishing cats, and jungle
cats [Felis chaus]) are also found throughout the country. Despite occasional reported sightings of the Asiatic
cheetah, that species is likely extinct in Pakistan. A series of national parks and game preserves was established
beginning in the 1970s. However, a number of species have been declared endangered, including the Indus river
dolphin, snow leopard, and gavial.
 Pakistan is one of the most populous countries in the world. Infant mortality has decreased, and life
expectancy has increased; nearly two-thirds of the population is under 30 years of age. The birth rate is higher
than the world’s average, while the death rate is lower. Life expectancy is 66 years for men and 70 years for
women.

The overwhelming demographic fact of Pakistani history is the enormous shift of population during the country’s
partition from India. Millions of Hindus and Sikhs left Pakistan, and about eight million immigrants (muhajirs)—
then roughly one-fourth of the country’s population—arrived from India, bringing their own language
(mostly Urdu), culture, and identity. Most settled in Sindh province, but muhajir pockets can be found throughout
the country.

The major demographic shifts in the post-independence period have been movements within the country
(largely to urban areas), the exodus of large numbers of Pakistanis to live and work abroad, and the influx of large
numbers of Afghan refugees into the country beginning in the early 1980s.

The movement of people to urban areas and abroad can be tied to an overall increase in population—
which has strained resources, particularly in rural areas—largely due to improved health care and dietary intake.
The economies of most parts of the countryside have been unable to absorb the increased population, and many
Pakistanis have turned to the cities in search of jobs. Though Karachi and Lahore are the only two cities that can
properly be called megalopolises, all of the cities of Pakistan have grown rapidly in size and population since
independence. Even in the cities, however, resources have been strained. Beginning in the oil boom of the 1970s,
large numbers of Pakistanis traveled to the Persian Gulf states seeking work. Most found employment as unskilled
labourers, traveling without their families and returning home at the end of their contracted time. Also, a great
many Pakistanis—mostly among the educated professional classes—emigrated to the West, either to the United
States or to the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries, but with advances in modern
communications they often have kept in close contact with other family members still in Pakistan.

During the 1980s millions of Afghans fled to Pakistan during the Afghan War. Most of them settled
along the two countries’ shared border, although a significant number migrated to larger cities. It was only with
the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan in the late 1980s and, more importantly, the end of Taliban rule there in
2001 that significant numbers of Afghans were repatriated. Nevertheless, a great many have remained in refugee
camps in the border areas as well as in Pakistan’s cities.
NOTE: The excerpt has been taken from the article Pakistan by Lawrence Ziring and Shahid Javed Burki, published in
Encyclopedia Britannica.