Shahbaz Garhi located in Mardan district, North West Frontier Province, Pakistan. Shahbaz Garhi is situated on the junction of three ancient routes; first from Kabul to Pushkalavati, second to Swat through Buner, and third to Taxila through Hund on the bank of Indus River. Situated on the modern Mardan-Swabi Road, the town was once a thriving Buddhist city surrounded by monasteries and stupas.

This area has following archaeological sites:

Ashokan Inscriptions
Rock edicts of Ashoka (272-231 BC) were carved on two rocks on a hill. This edict was inscribed in Kharoshthi script.

Stupas to Commemorate the legend of Prince Visvantara
According to one Buddhist legend, Buddha in one of his previous life as Prince Visvantara gave in charity a white miraculous elephant that have the power to produce rain to neighbouring hostile country suffering from draught. His own people banished him. Prince with his wife and two children lived on Mekha-Sanda Hill. Later he gave his two sons to a Brahman in charity who sold them in the market of Shahbaz Garhi. Grandfather of the children recognized his grandchildren and acts of charity of the Prince were recognized by his people and invited him back to the city. Two stupas were built to commemorate these acts by which the Prince achieved dana paramita (Perfection of Charity).

Japanese team in 1960’s excavated sites of this legend as per directions given by Sun Yung and Xuan Zang who visited in 520 AD and 630 AD respectively.

The stupa at Chank Dheri commemorate the while elephant. Sahri Stupa commemorated Prince Visvantara giving up his children. There are ruins of stupa and monasteries on the hill of Mekha-Sanda.

According to a Buddhist legend Buddha in one of his previous life visited this area as Prince Sudana, means ‘of noble charity’. The surrounding plain is still known as Sudana Plain.

Siraj-ji-Takri or Seeraj-ji-Takri is a Buddhist archaeological site located in Sindh, Pakistan. The Buddhist city of Siraj-ji-Takri is located along the western limestone terraces of the Rohri Hills in the Khairpur District of Upper Sindh, along the road that leads to Sorah. Its ruins are still visible on the top of three different mesas, in the form of stone and mud-brick walls and small mounds, whilst other architectural remains were observed along the slopes of the hills in the 1980’s. This city is not mentioned from any text dealing with the history of the Buddhist period of Sindh.


The coastal Harappan site at Sokhta Koh, 'burnt hill' (also known as Sotka Koh) was first surveyed by an American archaeologist George F Dales in 1960, while exploring estuaries along the Makran coast, Balochistan, Pakistan. The site is located about 15 miles north of Pasni. A similar site at Sutkagen-dor lies about 30 miles inland, astride Dasht River, north of Jiwani. Their position along a coastline (that was possibly much farther inland) goes well with evidence of overseas commerce in Harappan times. Based on pottery styles, it is estimated that the settlement belongs to the Mature Harappan (Integration) Era (2600-1900 BC).

Topography
Sokhta Koh is an outcrop of low hillocks in the Shadi Kaur (river) valley, surrounded by jagged, stratified hills north of Pasni. Presently, the river flows just next to the site while loops of old riverbeds meander nearby. Small rivulets and 'nullahs' mostly fed by rainwater, empty into Shadi Kaur, itself rather anaemic in the stark and dry countryside.

While the hillocks are about two miles in circuit, the visible remnants of the settlement, which occupy the south-eastern portion, are less than a mile around. The settlement itself is difficult to appreciate from the ground since no structures stand out in relief. Except for a few sporadic digs, the site has not been extensively excavated.

Dry ravines, which mark out the northern and southern boundaries, traverse the site. Also visible are signs of numerous open-pit ovens buried under rubble. Another noteworthy point is the lack of visible evidence of walled fortification.

Buildings
In the absence of detailed digging, little can be said about the architecture and buildings. However, at several places, erosion by elements reveals remnants of rooms in which stratified rock was used as a base, over which mud or mud-brick walls were raised. Absence of baked bricks, despite a well-established pottery industry, indicates that rainfall may have been low and hence not a threat to mud structures. Riverine flooding, if any, was also probably not a factor due to the siting of the settlement atop hillocks. An aerial view gives a clear indication of rectangular room foundations as well as alignment with the cardinal points of the compass.

Pottery
The site is strewn all over by hundreds of thousands of potsherds which constitute the visible detritus of the extinct settlement. Scores of open pit ovens for firing the pottery can also be discerned. It is tempting to think of this vast pottery-making industry as a sort of a 'packaging facility' for perishable commodities that were exported in exchange for luxury goods. The sherds are of kiln-baked ware that includes jars, plates, pierced colanders, lids with knobs and fine terra cotta bangle-shaped pieces. The pottery is wheel-turned and mostly pink, with a few buff samples. Some wares, particularly jars, have a reddish glazed band around the neck. The designs are a decorative feature of most pottery and are only of black colour. Designs are restricted to geometrical shapes and include horizontal lines of varying thickness, fish scale patterns, intersecting circles, comb-like patterns and wavy lines. Human and animal motifs are notably absent. 'Potters marks' are evident on the rims of some jars and pots. The complete absence of toys, seals, statues and jewellery, at least at the uppermost level, indicate a rather utilitarian environment. Further excavation is bound to reveal at least some elements that might mitigate the seeming socio-cultural isolation of this Harappan outpost.

Abandonment & Relocation
Sokhta Koh may have been abandoned due to recession of coast caused by one or more of following reasons:

• Gradual or catastrophic tectonic uplift
• Deposition of alluvial soil/silt in Shadi Kaur delta
• Deposition of sand on beach and in the estuary by wave action

Evidence of ruins of another location nearer to the sea, at the mouth of Shadi Kaur, seems to indicate possible relocation after the estuary harbour at Sokhta Koh had dried up due to coastal recession. Discovery of a harbour, as well as the source of firewood for large-scale pottery firing would be significant challenges for future excavations.

Significance as a Trading Outpost
Chris J D Kostman in his paper, The Indus Valley Civilization: In Search of Those Elusive Centers and Peripheries, discusses:

"A primary, if not the primary, rationale for long-range trade driving force would be a need for 'luxury goods,' raw materials, and other items not found in the riverine alluvial plain which made up the vast majority of the Indus Civilization. In the Indus Valley, sought-after materials included copper, gold, silver, tin, jasper and agate cherts, carnelian, azurite, lapis, fine shell, steatite, antimony, and ivory. Forays would have been made towards and beyond the civilization's peripheral areas to obtain these goods. At the minimum, then, there is an economic motive for inter-regional travel. Silvio Durante's study (1979) of marine shells from India and their appearance in the archaeological record in such distant sites as Tepe Yahya and Shahr-i-Sokhta in Iran, as well as in the Indus Valley, sheds light on the ancient trading routes of certain types of shells which are specifically and exclusively found along the Indian coastline proper. Durante primarily discusses the marine shell Xancus pyrum and the fact that it was traded whole and intact, then worked or reworked
at its destination site, perhaps then moving on to other locations. The importance of this specific shell is that Xancus pyrum has a very limited geographic distribution and thus has almost the same significance in the field of shells as that of lapis lazuli in the context of mineral resources (as regards the determination of the possible routes along which a locally unavailable raw material is transported from a well-defined place of origin to the place where it is processed and, as also in the case of Xancus pyrum, consumed). Perhaps, as these shells crossed so many cultural hands, they were left unworked in order for the final owner or consumer to work the raw material into a style and usage specific to their region. Durante offers four possible trade routes from their gathering zone along the west and northwest Indian coast to destinations west: sea route direct to the Iranian coastal area; sea route to Sutkagen-dor and Sotka-koh on the Makran coast, then overland westwards; overland through the Indus plain and then through the Makran interior to Sistan; overland through the Indus Valley and then through the Gomal Valley to Sistan."


The westernmost known site of Indus Valley Civilization was Sutkagan Dor. It is located about 480 KM west of Karachi on Makran coast near the Iran border in Baluchistan. A defensive wall of 30 feet wide exists. Though inland, may have been near navigable water in ancient times and on a trade route between other centers.

Takht-i-Bahi or Takht Bahai is a site of historical importance in the Mardan District of the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. It contains the remains of a famous Buddhist monastery from the 1st century CE and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Takht means "throne" and bahi, "water" or "spring" in Persian/Urdu. The monastic complex was called Takht-i-Bahi because it was built atop a hill and also adjacent to a stream.

Takhtbai is the most fertile tehsile in the Mardan Division, There are many crops grown in the Takht Bai Tehsile, some of which are tobacco, wheat and sugar cane. Asia's first sugar mill was built here by the British Government near the Buddhist monastery.


Taxila is an important archaeological site in Pakistan containing the ruins of the Gandhāran city and university of Takshashila (also Takkasila or Taxila) an important Vedic/Hindu and Buddhist centre of learning from the 5th century BCE to the 2nd century CE. In 1980, Taxila was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site with multiple locations.

Historically, Taxila lay at the crossroads of three major trade routes: the royal highway from Pāṭaliputra; the north-western route through Bactria, Kāpiśa, and Puṣkalāvatī (Peshawar); and the route from Kashmir and Central Asia, via Śrinigar, Mānsehrā, and the Haripur valley across the Khunjerab pass to the Silk Road.

Today, Taxila is located in the western region of the Islamabad Capital Territory—to the northwest of Rawalpindi and on the border of the Punjab and North West Frontier Provinces—about 30 kilometres west-northwest of Islamabad, just off the Grand Trunk Road.

History
Legend has it that Taksha an ancient Indian king who ruled in a kingdom called Taksha Khanda (Tashkent) founded the city of Takshashila. The word Takshashila, in Sanskrit means "belonging to the King Taksha". Taksha was the son of Bharata and Mandavi, historical characters who appear in the Indian epic Ramayana.

Ahmad Hasan Dani and Saifur Rahman Dar trace the etymology of Taxila to a tribe called the Takka. According to Damodar Dharmanand Kosambi, "Taxila" is related to "Takṣaka," which means "carpenter" and is an alternative name for the Nāga.

• c. 518 BCE– Darius the Great annexes the North-West of the Indian-Subcontinent (modern day Pakistan), including Taxila, to the Persian Achaemenid Empire.
• ~450 BC, Herodotus makes reference to Greek influences in this area. The language used in the area is bilingual for the better part of a 1000 years, with Greek being the second language.
• 326 BCE– Alexander the Great receives submission of Āmbhi, king of Taxila, and afterwards defeats Porus at the Jhelum River.
• c. 317 BCE – In quick succession, Alexander's general Eudemus and then the satrap Peithon withdraw from India. Candragupta, founder of the Mauryan empire, then makes himself master of the Punjab. Candragupta Maurya's advisor Kautilya (also known as Chanakya) was a teacher at Taxila.
• During the reign of Chandragupta's grandson Aśoka, Taxila became a great Buddhist centre of learning. Nonetheless, Taxila was briefly the center of a minor local rebellion, subdued only a few years after its onset.
• 185 BCE– The last Maurya emperor, Bṛhadratha, is assassinated by his general, Puṣyamitra Śunga, during a parade of his troops.
• 183 BCE– Demetrios conquers Gandhāra, the Punjab and the Indus valley. He builds his new capital, Sirkap, on the opposite bank of the river from Taxila. During this new period of Bactrian Greek rule, several dynasties (like Antialcidas) likely ruled from the city as their capital. During lulls in Greek rule, the city managed profitably on its own, managed independently and controlled by several local trade guilds, who also minted most of the city's autonomous coinage.
• c. 90 BCE– The Indo-Scythian chief Maues overthrows the last Greek king of Taxila.
• c. 25 CE – Gondophares, founder of the Indo-Parthian Kingdom, conquers Taxila and makes it his capital. (This date conflicts with the year 46 AD stated by Prof. M. M. Ninan).
• c. 33-52 CE Thomas the Apostle is contracted as a carpenter for a construction project for Gondophares.
• 76– The date of and inscription found at Taxila of 'Great King, King of Kings, Son of God, the Kushana' (maharaja rajatiraja devaputra Kushana).
• c. 460–470– The Ephthalites sweep over Gandhāra and the Punjab; wholesale destruction of Buddhist monasteries and stūpas at Taxila, which never again recovers.

Before the fall of these ancient invader-kings in India, Taxila had been variously a regional and national capital for many dynasties, and a true center of learning for Vedic learning, Buddhists,Classical Hindus, and a possible population of Greeks that may have endured for centuries.

The British archaeologist Sir John Marshall conducted excavations over a period of twenty years in Taxila.

Taxila today
Present day Taxila is one of the six Tehsils (sub-district) of Rawalpindi District. It is spread over an undulating land in the periphery of the Pothohar Plateau of the Punjab. Situated just out side the capital Islamabad's territory and communicating with it through Tarnol pass of Margalla Hills, Taxila is a mix of posh urban and rustic rural environs. Urban residential areas are in the form of small neat and clean colonies populated by the workers of heavy industries, educational institutes and hospitals that are located in the area.

The industries include heavy machine factories and industrial complex, ordnance factories of Wah Cantt and cement factory. Heavy Industries Taxila is also based here. Small, cottage and house hold industries include stone ware, pottery and foot wear. People try to relate the present day stone ware craft to the tradition of sculpture making that existed here before the advent of Islam.

In addition to the ruins of Gandhara civilization and ancient Buddhist/Hindu culture, relics of Mughal gardens and vestiges of historical Grand Trunk Road, which was built by Emperor Sher Shah Suri in 15th-16th centuries AD, are also found in Taxila region.

Taxila museum, dedicated mainly to the remains of Gandhara civilization, is also worth visiting.

A hotel of the tourism deparment offers reasonably good services and hospitality to the tourists.

Taxila has many educational intitutes including University of Engineering and Technology (UET). Thomas is still honored in Taxila in an annual festival in early July, attended by thousands, celebrating the passage of his bones through Taxila on their way to Edessa.

Ancient centre of learning
Takshashila's was an early center of learning going back to the 5th century BCE. Takkasila is also mentioned in several Jātaka stories, written in Sri Lanka around 500 CE.

Taxila is significant in Buddhist tradition because it is believedthat the Mahāyāna sect of Buddhism was founded there. The Sanskrit grammarian Pānini, the political theorist Kautilya and the Ayurvedic healer Charaka studied at Taxila at various points in time. Kautilya, who later became adviser to the founder of the Mauryan empire, is said to have composed his treatise on statecraft the Arthaśāstra in Taxila.

Tulamba is a small city in PakistaniPunjab. A native of Tulamba is referred to as a Tulmabvi. It's situated on the eastern edge of the Ravi River, between the cities of Abdul Hakeem and Mian Channu. Earlier it belonged to the district of Multan, but in 1985 Tulamba was included in the newly made district of Khanewal. Tulamba's population is nearly 50,000. Spoken language is RachnaviPunjabi (also called Jangli).

History
Tulamba is more than 2500 years old. People say that Tulamba was here even in the era of Noah. Tulamba faced many armies as it was in the way to famous Multan. The forces coming from North and West had to pass from Tulamba to go to Multan.

On digging, five eras are known. The first era belongs to Moi tribe. The remaining four belong to Greek, Sasani, Budh, Hindu and Muslim civilizations. From Aplodots Sir Megas to Muhammad Ghauri, the coins of several governments were found here.

When Alexander (the great) invaded Indian Sub-Continent, he also came to Tulamba. In that time, Tulamba was ruled by Moi people. They were very brave and courageous, that's why Alexandar faced big difficulties here but at last succeeded.

The ancestor of Mughals, Taimur-e-Lang also invaded Tulamba. At that time Tulamba was called Tulma.

The history of Muslims begins with Muhammad bin Qasim when he came to Tulamba in his way to Multan. The place from where he passed is now called Qasim Bazar.

Sher Shah Suri built a Fort right in the center of the city, whose boundary wall and some building is still there. The Girls High School and the offices of Town Committie are present in the Fort.

The ruins of older city are on a distance of one kilometer from the city. Though they are in miserable condition due to rains and negligence, but their bricks are still visible. When Dr. Sayyed Zahid Ali Wasti visited Tulamba in 1967, he saw the ruins spread in the area of several miles. He saw a Fort with walls and a very high Tower. He saw a three thousand years old trench around the fort which was dig for the protection of the fort. He describes that walls were beautifully plastered with mud and floors were not solid. Yet most of his description is now unpredictable, because ruins are very much destroyed now.

Geography and Climate
Tulamba is situated on the eastern edge of river Ravi at the distance of 100Km from Multan. It's coordinates are following.

Longitude: 72°13'E
Latitude: 30°33'N

The climate of Tulamba is good. The summer season is very hot followed by a big series of rains. The winter season is very cool and often foggy. Overall the climate is good for living.

Culture, Lifestyle and Economy
Tulamba is a formal punjabi city. Usual dress is Shalwar Qameez, Dhoti (Tehband) is also popular. Old people keep Pagri or Safa on their head. All the houses are built with solid bricks and concrete. Lifestyle is modern, the use of electric and electronic equipments is common.

Major works are Farming and Trading. Many people are serving in Government in Private sector.

Popular sports are Kabaddi, Kushti (wrestling), Gulli Danda, Cricket.

Educational Institutions
There is a Government Girls Higher Secondary School for girls and a Government High School for boys in Tulamba. One Primary School and a Middle School (called bohar wala school) is also there. Two public schools are also working.

Sites of Interest
The Ruins are present on the edge of the city. The Sidhnai Canal and a point on the edge of river Ravi (called T) are also good for picnic.

Transportation
Tulamba is linked with Multan and Lahore through N-5 National Highway which is on a 15 minutes drive from Tulamba.

There are two more ways to go to Multan, one is through Abdul Hakeem and other is through Makhdoom Pur and KabirWala.

Facilities and Problems
Tulamba is rapidly becoming a developed city. The facilities of Fresh Water, Electricity, Telephone and Internet are easily available. The only problem is that Tulamba is still avoided the Natural Gas. The Gas pipeline passes quite nearly but Tulamba is not given Gas. This is the only problem here.

Crops, Fruits and Land ownership
The land of Tulamba is suitable for every crop. Crops include Wheat, Cotton, Sugar-Cane and vegetables. Fruits include Mango, Orange, etc.

There is no feudal system in Tulamba. People are free to have as much land as they want. Some people work themselves on their lands, others have workers employed to work on their lands.

National Development Complex (NDC) is complex located in Fateh Jang, Punjab, Pakistan. National Development Complex is a missile factory that builds nuclear-armed long-range and medium-range missiles for Pakistan Army. The Prime Minister of Pakistan laid the foundation of the National Development Complex (NDC) during 1993, and the Shaheen missile program was initiated in 1995 and assigned to the NDC. The Shaheen project used the resources that were available within the various other institutions in Pakistan, supplemented with infrastructure created at the National Development Complex for capabilities which were not available elsewhere in Pakistan. The facilities of SUPARCO were utilized in the Shaheen project, along with the facilities of industry in Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Gujrat and other cities. Missile components from these various facilities were brought to the NDC for final integration. Dr Samar Mubarakmand is the Chairmain of NESCOM. National Defence Complex (NDC) like PMO, MTC, AWC is Under NESCOM.

Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) is responsible for nuclear applications development in Pakistan.

History
The history of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission goes back to 1956, when the Atomic Energy Research Council was established. In 1964, 1965 and 1973 reorganization took place and the Atomic Energy Commission was incorporated as a statutory body under an Act, with considerable autonomy. In 1972 the commission was transferred from the Science and Technology Research Division to the President's Secretariat.

PAEC is now the largest S & T organization of the country, both in terms of scientific/technical manpower and the scope of its activities. Starting with a nuclear power reactor at Karachi (KANUPP) and an experimental research reactor at Nilore, Islamabad (PARR-I), the emphasis in the early years remained focused on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Consequently research centres in agriculture, medicine, biotechnology and other scientific disciplines were set up all over the country. As the emphasis shifted towards concerns for national security, important projects were also initiated in this area.

Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology (PINSTECH) is research and education intititute of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission. PINSTECH promotes applications of radiation and isotope technology in various scientific and technological disciplines to support national programs. It is also working on important non-nuclear fields, which are crucial for the development of science and technology in the country. It operated two small research reactors:

• PARR-1
• PARR-2

It has following divisions:

• Computer Division, CD
• Electronics Division, ED
• General Services Division, GSD
• Health Physics Division, HPD
• Nuclear Chemistry Division, NCD
• Nuclear Engineering Division, NED
• Nuclear Materials Division, NMD
• Nuclear Physics Division, NPD
• Radiation Isotope Application Division, RIAD
• Radiation Physics Division, RPD
• Scientific Information Division, SID

Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA) is based in Islamabad, Pakistan. Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority was established to to ensure safe operation of nuclear facilities and to protect radiation workers, general public and the environment from the harmful effects of radiation by formulating and implementing effective regulations and building a relationship of trust with the licensees and maintain transparency in its actions and decisions.

National Command Authority (NCA) of Pakistan. In April 1999 the Chief of Army Staff, General Pervez Musharraf, said the central command system to use nuclear and missile technology would be ready within one month. He said four broad components of the system are:

• The creation of a national command authority
• Developmental control by a governing body
• Strategic force command and
• Secretariat for all these three commands.

However, in point of fact this new military command and control structure was not implemented at that time. The unwillingness of the civilian leadership to take the military leadership into confidence on nuclear weapons control matters is said to have figured in the October 1999 military coup by General Musharraf.

Following the overthrow of the civilian government, on 02 February 2000 the National Security Council approved the establishment of the National Command Authority (NCA) to control policy on nuclear weapons.

The National Command Authority is responsible for policy formulation and will exercise employment and development control over all strategic nuclear forces and strategic organizations. It consists of an Employment Control Committee and a Development Control Committee, as well as the Strategic Plans Division which acts as its Secretariat.

The Employment Control Committee is chaired by the head of the Government and includes

• Ministers of Foreign Affairs (Deputy Chaiman), Defence, Interior.
• Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC)
• Services Chiefs
• Director-General of Strategic Plans Division (Secretary)
• Technical advisers

The Development Control Committee is also chaired by the head of Government and includes:

• CJCSC (Deputy Chairman);
• Services Chiefs;
• Director-General of Strategic Plans Division;
• Representatives of the strategic organizations;
• Scientific community.

This Committee controls the development of strategic assets.

The Strategic Plans Division, headed by a senior army officer, was established in the Joint Services Headquarters under the CJCSC to act as the Secretariat for the NCA and perform functions relating to planning, coordination, and establishment of a reliable command, control, communication, computers and intelligence network.

Pakistan began to develop nuclear weapons in January 1972 under the leadership of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, who was given the title Quaid-e-Awam (Leader of the People) as a result. The nuclear program was in response to the loss of East Pakistan in the 1971 war with India. Following India's nuclear test of Smiling Buddha in 1974, Bhutto responded that:

We will defend our country using any means necessary and build a nuclear capability second to none. We will eat grass for 1000 years, if we have to, but we will get there.

Consequently, Abdul Qadeer Khan, a metallurgist working in a Dutch firm acquired URENCO blueprints for uranium centrifuges to initiate Pakistan's nuclear programme. A few weeks following India's second nuclear test, on 28 May 1998 Pakistan detonated 5 separate nuclear devices in Chagai, Balochistan. Weapons development takes place at Kahuta and Joharabad, where weapons grade plutonium is made; the latter allegedly with the assistance of Chinese technology. Estimates usually put Pakistan's nuclear stockpile at around 40 Highly Enriched Uranium warheads.

Nuclear policy
Pakistan acceded to the Geneva Protocol on April 15, 1960, the Biological Weapons Convention in 1974 and the Chemical Weapons Convention on October 28, 1997.In 1999 Pakistan signed the Lahore Accords, with India, agreeing a bilateral moratorium on nuclear testing. However, Pakistan, like India and Israel is not a signatory of the Non-Proliferation Treaty and, consequently, not bound by any of its provisions. Whereas the other declared and undeclared nuclear enabled states have maintained restraint by not proliferating WMDs. Some Pakistani particulars have been said to be involved in some sharings but Islamabad has strictly taken actions against such individuals. Its chief nuclear founder, A.Q. Khan admitted his role in nuclear proliferation leading to fears in the international community about nuclear terrorism. Pakistani nuclear weapons are now in safe hands and here is no need of any worries about these powers.

Nuclear 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 use 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.

In the 1990s Pakistan began to pursue plutonium production capabilities. With Chinese assistance, Pakistan built the 40 MWt (megawatt thermal) Khusab Research Reactor at Joharabad, and in April 1998, Pakistan announced that the reactor was operational. According to public statements made by US officials, this unsafeguarded heavy water reactor can produce up to 8 to 10 kilograms of plutonium per year. According to the Wikipedia's plutonium article this is sufficient for one nuclear weapon. The reactor could also produce tritium if it were loaded with lithium-6 although this is unnecessary for weapons purposes because modern nuclear weapon designs use Li6 directly. According to J. Cirincione of Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Khusab's plutonium production capacity could allow Pakistan to develop lighter nuclear warheads that would be easier to deliver with a ballistic missile.

Plutonium separation reportedly takes place at the New Labs Reprocessing Plant next to Pakistan's Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology (Pinstech) in Rawalpindi and at the larger Chasma Nuclear Power Plant, neither of which are subject to IAEA inspection.

Nuclear Arsenal
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) estimates that Pakistan has built 24-48 HEU-based nuclear warheads with HEU reserves for 30-52 additional warheads. The US Navy Center for Contemporary Conflict estimates that Pakistan possesses between a low of 35 and a high of 95 nuclear warheads, with a median of 60.

The NRDC's and the Carnegie Foundation's estimates of approx 50 weapons are from 2002-3 estimations.

Pakistan's nuclear warheads are based on an implosion design that uses a solid core of highly enriched uranium and requires an estimated 15-20 kg of material per warhead. The NRDC also thinks that Pakistan has also produced a small but unknown quantity of weapons grade plutonium, which is sufficient for an estimated 3-5 nuclear weapons per annum based on the estimation of 5kg of Plutonium per warhead. Pakistan also claims that the fissile cores are stored separately from the other non-nuclear explosive packages, which Islamabad says can be put together rather quickly.

Foreign Assistance
In the past, the China played a major role in the development of Pakistan's nuclear infrastructure, especially when increasingly stringent export controls in western countries made it difficult for Pakistan to acquire materials and technology elsewhere. According to a 2001 Department of Defense report, China has supplied Pakistan with nuclear materials and has provided critical assistance in the construction of Pakistan's nuclear facilities. This assistance was illegal, per the Nuclear non-proliferation treaty, of which China is a signatory.

Pakistan's Nuclear Doctrine
Pakistan's motive for pursuing a nuclear weapons program is to counter the threat posed by its principal rival, India.

Pakistan has not signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) or the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). According to the Defense Department report,

"Pakistan remains steadfast in its refusal to sign the NPT, stating that it would do so only after India joined the Treaty. Consequently, not all of Pakistan's nuclear facilities are under IAEA safeguards. Pakistani officials have stated that signature of the CTBT is in Pakistan's best interest, but that Pakistan will do so only after developing a domestic consensus on the issue, and have disavowed any connection with India's decision."

Pakistan does not abide by a no-first-use doctrine; also Pakistan has not issued an official nuclear doctrine. There has also been criticism of Pakistan's nuclear doctrine which gives rise to ambiguity and that they were too eager to use the nuclear option in the Kargil War when the Pakistan Army was facing a stern challenge due to loss of posts and personnel, however this is simply a rumour.

The organization authorized to make decisions about Pakistan's nuclear posturing is the NCA. It was established in February 2000. The NCA is composed of two committees that advise President Musharraf on the development and employment of nuclear weapons; it is also responsible for wartime command and control. In 2001, Pakistan further consolidated its nuclear infrastructure by placing the Khan Research Laboratories and the Pakistan Atomic Research Corporation under the control of one Nuclear Defense Complex.

National Security Council

• National Command Authority
• Ministry of Defense
  • Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (JCSC)
  • Defense Science & Technology Organization (DESTO)
  • Daud Khel Chemical Plant, Lahore
  • Karachi CBW & BW Warfare R&D Laboratory
  • Strategic Planning Directorate (SPD - ex CDD)

Ministry of Defence Production

• Pakistan Ordnance Factories
• Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC)
• Air Weapon Complex, Wah (AWC)

Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC)

• Directorate of Technical Development
• Directorate of Technical Equipment
• Directorate of Technical Procurement
• Science and Engineering Services Directorate
• Institute of Nuclear Power, Islamabad

Pakistan Institute of Science & Technology (PINSTECH)

• New Laboratories, Rawalpindi
• Pilot Reprocessing Plant
• Parr-1 and Parr-2 Research Reactors
• Center for Nuclear Studies, Islamabad
• Computer Training Center, Islamabad
• Nuclear Track Detection Center (a.k.a. Solid State Nuclear Track Detection Center)

Khushab Reactor, Khushab, Punjab National Development Complex/Centre

• Atomic Energy Minerals Centre, Lahore
• Hard Rock Division, Peshawar
• Mineral Sands Program, Karachi
• Baghalchur Uranium Mine, Baghalchur
• Dera Ghazi Khan Uranium Mine, Dera Ghazi Khan
• Issa Khel/Kubul Kel Uranium Mines and Mills, Mianwali District

Multan Heavy Water Production Facility, Multan Division, Punjab

• Uranium Conversion Facility, Islamabad
• Golra Ultracentrifuge Plant, Golra
• Sihala Ultracentrifuge Plant, Sihala

Chasma Nuclear Power Plant I (CHASNUPP-1), Chasma

• Chasma Fuel Fabrication Plant, Kundian
• National Engineering Service of Pakistan, Kundian

Chasma Nuclear Power Plant II (CHASNUPP-2), Chasma

• Chasma Fuel Fabrication Plant, Kundian
• National Engineering Service of Pakistan, Kundian

Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (KANUPP), Karachi

• KANUPP Institute of Nuclear Power Engineering, Karachi
  • Computer and Development Division
• Heavy Water Production Plant
• Paradise Point, Karachi

Space and Upper Atmospheric Research Commission (SUPARCO)

• Aerospace Institute, Islamabad
• Computer Center, Karachi
• Control System Laboratories
• Flight Test Range, Sonmiani Beach
• Instrumentation Laboratories, Karachi
• Material Research Division
• Quality Control and Assurance Unit
• Rocket Bodies Manufacturing Unit
• Solid Composite Propellant Unit
• Space and Atmospheric Research Center, Karachi
• Static Test Unit, Karachi

Ministry of Industries & Production

• State Engineering Corporation (SEC)
• Heavy Mechanical Complex Ltd. (HMC) Peoples Steel Mills Ltd, Karachi.

Aircraft delivery
There are two units operating the Chinese-built A-5 (No. 16 Sqn and No. 26 Sqn), an aircraft believed to be a leading candidate for the aerial delivery of nuclear weapons. The others are the Mirage IIIOs, Mirage IIIODs and Mirage IIIEs. The Pakistani Air Force currently operates some 156 Mirage aircraft. The allocation of 90 of these aircraft is not currently known. Pakistan also has 34 F16 aircraft all block 15s as of now it recently received 2 block 15OCUs from peace gate 3/4 as a good will gesture from the US in November 2006. All of these F16s are capable of delivering nuclear warheads, they are split in to 2 squadrons both stationed at PAF Sargodha. It is rumoured that the 34 current PAF F16s have been modified for nuclear delivery by PAC Kamra. Also in the 1990s PAF F16s have practiced toss bombing which is a method to deliver nuclear weapons. Pakistan prefers to use ballistic missiles and cruise missiles to deliver nuclear warheads because they have a much longer range than aircraft and don't need the airspace to be cleared of aircraft and SAMS.

In an attempt to modernise its air force Pakistan has recently signed a deal for a purchase of 26 F16 block 15OCUs that were under peace gate 3/4 and 60 MLU kits for block 15s, AMRAAMs, LGBs, and various other missiles and bombs and other items, the purchase of 18 F16 block 50/52+ with an option of 18 more. if all options are exercised this deal will cost $5 billion. All of these F16s will be capable of nuclear delivery.

Also by early 2007 the first 8 JF-17 Thunder aircrafts (FC-1s) will enter service these are pre-production aircraft and more JF-17 Thunder aircrafts will follow these will be capable too of nuclear delivery. Pakistan has also ordered 36 Chinese J-10s for its airforce for cost of $1.4 billion. The Pakistan Air Force is in the midst of a great change in terms of capability. Pakistan has also recently tested its Babur cruise missile having a range of 500km. It seems to be influenced by the Tomahawk cruise missile of the US in terms of appearance, however it is an indigenous weapon. It is a ground launched version and according to Pakistan Military sources the submarine and air delivered versions are soon to follow.

Naval Delivery: PNS Hamza has just been commisoned last year in August, This submarine is a Augosta 90B submarine and with a number of modifications will be able to fire ballistic missiles these modifications may be soon, it can also fire Babur Cruise Missiles and thats if the submarine uses larger tubes to fire this missile. Soon other ships and sumarines maybe retrofitted to fire ballistic and cruise missiles.

Chashma Nuclear Power Complex is located at Chashma, Punjab, Pakistan. It consists of Chashma Nuclear Power Plant I (CHASNUPP-1) and Chashma Nuclear Power Plant II (CHASNUPP-2).

Kahuta Research Laboratories is located at Kahuta, Punjab, Pakistan. Kahuta is the site of the Khan Research Laboratories [KRL], Pakistan's main nuclear weapons laboratory as well as an emerging center for long-range missile development. The primary Pakistani fissile-material production facility is located at Kahuta, employing gas centrifuge enrichment technology to produce Highly Enriched Uranium [HEU].

History
Chinese assistance in the development of gas centrifuges at Kahuta was indicated by the presence of Chinese technicians at the facility in the early 1980s but it is not confirmed. The uranium enrichment facility began operating in 1984, but suffered serious start up problems. Kahuta began producing HEU in 1986, and Pakistan's fabrication of weapons may have begun soon thereafter, with the HEU hexafluoride being made into uranium metal which was machined into weapon pits. By the late 1980s Pakistan began advertising its nuclear potential by publishing technical articles on centrifuge design, including a 1987 article co-authored by A. Q. Khan on balancing sophisticated ultracentrifuge rotors.

Operations
Operating at full capacity, Kahuta is estimated to have the potential to produce enough weapon-grade uranium for as many as 3 to 6 weapons each year. But the gas centrifuge plant has been plagued by chronic delays. As of 1984 there were reportedly approximately 1,000 centrifuges operating at the facility. About 1991, Pakistan installed additional centrifuges, raising its HEU production capacity roughly threefold. By 1991 about 3000 machines were thought to be operating with a production capacity of 30-50 kg U-235/year, enough for 2-3 implosion weapons a year.

In 1988 the US and Pakistan reached an informal understanding, which according to US officials went into effect in 1993, under which Pakistan agreed to freeze production of bomb-grade HEU indefinitely, and to refrain from enriching uranium to a level above 20% U-235. Prior to the 1998 nuclear tests, the US had reportedly obtained intelligence indicating that Pakistan had stopped production of bomb-grade uranium. However, following the tests A.Q. Khan claimed that Pakistan had never stopped making bomb-grade HEU during the 1980s and 1990s, and reportedly US officials said "we don't have enough information" to conclude that Pakistan was not making weapons-grade HEU. As of mid-1998 estimates of Pakistan's HEU inventory ranged between 100 and 500 kilograms. Assuming that Pakistan would need about 20 kilograms for a single weapon, Pakistan's stockpile might be estimated at between 5 and 25 weapons.

In early 1996 it was reported that the A.Q. Khan Research Laboratory received 5,000 ring magnets, which can be used in gas centrifuges, from the China National Nuclear Corporation, a subsidiary of the China National Nuclear Corporation, a state-owned corporation. The US intelligence community believed the magnets were for special suspension bearings at the top of the centrifuge rotating cylinders. The shipment was made between late 1994 and mid-1995 and was reportedly worth $70,000. Some reports suggested that the ring magnets would allow Pakistan to effectively double its capacity to enrich uranium for nuclear weapons production. Pakistan had operated the plant only intermittently, and little information is publicly available concerning annual or total production of weapon-grade uranium at Kahuta.

Ballistic Missile Development
The Kahuta facility has also been a participant in Pakistan's missile development program. Pakistan operates a ballistic missile research center at Kahuta along with its uranium enrichment operation. KRL has successfully developed and tested Intermediate Range Ballistic Missiles based on liquid fuel technology and its associated sub systems.

Other Projects
KRL has also undertaken many other defense projects of national importance to enable Pakistan to become self-reliant in various sophisticated weapon systems and to save valuable foreign exchange. These projects include:

• Surface-to-Air-Anti-Aircraft Guided Missiles - Anza Mk 1, and Anza Mk-II.
• 'Baktar-Shikan' Anti-Tank Guided Missile Weapon System.
• Anti-personnel Mine Sweeping Line Charges.
• Anti-Tank Mine Clearing Line Charge-Plofadder-195 AT.
• Laser Range Finder.
• Laser Threat Sensor
• Laser Actuated Target
• Laser Aiming Device
• Add-On Reactive Armour Kit
• Anti-Tank Ammunition-Armour Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discordin Sabot (APFSDS)
• Remote Control Mine Exploder (RCME)
• Digital Goniometer
• Power Conditioners for Weapon Systems for TOW ATGM Weapon System, "Baktar Shikan" Weapon System, "ANZA" Training Missile System
• Switched Mode Power Supplies for LAADS Radar, Skyguard Radar, Air Defense Automation *System.
• Tow Missile Modules

Karachi Nuclear Power Complex is located in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. It consists of Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (KANUPP).

Khan Labs was founded and is run by Dr. A. Q. Khan. He is known as the "father" of the Pakistani atomic bomb. In November 2001, George W. Bush claimed that Khan Labs was fictional, that it didn't exist. Then on February 11, 2004, at an emergency press conference, Bush claimed that Khan Labs does exists, and the Bush administration was shocked at having learned that Dr. Khan of Pakistan was running a "flea market" in fissionable material. This, of course, is contradictory to the intelligence gathered during the Clinton administation, which had been closing in on Dr. Khan. However, during the Bush administration, the agents on the case were told to "back off" because Dr. Khan's main source of funding was the Saudi Arabian elite, the royal family, and the bin Ladens (who are business partners of most of the senior Republicans. (Source: Michael Moore, Dude, Where's My Country?)

The story was confirmed by Muammar Gaddafi who, in exchange for the USA and Britain agreeing to end their trade embargo against Libya, would shut down Libya's atomic bomb program and give BP an exclusive oil-drilling agreement.

Dr. Khan was also the one who gave Kim Jong Il of North Korea the fissionable materials and blueprints required to build first-stage, Hiroshima-sized bombs. As of 2006, Kim Jong Il is believed to have at least 6 atomic bombs and missiles capable of reaching every point of Japan and South Korea. (North Korea is currently working on the Taepodong-2, a missile which could reach Alaska and possibly even the West Coast of North America.)

The current plans of Khan Labs are unknown as are the locations of its senior scientists and executive officers.

Khushab Reactor is located at Khushab, Punjab, Pakistan. The 50 MWt, heavy water and natural uranium research reactor at Khushab is a central element of Pakistan's program for production of plutonium and tritium for advanced compact warheads. The Khushab facility, like that at Kahuta, is not subject to IAEA inspections, but the security of the site is professed by the Pakistani government. Khushab, with a capacity variously reported at between 40 MWT to 50 MWT [and as high as 70 MWT], was "commissioned" in March 1996, and had been under construction with Chinese assistance since the mid-1980s. According to a Pakistani press report ["Pakistan's Indigenous Nuclear Reactor Starts Up," Islamabad The Nation, April 13, 1998], the Khushab plutonium production reactor had gone critical and began operating in early 1998.

Multan Heavy Water Production Facility is located in Multan, Punjab, Pakistan. It is heavy water production facility, with an annual capacity of 13 metric tons, obtained from Belgium in 1980.

__________________
The Me you have always known, the Me that's a stranger still.

Allama Iqbal International Airport (IATA: LHE, ICAO: OPLA) is located in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. Formerly known as Lahore International Airport, it is named after Allama Iqbal who was a major proponent for the foundation of Pakistan. The Airport has 3 terminals, the Allama Iqbal terminal, the Hajj terminal, and a cargo terminal.

Location
The airport is located about 15 kilometres from the centre of the city.

The Allama Iqbal International Complex
Recently, it has undergone a major renovation which has not only enlarged the airport, but also beautified it with the building of new terminals built to reflect the Mughal history of Lahore. Right now the airport gets an average of 75-80 flights each day, but the number of flights increases during the Hajj season and the airport handles about 3.58 million passengers per year
The brand new terminal includes many duty-free shops including restaurants, cafes, ice-cream parlours, confectionery shops, book and toy shops and a souvenir shop. There are many flat screen televisions that show live flight times in the national languages, Urdu and English. The airport has seven air-bridges that dock onto the aircraft during departures and arrivals at the terminal. The total parking spaces are 30. The airport can provide 22 parking spaces for commercial and jet aircraft.

Pakistan International Airlines is a major airline that flies out of Lahore as the flag carrier of Pakistan and uses the airport as a hub only second to Jinnah International Airport. Other Pakistani airlines that operate out of Lahore daily are Aero Asia International, Airblue, and Shaheen Air International. Soon, Safe Air and Pearl Air will be using the airport as an important hub.

The Hajj Terminal
The Hajj terminal is part of the old airport. It is used every year by Pakistan International Airlines for Hajj Operations to take the people who are going on Hajj to The Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia. However, negotiations are underway to allow the private airline to use the terminal as well.

Airlines and destinations

• Aero Asia Airlines (Abu Dhabi, Al-Ain, Doha, Dubai, Karachi, Muscat)
• Airblue (Dubai, Karachi)
• Emirates (Dubai)
• Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi)
• Gulf Air (Bahrain, Muscat)
• Indian (New Delhi)
• Kuwait Airways (Kuwait City)
• Japan Airlines (Tokyo-Nitra) [begins 5,march, 2008]
• Mahan Air (Tehran-Imam Khomeini)
• Pakistan International Airlines (Abu Dhabi, Amsterdam, Athens, Bahawalpur, Bangkok, Chicago-O'Hare, Copenhagen, Dammam, Delhi, Dera Ghazi Khan, Doha, Dubai, Frankfurt, Glasgow, Houston-Intercontinental, Islamabad, Jeddah, Karachi, Kuwait City, London-Heathrow, Manchester, Mashhad, Milan-Malpensa, Multan, Muscat, New York-JFK, Oslo, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Peshawar, Quetta, Rahim Yar Khan, Riyadh, Rome-Fiumicino, Sharjah, Sukkur, Toronto-Pearson)
• Qatar Airways (Doha)
• Saudi Arabian Airlines (Jeddah, Riyadh, Medina)
• Shaheen Air International (Abu Dhabi, Al-Ain, Doha, Dubai, Karachi, Kuwait, Muscat)
• Singapore Airlines (Singapore)
• Thai Airways International (Bangkok)
• Uzbekistan Airways (Tashkent)

Cargo airlines

• Antonov Airlines
• Askari Aviation
• Atlas Air
• Polet Cargo Airlines
• DHL Cargo
• Emirates SkyCargo
• Lufthansa Cargo
• Ocean Airlines
• Pakistan International Cargo
• Royal Airlines Cargo
• Star Air
• TCS Couriers
• United Parcel Service (UPS)

Charter airlines

• Askari Aviation (Islamabad)
• Royal Airlines (Karachi)
• Schon Air (Karachi)

CIP / VIP Lounge
The use of the CIP lounge is available to only first class and business class passengers travelling on most airlines arriving at the airport.

There are many banks at Allama Iqbal Airport, Lahore including:

• Askari Commercial Bank
• Standard Chartered Bank
• Union Bank
• ABN AMRO Bank

Inorder to access the CIP lounge, Passengers travelling in first and business class must be issused a card from Check-in. It costs approx. 6 dollars per passenger to gain access to the lounge.

The CIP lounge has over 20 items, television, newspapers, magazines, telephones, fax machines and free Internet.

The Bahawalpur Airport (IATA: BHV, ICAO: OPBW) is situated at 10 km from city centre of Bahawalpur, a town in lower Punjab. It is one of the less active airports in Pakistan, as it operates to cater mainly to the population of Bahawalpur, a city of (1998 pop.) 403,408 people.

A new terminal has been recently constructed. On January 21, 2007, Phase two of the Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum Airport in Bahawalpur, Pakistan has been inaugurated, according to the local WAM news agency. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai's Deputy Ruler, opened the facility and viewed the new amenities including the departures and arrivals halls.

Airlines and destinations

• Pakistan International Airlines (Karachi, Lahore)

Passengers from other Gulf, Europe, North America and South Asia may fly into Bahawalpur Airport via Jinnah International Airport, Karachi, Islamabad International Airport, Islamabad, or Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore.

BNP, ICAO: OPBN) is situated at 10 km away from city centre of Bannu. It is not as large as the other airports in Pakistan, as it operates to cater mainly to the population of Bannu.

Airlines and destinations
Currently, Pakistan International Airlines does not have any scheduled flights to Bannu Airpo

Chandhar Airbase (IATA: N/A, ICAO: OP1Y) is located at Chandhar, Punjab, Pakistan.

Chashma Airport (IATA: N/A, ICAO: OP19) is located at Chashma, Punjab, Pakistan. Presently, no passenger airline serves this airport.

Chilas Airport (IATA: CHB, ICAO: OPCL) is located at Chilas, Northern Areas, Pakistan. Currently it is not being used by any passenger airline. The two major airports in Northern Areas are Gilgit Airport and Skardu Airport.

Chitral Airport (IATA: CJL, ICAO: OPCH) is a small domestic airport, located at Chitral, Northwest Frontier Province, Pakistan.

Airlines and destinations
Pakistan International Airlines flies eleven weekly flights between Peshawar and Chitral. All of these flights are operated by a Fokker F27 aircraft. However, PIA will replace its fleet of Fokker F27 aircraft with the French-Italian ATR 42 in 2006.

Dalbandin Airport (IATA: DBA, ICAO: OPDB) is a small domestic airport located at Dalbandin, Balochistan, Pakistan. There are two weekly Fokker flights of PIA to/from Karachi.

History
Dalbandin airstrip was constructed in 1935 to serve as a satellite of Samungli Air Base at Quetta. During the Second World War, it was made operationally ready by Royal Air Force to meet a possible Russian invasion through Iran. In the 1970s Dalbandin was a disused airfield. Although the airstrip is visible from high altitude, pilots making a landing approach sometimes found that the airstrip disappears, with sand dunes and sand collected on the runway obscuring it from view. Dust storms are frequent and cause delays in getting airborne.

The airfield was taken over by the Civil Aviation Administraiton [CAA] in 1985, it received a face lift, partially funded by Saudi Arabia, which provided modern navigational aids, air traffic control facilities, passenger terminals and a paved runway. There is twice a week scheduled Pakistan International Airlines service to and from Karachi. While not a military facility, this airfield is available to the Pakistan Air Force for emergency landing and recovery of aircraft during peacetime and wartime.

Currently the United States Marine Corps use Dalbandin as a base for operations into Afghanistan.

Airlines and destinations

• Pakistan International Airlines (Karachi)

Dera Ghazi Khan Airport (IATA: DEA, ICAO: OPDG) is situated 10 km away from the city centre of Dera Ghazi Khan. It is not as large as the other airports in Pakistan, as it caters mainly to the population of Dera Ghazi Khan.

Airlines and destinations

• Pakistan International Airlines (Karachi, Lahore)

Dera Ismail Khan Airport (IATA: DSK, ICAO: OPDI) is situated 10 km away from the city centre of Dera Ismail Khan. It is not as large as the other airports in Pakistan, as it caters mainly to the population of Dera Ismail Khan.

Airlines and destinations

• Pakistan International Airlines (Peshawar)

This airport is not operational now for past 6 years.

Dhamial Army Airbase (IATA: MWD, ICAO: OPQS) is an Pakistan Army airbase and is located just south of Rawalpindi, Rawalpindi District, Pakistan.

The Faisalabad International Airport (IATA: LYP, ICAO: OPFA) is situated 10 km away from the city centre of Faisalabad on Jhang Road. It is not as large as the other airports in Pakistan, as it operates to cater mainly to the population of Faisalabad , Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, and Sargodha.

Airlines and destinations

• Airblue (Karachi)
• Pakistan International Airlines (Dubai, Karachi, Multan)

Cargo Airlines

• Star Air
• TCS Courier
• Emirates SkyCargo (starting 2006 - DXB)

Gilgit Airport (IATA: GIL, ICAO: OPGT) is a small domestic airport, located at Gilgit, Northern Areas, Pakistan. The city of Gilgit is one of the two major hubs for all mountaineering expeditions in the Northern Areas of Pakistan. Many tourists choose to travel to Gilgit by air since the road travel between Islamabad and Gilgit by Karakoram Highway takes nearly 24 hours, whereas the air travel takes a mere 45-50 minutes.

Flight between Islamabad and Gilgit
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flies 12 weekly flights between Gilgit and Islamabad and the flight is one of the most scenic flights of the world as its route passes over Nanga Parbat and the mountain's peak is higher than the aircraft's cruising altitude. These flights, however, are subject to the clearance of weather and in winters, flights are often delayed by several days.

Aircraft at Gilgit Airport
Because of the short runway at Gilgit airport that is located at the edge of a slope, even an aircraft as small as a Boeing 737 aircraft cannot land and take-off at the Gilgit Airport. Currently PIA operates Fokker F27 aircraft on the Gilgit-Islamabad route but the airline is replacing its ageing Fokker F27 fleet by the French and Italian ATR 42.

Other aircraft that operate at the airport include the military C-130 aircraft.

Gwadar International Airport (IATA: GWD, ICAO: OPGD) is a domestic and international airport. It is located in Gwadar, Baluchistan, Pakistan. It is situated approximately 10 km from Gwadar City Centre.

About Gwadar Airport
It is not as large as the other airports in Pakistan, as it operates to cater mainly to the population of Gwadar. Pakistan International Airlines is the main airline flying out of the airport, it connects Gwadar to Karachi (8 times a week), Turbat (4 times a week) and Muscat (twice a week). Oman Air temporarily started flights between Muscat and Gwadar in the mid 1990's using ATR 42 aircraft though the service was suspended due to poor performance.

The construction of the deep sea port at Gwadar has generated a lot of economic activity in the city and other airlines are starting to take note. Airblue recently started flying between Karachi and Gwadar, it operates 14 times a week with 2 flights a day. Sharjah based Orbit Aviation has also obtained clearance from the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to start twice weekly flights between Sharjah and Turbat with an intermediate stop at Gwadar, these flights are expected to commence from the end of May 2006.

The Government of Pakistan anticipates Gwadar to become a regional economic hub and in preparation for this has issued a directive for the development of The new Gwadar international Airport. For this purpose the CAA has earmarked 3000 acres (12 km²) of land 26 km northeast of the existing airport. The new airport is expected to cost $250 million. It will be given international status and operate under the open skies policy. In the meantime there are plans to improve the facilities at the existing airport to facilitate the movement of wide-bodied aircraft.

Airlines and destinations

• JS Air (Private) Limited (Gwadar)
• Pakistan International Airlines (Karachi, Muscat, Turbat)
• Airblue (Karachi)
• Orbit Aviation (Sharjah)
• Emirates (Dubai) [Starts soon)

Hyderabad Airport (IATA: HDD, ICAO: OPKD) is a domestic airport, located at Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan. Currently, there are no scheduled flights from Hyderabad.

Islamabad International Airport or Chaklala Airbase (IATA: ISB, ICAO: OPRN) is located in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

The current location of the airport is shared with the "Chaklala Airbase" of Pakistan Air Force. The new location of the Islamabad International Airport has been selected at Fateh Jang, nearly 5 kilometers from Islamabad near Fateh Jang.

The airport houses some squadrons of the Pakistan Air Force, but these squadrons do not contain fighter jets rather they are composed cargo and liaison planes.

Location
The airport is actually located outside of Islamabad, closer to the city of Rawalpindi, in an area known as Chaklala. Being the main airport for the Pakistani capital it often hosts officials and citizens from other nations.

History
As Islamabad International Airport is merged with the PAF operations, the airport hosts many military flights as well as the civilian flights. The airport is more commonly referred to Chaklala.

During 2005, when Pakistan-administered of Kashmir was stuck by the 7.6 killer earthquake, there was a major operation taking place at Islamabad International Airport. It caused a huge increase in traffic at the airport. There were many aircraft from around the world (such as Virgin Atlantic, Air-France Cargo, etc.) operating flights into Islamabad International Airport after a United Nation's call to help the people that had been affected by the killer earthquake. There were many airforce aircraft and cargo airlines regularly visiting the airport to deliver goods that had been collected by many organisations and people overseas. One of the rare sights at the airport was the arrival of the Antonov An-225 Mriya that landed at the airport after a flight from Canada and Europe.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) announced on January 7, 2005 the first-ever green-field airport would be built in Islamabad at a cost of $300 million. The contract signing ceremony was held at the CAA headquarters at Jinnah International Airport, Karachi. Pervez Akhtar Nawaz, (Director General CAA, Air Marshal) signed an agreement with a renowned international consultant, Louis Berger Group of USA in association with Pakistani consulting firm ECIL, to undertake project management services. While the first contract for Project Management Services is signed, the CAA is close to receiving bids and proposals from international design consultants and signature architects for design of the new airport. It is envisaged that the Design Consultants will commence their services by the end of March 2006. Soon after the mobilization of the Project Management Consultants, other processes for invitation of bids and award of construction contracts will be initiated. It is anticipated that the new facility will become operational by 2010. The new airport site is located on 3,200 acres of land, acquired by CAA in 1980’s at Pind Ranjha near Fateh Jang, some 20km from Zero-Point, Islamabad and 23 km from Saddar, Rawalpindi involving driving time of only 20-25 minutes through network of motorways and highways. The airport will be developed at par with international standards to serve as major hub for all aviation activities in the region.

Estimated to cost about $300 million, the new Airport facility, which is the first green-field airport in Pakistan, shall comprise a contemporary state-of-the-art passenger terminal building, control tower, runway with a provision of a secondary runway, taxiways, apron, cargo complex, and hangar together with all the necessary infrastructure and ancillary facilities. It would cater to the requirements of latest generation of modern passenger aircraft. The new airport will have a modular design to handle 6.5 million passengers per annum and 80,000 metric tonnes cargo per annum. Being a new airport, a significant portion of the land has been earmarked for commercial purposes such as duty-free shops, hotel and convention centre, air malls, business centre, food courts, leisure and recreational facilities. The new airport is envisaged to be a modern landmark structure symbolic to represent twenty-first century Pakistan, as it will be the diplomatic and business gateway to Pakistan through the Capital City of Islamabad. The CAA has announced that the new airport is to be named "Gandhara International Airport" after the ancient Buddhist kingdom.

The Civil Aviation Authority and the Ministry of Defence are busy in making preparations for the ceremony, the official said. President Musharraf would lay the foundation stone of the project, while Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, elected representatives from the area and various federal ministers and senior government officials would be present on the occasion, he added.
The official said that through a letter, the Ministry of Defence has requested the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to include the area where the new airport will be situated in the capital territory and issue a notification to this effect at the earliest.

Airlines and destinations

• Aero Asia Airlines (Abu Dhabi, Dubai, East Midlands [Start tbc], Karachi, Manchester [Start tbc])
• Airblue (Dubai, Karachi)
• American Airlines (New York-JFK) [Begins 7 September 2008]
• Ariana Afghan Airlines (Kabul)
• British Airways (London-Heathrow)
• China Southern Airlines (Kashi, Ürümqi)
• Emirates (Dubai)
• Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi)
• Gulf Air (Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Muscat)
• Kuwait Airways (Kuwait)
• Pakistan International Airlines (Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Amsterdam, Athens, Bahawalpur, Bangkok, Beijing, Birmingham, Chicago-O'Hare, Copenhagen, Dera Ghazi Khan, Dammam, Doha, Dubai, Frankfurt, Gilgit, Glasgow, Hong Kong, Istanbul-Atatürk, Jeddah, Kabul, Karachi, Kuala Lumpur, Lahore, London-Heathrow, London-Stansted, Manchester, Milan-Malpensa, Multan, New York-JFK, Oslo, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Peshawar, Quetta, Rahim Yar Khan, Riyadh, Saidu Sharif, Singapore, Skardu, Sukkur, Tokyo-Narita, Toronto-Pearson)
• Qatar Airways (Doha)
• Saudi Arabian Airlines (Jeddah, Riyadh)
• Shaheen Air International (Abu Dhabi, Al-Ain, Doha, Dubai, Karachi, Kuwait, Muscat)
• Thai Airways International (Bangkok)

Cargo airlines

• Emirates SkyCargo
• Pakistan International Cargo
• Royal Airlines Cargo
• Star Air
• TCS Couriers
• UPS

Charter airlines

• Askari Aviation
• Royal Airlines

Lounges
There are separate lounges for international and domestic economy passengers. The domestic and international lounges have been provided all the required facilities that include snack bars, public telephone and internet services. There are also lounges for transit passengers who may be travelling further internationally or domestically. The lounges also have designated prayer areas.

CIP / VIP Lounge
The CIP/VIP lounge can be used by first and business class passengers travelling international or domestic flights. Passengers have to be issued an airline card from the check-in staff. It costs six dollars per passenger and one hundred rupees for domestic passengers. There are also televisions, newspapers and magazines, telephones, fax and free internet. Passengers who are searching banks that have credit card facilites can use the Askari Commercial Bank.

Rawal Lounge
Islamabad International Airport handles VIP passengers who are foreign diplomats and high government military officials. Rawal lounges have been designated for use by such passengers. It provides an executive environment with all the required facilities.

Jacobabad Airbase (IATA: JAG, ICAO: OPJA) is located at Jacobabad, Jacobabad District, Sindh, Pakistan.

Airlines and Destinations

• Pakistan International Airlines (Mohenjodaro)

Jinnah International Airport previously Quaid-e-Azam International Airport (IATA: KHI, ICAO: OPKC) is Pakistan's largest international and domestic airport. It is located in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan, and is also commonly known as the Jinnah Terminal. The airport is named after Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

The existing capacity allows to handle upto 30 aircrafts at one time. The facility can handle upto 12 million passengers per year. The airport is also provides primary hub for the flag carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) as well as other smaller airlines. The airport is equipped with aircraft engineering and overhauling facilities with Ispahani Hangar for wide-body aircraft.

History
During the 1940s there was a large black colored hangar (also locally known as Kala Chapra) at the site of Karachi airport, constructed for the British R101 Airship. Only three hangars were ever built in the world to dock and hangar the R101 airships. However, the R101 airship never arrived in Karachi (then part of the British Raj) as it crashed early in its journey in France. This hangar was so huge that aircraft often used it as a visual marker while attempting VFR landings at Karachi. Over the years, the hangar became known as the landmark of Karachi, until it was torn down in 1960s. The airport facilities were further expanded in 1980s to Terminal 2 and Terminal 3 respectively. The present day infrastructure of Jinnah International Complex is a result of an expansion program carried out in 1994.

Karachi was once a much busier airport. Between the 1960s and 1980s it was an online station of several major airlines of the world including British Airways, Lufthansa, Interflug, Tarom, Alitalia, JAT Yugoslavia Airlines, Aeroflot, Philippine Airlines, Nigeria Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, Egypt Air, East African Airways, Kenya Airways, Yemenia, Iran Air, Air France, Qantas, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Pan Am, MEA, Swissair, SAS and Kuwait Airways. However, due to the emergence of Dubai's airport on the World map, increased usage of longer haul aircraft and the poor political climate of Karachi during 1990s, several airlines discontinued their service to the airport. However, in the past couple of years the dwindling numbers of airlines does seem to have stabilised somewhat and whilst there hasn't been a marked increase in the number of airlines flying to Karachi a few have either started or resumed flights e.g. Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines. Economic factors may be partly responsible and as the economy of Karachi and subsequently Pakistan expands there may yet be more carriers willing to return to Jinnah International.

Jinnah International Complex
It has 16 passenger gates and is able to handle 30 planes at the same time. Six million passengers use the airport annually, while the airport itself boasts a capacity of handling up to 12 million passengers in a year.

Jinnah International Airport in Karachi has always been the largest aviation facility in Pakistan. It is the primary hub of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). All other Pakistani airlines also use Jinnah International Airport as their main hub. This includes Aero Asia International, Air Blue, Shaheen Air and the new airlines soon to be launched; Pearl Air & Safe Air.

The building is linked via connecting corridors to two satellites, each having a provision of eight passenger-loading bridges. The eastern satellite is devoted exclusively to handling international operations. The western satellite is used for domestic operations, as well as some international operations. This is achieved through a flexible arrangement of gates. The two satellites supplement the departure lounges of the Terminal Building and also provide shopping facilities and snack counters.

The Jinnah Terminal was completed in 1992 at a cost of $100 Million - at its time the most expensive civil construction project in Pakistan. NESPAK (National Engineering Services Pakistan) and Airconsult (Frankfurt, Germany) were responsible for the architecture and planning of the terminal. Sogea Construction, a French company, was the contractor. Mukhtar Husain (NESPAK) was the Chief Architect for the new terminal.

The Ispahani Hangar
Jinnah International Airport is also where the majority of PIA's maintenance network is located, although some of its maintenance work also takes place at Islamabad International Airport. There are several hangars at the airport, the largest is the Isphhani Hangar (named after a very historic person in Pakistan's history) that can accommodate two Jumbo 747s and one narrow body airliner (e.g. Boeing 737) at one time.

On 15 February 2006, the first major overhaul of a Boeing 777-200ER aircraft (known as "C" check) was done at Ispahani Hangar.

Most of the PIA aircraft are checked and regulated at the aircraft hangars in Karachi. The PIA maintenance also check other airline aircraft in Karachi such as Philippine Airlines and Turkish Airlines.

Airlines and destinations

• Aero Asia International (Abu Dhabi, Al-Ain, Doha, Dubai, Faisalabad, Islamabad, Lahore, Multan, Muscat, Peshawar, Quetta, Sukkur)
• Air Arabia (Sharjah)
• Airblue (Dubai, Faisalabad, Gwadar, Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta)
• Air China (Beijing, Kuwait)
• British Airways (London-Heathrow)
• Biman Bangladesh Airlines (Dhaka)
• Belavia (Minisk) (seasnoal)
• Cathay Pacific (Bangkok, Hong Kong)
• Emirates (Dubai)
• Eritrean Airlines (Assmara)
• Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi, Muscat)
• Gulf Air (Bahrain, Muscat)
• Iran Air (Tehran-Mehrabad)
• Libyan Arab Airlines (Tripoli) [Future in 2009]
• Malaysia Airlines (Kuala Lumpur)
• Pakistan International Airlines (Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Bahawalpur, Bahrain, Colombo, Dalbandin, Dammam, Delhi, Dera Ghazi Khan, Dhaka, Doha, Dubai, Faisalabad, Gwadar, Islamabad, Jacobabad, Jeddah, Kathmandu, Kuala Lumpur, Kuwait, Lahore, London-Heathrow, London-Stansted, Manchester, Mashhad, Milan-Malpensa, Moenjodaro, Moscow-Sheremetyevo, Multan, Mumbai, Muscat, New York-JFK, Panjgur, Pasni, Peshawar, Quetta, Rahim yar Khan, Riyadh, Singapore, Sukkur, Toronto-Pearson, Turbat)
• Phoenix Aviation (Bishkek, Sharjah)
• Qatar Airways (Doha)
• Saudi Arabian Airlines (Dammam, Jeddah, Medinah, Riyadh)
• Shaheen Air (Abu Dhabi, Al-Ain, Doha, Dubai, Islamabad, Kuwait, Lahore, Muscat, Peshawar, Quetta)
• Singapore Airlines (Singapore)
• SriLankan Airlines (Colombo, Mumbai)
• Schon Air (Lahore)
• Syrian Arab Airlines (Damascus, Dammam)
• Thai Airways International (Bangkok, Muscat)
• Turkish Airlines (Istanbul-Atatürk)

Cargo airlines

• Askari Aviation
• Atlas Air
• Cargolux
• Dolphin Air
• DHL Cargo
• Pakistan International Cargo
• MNG Airlines
• Phoenix Aviation
• TCS Courier
• Royal Airlines Cargo
• Shaheen Air International
• Star Air

Charter AIRLINES

• JS Air (Private) Limited
• Royal Airlines
• Schon Air

VIP / CIP Lounge
The CIP/VIP Lounge can be used by all first and business class passengers on all flights out of Karachi. Passengers being issued an airline card from the Check-in can only enter the lounge. Also passengers wanting to use the lounge have to pay six dollars before entering.

There are a number of banks that passengers can use while waiting for their flight that include: Askari Commercial Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, Union Bank, and ABN AMRO Bank.

Other services include TVs for Entertainment, Newspapers and magazines, Telephones, Fax & free Internet.

__________________
The Me you have always known, the Me that's a stranger still.

Jiwani Airport (IATA: JIW, ICAO: OPJI) is situated 10 km away from the city centre of Jiwani in Balochistan. It is not a major airport of Pakistan. At this time, there is no scheduled service to or from the airport.

Kadanwari Airport (IATA: KCF, ICAO: N/A) is a domestic airport, located at Kadanwari, Sindh, Pakistan. It is not being used by any passenger airline.

Khuzdar Airport (IATA: KDD, ICAO: OPKH) is situated at 5 km away from city centre of Khuzdar, Balochistan, Pakistan. It is not as large as the other airports in Pakistan, as it operates to cater mainly to the population of Khuzdar. As of right now, there are no scheduled flights to or from the airport.

Kohat Airbase (IATA: OHT, ICAO: OPKT) is located at Kohat, Kohat District, North-West Frontier Province, Pakistan.

On 20 February 2003, Mushaf Ali Mir and 16 others were killed when their Fokker F27 crashed into the hills near the airbase. The aircraft was inbound to Kohat from Chaklala Airbase. Included in the dead were the wife of Mushaf Ali Mir and two Air Vice-Marshals.

Mangla Airport (IATA: XJM, ICAO: OPMA) is situated 10 km (6.2 mi) from the city centre of Mangla, Pakistan. It is not being used by any commercial airlines, but only for military purposes.

Masroor Airbase (IATA: N/A, ICAO: OPMR) is located at Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.

Mianwali Airbase (IATA: MWD, ICAO: OPMI) is located at Mianwali, Punjab, Pakistan.

Moenjodaro Airport (IATA: MJD, ICAO: OPMJ) is located at Mohenjo-daro, Sindh, Pakistan.

Airlines

• Pakistan International Airlines (Karachi)

Cargo Airlines

• Pakistan International Cargo

Future Airlines

• Pearl Air

Multan International Airport (IATA: MUX, ICAO: OPMT) is an airport situated 10 km away from the city centre of Multan in Punjab, Pakistan. It is not as large as the other airports in Pakistan, as it operates to cater mainly to the population of Multan, Vehari, Khanewal, Muzaffargarh, Rajanpur, Sahiwal, and Pakpattan.


Airlines and Destinations

• Pakistan International Airlines (Dubai, Faisalabad, Karachi, Lahore)

Future Airlines

• Pearl Air (Islamabad, Karachi, Quetta)
• Safe Air (Islamabad, Karachi, Faisalabad)

Cargo Airlines

• Emirates SkyCargo (In 2006 - Dubai Intl Airport)

Murid Airbase is located at Murid, Punjab, Pakistan.

Panjgur Airport (IATA: PJG, ICAO: OPPG) is a domestic airport, located at Panjgur, Balochistan, Pakistan.


Airlines and destinations

• Pakistan International Airlines (Karachi, Pasni)

Parachinar Airport (IATA: PAJ, ICAO: OPPC) is an airport located in Parachinar, FATA, Pakistan. Located at about a 25 minute drive from the center of Parachinar, it is the only airport in FATA that is served by any passenger airline, namely Pakistan International Airlines. Presently (February 2007), the PIA service is temporarily suspended.

Airfield data

• Runway 1: Aircraft size max: Airbus Airbus A330
• Cargo Facilities: Animal Quarantine

Airlines and destinations

• Pakistan International Airlines (Peshawar, temporarily suspended)

Pasni Airport (IATA: PSI, ICAO: OPPI) is a domestic airport, located at Pasni City, Balochistan, Pakistan.

Airlines and destinations

• Pakistan International Airlines (Karachi, Panjgur)

Peshawar International Airport (IATA: PEW, ICAO: OPPS) is an airport located in the city of Peshawar in the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan. Located about a 25 minute drive from the center of Peshawar, it is the 4th busiest airport in Pakistan.


Airlines and destinations

• Aero Asia International (Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Doha, Dubai, Karachi) Service Stopped Nationwide
• Air Arabia (Sharjah)
• Airblue (Dubai, Karachi)
• Emirates (Dubai)
• Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi)
• Gulf Air (Bahrain, Muscat)

• Pakistan International Airlines (Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Chitral,Doha, Dubai, Islamabad, Jeddah, Kabul, Karachi, Kuwait, Lahore,Riyadh)
• Qatar Airways (Doha)
• Shaheen Air International (Dubai, Karachi, Quetta)
• Saudi Arabian Airlines (Jeddah, Riyadh)

Cargo Airlines

• Emirates SkyCargo
• Etihad Crystal Cargo
• Pakistan International Cargo
• Royal Airlines Cargo
• Star Air
• Shaheen Air
• TCS Couriers
• Gulf Air Cargo

Charter Companies

• Askari Aviation

Quetta International Airport (IATA: UET, ICAO: OPQT) is located at Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan, Pakistan.

Airlines and Destinations

Direct flights to the airport include:

• Airblue (Karachi)
• Pakistan International Airlines (Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Zhob)
• Shaheen Air International (Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar)

Cargo Airlines

• Askari Aviation
• Pakistan International Cargo

Rawalakot Airport (IATA: RAZ, ICAO: OPRT) is located at Rawala kot in Azad Kashmir, Pakistan.

Sahiwal Airport (IATA: SWN, ICAO: OPSW) is a new regional airport in the vicinity of Sahiwal, Pakistan.

The airport is still under construction. It is located on Pakpatan road, Sahiwal. Like any other big city, the airport has been located in a place to save the natural beauty of Sahiwal. Its location will make sure that it will not add noise and fuel pollution to residents of Sahiwal.It will cause minimum disturbance to the city.

Airport data

• Runway Length : 9285 ft
• Runway Elevation : 570 ft
• Longitude : 73° 6’ 0” E
• Latitude : 30° 40’ 0” N

Currently, there is no airport under-construction in Sahiwal. There were plans to construct one many years ago. But, unfortunately those plans were never implemented.

Saidu Sharif Airport (IATA: SDT, ICAO: OPSS) is an airport in Pakistan. It is situated near the Swat River and between villages of Dherai and Kanju in the North-West Frontier Province. The airport was built in the era of the late Wali Swat (the last ruler of the State of Swat) and two flights take place daily: one from this airport to Peshawar International Airport and the other to Islamabad International Airport. Many visitors that come to the valley of Swat and to the Malam Jabba ski resort in summers fly to Swat through this airport.

Airlines

• Pakistan International Airlines (Peshawar & Islamabad)

Cargo Airlines

• Pakistan International Cargo

Sargodha Airbase (IATA: SGI, ICAO: OPSR) is located at Sargodha, Punjab, Pakistan.

Sehwan Sharif Airport (IATA: SYW, ICAO: OPSN) is located at Sehwan Sharif, Sindh, Pakistan.

Cargo Airlines

• Pakistan International Cargo

Shaheen Airport Services (SAPS) is the largest ground handling agency in the private sector of Pakistan, providing facilities to commercial, corporate and private airlines at Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar and Quetta. SAPS headquarters is located in Karachi, although it has many offices located in many citities in Pakistan.

SAPS is a subsidiary of Shaheen Foundation, a welfare organization of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and was established in 1982, from a humble start to this day we have grown into a leading organization noted for its quality service and modernized approach. Its cargo warehouses at all stations are equipped to meet all cargo handling under one roof.

The cargo screening facilities coupled with the latest in CCTV further enhance our commitment to security. Our partners in business comprise a large number of international carriers with towering reputations from around the globe including corporate and international operators like the United Nations as well as numerous private organizations. Being a member of the IATA group, our services conform to international standards and we strive hard to make it improve continuously.

Services
The following services offered by SAPS are available at the following airports in Pakistan: Jinnah International Airport, Karachi; Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore; Islamabad International Airport, Islamabad; Peshawar International Airport, Peshawar; Quetta International Airport, Quetta;

• Aircraft Handling
• Aircraft Maintenance
• Cargo Handling
• Cute (T/E)
• Car Rental Services
• Catering Services
• Cabin Servicing
• DCS (SITA DCS)
• Equipment
• Flight Operations
• Passenger Handling
• Ramp Services
• Security

Airlines
The following list of passenger airlines are currently using SAPS as of May 2006;

• Airblue
• British Airways
• Cathay Pacific Airways
• Etihad Airways
• Gulf Air
• Iran Air
• Kuwait Airways
• Malaysia Airlines
• Qatar Airways
• Royal Airlines
• Saudi Arabian Airlines
• Shaheen Air International
• Singapore Airlines
• Thai Airways

Cargo Airlines
The following list of cargo airlines are currently using SAPS as of May 2006;

• Alitalia
• Cargolux Airlines
• Lufthansa Cargo
• Shaheen Air Cargo
• Swiss World Cargo

Shaikh Zayed International Airport (IATA: RYK, ICAO: OPRK) is located at Rahimyar Khan, Punjab, Pakistan. It is named in honor of Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahayan, as it was originally built for his exclusive use, so that he may visit his "Desert Palace" just outside the city. But he later donated it to the Government of Pakistan.

Airlines

• Pakistan International Airlines (Karachi, Lahore, Sukkur & Islamabad)

Private flights are available from UAE Airlines to Dubai.

Shorkot Road Airbase or Rafiqi Airbase (IATA: N/A, ICAO: OPRQ) is located at Rafiqi in Pakistan.

Sialkot International Airport (IATA: SKT, ICAO: N/A) is situated 14 km (8.7 mi) west of Sialkot in the Sialkot District of Pakistan. It is a smaller airport and caters mainly to the population of Sialkot.

History
On February 2 2001, The President of Pakistan, Chief Executive General Pervez Musharraf approved the construction of an international airport at Sialkot for passenger and cargo traffic. A team of directors were approved, under the chairmanship of Mian Muhammad Riaz(CEO of Dr. Frigz International & three times chairman for SIAL) all of whom placed personal wealth into the project as a primary investment. Each director on the board had previous experience of running sizeable and successful enterprises, therefore they were all selected due to this knowledge. Also, with Rs 5 million of personal investment in the project by each one of them, the directors had a direct stake in its profitability. As the development of SIAL went on, the number of directors had reached 223 and it was decided to close membership to the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors at SIAL inspired confidence that the potential of the airport project will be fully realized. On February 26 2001, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan with the approval of Ministry of Defence for the construction of the international airport in Sialkot.

By March 24 2005, Sialkot International Airport Limited (SIAL) formed under the auspices of the Chamber. On March 26 2005, The first plane landed on the newly constructed Sialkot International Airport runway, that was built to handle a fully loaded Boeing 747 as SIAL future plans involved dealing with heavy aircraft for cargo imports and exports.

Airlines

• Askari Aviation
• Pakistan International Airlines (Karachi, Dubai, Multan, Jeddah, Riyadh, Medina)
• Aero Asia International (Karachi, Multan, Dubai)
• Schon Air
• Emirates Airlines (Dubai)
• Saudi Arabian Airlines (Jeddah,Riadh and Dammam)
• Lufthansa (Frankfurt)

Cargo Airlines

• PIA Cargo
• Emirates SkyCargo (starting 2006 - DXB)

Future Airlines

• Pearl Air (Islamabad, Karachi, Quetta)
• Safe Air (Islamabad, Karachi, Multan)

Destinations
Many passengers flying from overseas (outside Pakistan) to Sialkot International Airport, will fly into the Jinnah International Airport, Karachi, Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore or Islamabad International Airport, Islamabad and then get connecting flights to Sialkot.
Direct domestic destinations include:

• Jinnah International Airport, Karachi
• Islamabad International Airport, Islamabad
• Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore
• Multan International Airport, Multan

Direct international destinations include:

• Dubai International Airport, Dubai
• King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah
• King Khaled International Airport, Riyadh
• Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz Airport, Medina
• Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz Airport, Medina

Great Britain, USA and Europe!

Services

• Fuel farm
• Aircraft ground maintenance services
• Catering
• Other related services through concessions to private parties.

Runway & Taxiways

• Runway;
  • 3,600 meter long, 45-meter wide with 7.5-meter wide shoulders on either side orresponding to International Civil Aviation Organization Category 4E.

• Link Taxiway;
  • 263-meter long, 23-meter wide with 10.5-meter shoulders.

• Aprons;
  • For passenger and cargo, 45,000-Sq meter area. Combination of flexible and rigid pavements.
  • Nose-in parking for 4 wide-bodied aircraft at a time or 3 Airbus plus 3 F-27 aircraft at a time.

Future development for the airport
Sialkot is a major export hub of Pakistan. The airport is being upgraded to make it compatible to carry the load of Boeing 747. The airport authority is currently working with a private company to develop th airport to meet international standards. The airport has developed a brand new runway so heavier aircraft can land their. There is a new terminal currently being build to deal with increase in passengers as well as cargo imports and exports.

Sibi Airport (IATA: SBQ, ICAO: OPSB) is a domestic airport, located at Sibi, Balochistan, Pakistan.

Sindhri Airport (IATA: MPD, ICAO: OPMP) is located at Sindhri, Sindh, Pakistan. Presently it is not in use by any passenger airline.

Skardu Airport (IATA: KDU, ICAO: OPSD) is a small domestic airport, located at Skardu, Northern Areas, Pakistan. Skardu is one of the two major hubs of all trekking expeditions in the Northern Areas, a region that includes four of the fourteen Eight-thousander peaks (8,000 m (26,247 ft) and above) of the world. Skardu is the gateway to Baltoro Glacier, Concordia, where spectacular views of three of the Eight-thousanders are available.

Although the journey from Islamabad to Skardu by Karakoram Highway provides a beautiful scenery, the journey by road takes 20 to 24 hours whereas the flight time for the same journey is nearly 50 minutes. This makes air travel from Islamabad to Skardu an attractive choice for many trekkers.

Airlines and destinations
Pakistan International Airlines runs a daily flight between Skardu and Islamabad International Airport. Skardu can accommodate a Boeing 737 aircraft.

Sui Airport (IATA: SUL, ICAO: OPSU) is located at Sui in the Balochistan province of Pakistan.

Airlines and Destinations

• Royal Airlines (Karachi)

Sukkur Airport (IATA: SKZ, ICAO: OPSK) is located at Sukkur in the Sukkur District of Pakistan. It is small airport and caters mainly to the population of Sukkur.

Passenger Airlines

• AeroAsia karachi
• Pakistan International airlines Karachi , Queeta ,Multan

Tarbela Dam Airport (IATA: TLB, ICAO: OPTA) is located near the Indus River in the Haripur District of Pakistan and is part of the Tarbela Dam project.

Turbat International Airport (IATA: TUK, ICAO: OPTU) is located at Turbat, Balochistan, Pakistan.

About Turbat Airport
The airport is much smaller than other airports of Pakistan. Until very recently Pakistan International Airlines was the only airline operating from the airport however Sharjah based carrier Orbit Aviation has obtained clearance from the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority to start twice weekly flights between Sharjah and Turbat via Gwadar. These flights will commence once necessary arrangements are in place to facilitate the operation of international flights. Airblue has also announced that it intends to start flying to Turbat in the near future after it started regular flights to Gwadar.

Airlines & Destinations

• Pakistan International Airlines (Dalbandin, Gwadar, Karachi & Sharjah)
• Orbit Aviation (Sharjah)

Future Airlines

• Airblue (Karachi)

Walton Airport (IATA: N/A, ICAO: OPLH) is situated 10 km (6 mi) from the city centre of Lahore. It caters to general aviation and is used by several flying clubs. Lahore's main airport is Allama Iqbal International Airport.

Zhob Airport (IATA: PZH, ICAO: OPZB) is a small domestic airport located at Zhob, Balochistan, Pakistan. It is a smaller airport and caters mainly to the population of Zhob. There are only two weekly flights by Pakistan International Airlines to Peshawar and Quetta from Zhob.

Passenger Airlines

• Pakistan International Airlines (Peshawar, Quetta)

__________________
The Me you have always known, the Me that's a stranger still.

The Clifton Cantonment is a cantonment town of the city of Karachi, in Sindh, Pakistan. It serves as a military base and residential establishment. It was established by the British Indian Army in 19th century British India, and taken over by the Pakistan Army in 1947. The cantonment maintains its own infrastructure of water supply, electricity and is outside the jurisdiction of City District Government of Karachi.

The Faisal Cantonment is a cantonment town of the city of Karachi, in Sindh, Pakistan. It serves as a military base and residential establishment. It was established by the British Indian Army in 19th century British India, and taken over by the Pakistan Army in 1947. The cantonment maintains its own infrastructure of water supply, electricity and is outside the jurisdiction of City District Government of Karachi.

The Karachi Cantonment is a cantonment town of the city of Karachi, in Sindh, Pakistan. It serves as a military base and residential establishment. It was established by the British Indian Army in 19th century British India, and taken over by the Pakistan Army in 1947. The cantonment maintains its own infrastructure of water supply, electricity and is outside the jurisdiction of City District Government of Karachi.

The Korangi Creek Cantonment or Korangi Cantonment is a cantonment town of the city of Karachi, in Sindh, Pakistan. It serves as a military base and residential establishment. It was established by the British Indian Army in 19th century British India, and taken over by the Pakistan Army in 1947. The cantonment maintains its own infrastructure of water supply, electricity and is outside the jurisdiction of City District Government of Karachi.

The Malir Cantonment is a cantonment town of the city of Karachi, in Sindh, Pakistan. It serves as a military base and residential establishment. It was established by the British Indian Army in 19th century British India, and taken over by the Pakistan Army in 1947. The cantonment maintains its own infrastructure of water supply, electricity and is outside the jurisdiction of City District Government of Karachi.

The Manora Cantonment is a cantonment town in a small Manora Island, located just south of the Karachi, in Sindh, Pakistan. It serves as a military base and residential establishment. It was established by the British Indian Army in 19th century British India, and taken over by the Pakistan Army in 1947. The cantonment maintains its own infrastructure of water supply, electricity and is outside the jurisdiction of City District Government of Karachi.



Baluchistan

• Ormara Cantonment
• Quetta Cantonment
• Zhob Cantonment

N.W.F.P.

• Abbottabad Cantonment
• Bannu Cantonment
• Dera Ismail Khan Cantonment
• Kohat Cantonment
• Loralai Cantonment
• Mardan Cantonment
• Nowshera Cantonment
• Peshawar Cantonment
• Risalpur Cantonment
• Sanjwal Cantonment

Punjab

• Attock Cantonment
• Bhawalpur Cantonment
• Chaklala Cantonment
• Faisal Abad are in no cantonment limit
• Gujranwala Cantonment
• Jhelum Cantonment
• Kamra Cantonment
• Kharian Cantonment
• Multan Cantonment
• Murree Gali Cantonment
• Murree Hills Cantonment
• Okara Cantonment
• Rawalpindi Cantonment
• Sargodha Cantonment
• Shorkot Cantonment (PAF Rafiqui)
• Sialkot Cantonment
• Taxila Cantonment
• Lahore Cantonment
• Wah Cantonment
• Walton Cantonment (Created out of the southern parts of the original Lahore Cantt.)

Sindh

• Hyderabad Cantonment
• Pano Aqil Cantonment

Azad Kashmir

• Mangla Cantonment

__________________
The Me you have always known, the Me that's a stranger still.

Situated in Lahore, Pakistan the Civil Services Academy Lahore was established in 1948 for the training of fresh entrants to the Pakistan Administrative Services (P.A.S.) and was originally called Pakistan Administrative Services Academy. With the adoption of Civil Services Pakistan Resolution, the Academy was renamed as Civil Services Academy and the campus was shifted form an old building on the Race Course Road to the Old Residency Estate on Mall Road. Meanwhile in addition to the probationers of Civil Services of Pakistan (CSP) the Academy also started training the probationers of Foreign Services of Pakistan in 1963. After the creation of Bangladesh in 1971 and the consequent loss of the Police Academy of Pakistan (then situated at Rajshahi in Bangladesh) the probationers of Police Services of Pakistan (PSP) also started training in this Academy.

With the adoption of Administrative Reforms of 1973, it was decided to organize a Common Training Program (CTP) for fresh entrants to various Central Superior Services (renamed as Occupational Groups). As a consequence the Civil Services Academy and Finance Services Academy (FSA) were merged. This Financial Services Academy was set-up by the Government of Pakistan in mid 1950s for the training of probationers of various Financial Services such as Pakistan Taxation Services (PTS), Pakistan Customs and Excise Services (PCES), Pakistan Military Accounts Service (PMAS), Pakistan Audit and Accounts Service (PAAS), and Pakistan Railway’s Accounts Service (PRAS). The huge campus of Financial Services Academy was located at Walton, which was then a sparsely populated suburb of Lahore. This new entity, created out of this merger, was renamed as Academy for Administrative Training. However, this name was once again changed to Civil Services Academy by the then President of Pakistan during his visit to the Academy in 1981.

Presently the Academy has one Campus at Walton (used exclusively for the Common Training Program) and another one at Mall Road (which is used for the Specialized Training Program of the District Management Group Officers).

Previously the Academy was a subordinate or attached department of Establishment Division, Government of Pakistan but now its an autonomous body and is run by its own Board of Governors with President of Pakistan as its Chair. The administration of the academy is run by a Director General who is usually a senior most civil servant.

__________________
The Me you have always known, the Me that's a stranger still.

National Police Academy

In United Pakistan, there was Police Academy at Sardah, former East Pakistan. After separation, National Police Academy was established in 1978 for education and training of middle and senior level law enforcement officers especially PSP officers. Affairs of National Police Academy are administered by Board of Governors headed by Minister of Interior and comprises senior police officers, civil servants and persons of eminence from the private sector.

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'Thee woh ik shakhs kay tasawar saay - abb woh ranayee khayal kahaan'

Political Parties Of Pakistan

Parties active in national and provincial politics



1.Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP)

The Pakistan Peoples Party was launched at its founding convention held in Lahore on November 30 - December 01, 1967.

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was elected as its Chairman. Among the express goals for which the Party was formed were the establishment of an "egalitarian democracy" and the "application of socialistic ideas to realize economic and social justice". A more immediate task was to struggle against the hated military dictatorship at the height of its power when the PPP was formed. Basic principles of PPP enshrined:

*Islam is our Faith
*Democracy is our Politics
*Socialism is our Economy
*All Powers to the People

The Party also promised the elimination of feudalism in accordance with the established principles of socialism to protect and advance the interests of peasantry.


2.Pakistan Muslim League (N)(PML “Nawaz group”)

The Pakistan Muslim League (N) is a political party in Pakistan. It is led by Nawaz Sharif. It was Pakistan Muslim League, founded in 1962, as a successor to the previously disbanded Muslim League, and gained the (Nawaz) or (N) in 1993 for its leader, Nawaz Sharif. A Pakistan Muslim League (J) was formed in 1986.


3.Pakistan Muslim League (Q) (PML “Quaid-i-Azam group”)

The Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-e-Azam), or PML-Q is a centrist political party in Pakistan, derived from the original Pakistan Muslim League which had laid foundation of the state of Pakistan. It is widely considered as a centrist to conservative party. Although, in the abbrevation PML-Q, Q stands for Quaid-e-Azam or Quaid-e-Azam Group, party's critics call it Qainchi and somestimes Qainchi Group.Qainchi is Urdu word for scissors which refers to the fact most of the members of PML-Q left PML-N to join it.

PML-Q was formed in 2001, when the Pakistan Muslim League fractured into several parties, of which the PML-Q was the smallest in terms of public support. The party strongly supports President Pervez Musharraf. Most members of the original PML now are part of the PML-Q. PML(Q) is considered major supporter of President Gen. Musharraf policies.


4. Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM)

Muttahida Qaumi Movement generally known as MQM, is a political party in Pakistan founded and currently led by Altaf Hussain. It originated as an ethnic student organization in 1978 from University of Karachi . The students movement later turned into an influential political party of Sindh. Later on July 26, 1997, MQM officially changed its name from Muhajir Qaumi Movement to Muttahida Quami Movement. MQM is infamous for its frequent involvement in terrorist activities although its leaders routinely deny such accusations. International organizations such as the UNHCR and the United States Department of State frequently cite examples of MQM's involvement in terrorism, especially within Karachi, Pakistan's commercial center.


5.Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA)

MMA is alliance of Islamic relgious political parties staunchly believing in democratic values, which has always welcomed constructive criticism.

Their basic ideas are islamic philosophy and ideology and also want devolution of powers on gross-roots level and hence pursuing the policy of further improving and strengthening the new local government system in the provinces.
The election manifesto of MMA promised enforcing the Islamic laws and systems in the country and the end of US influence in the region. It also promised to check the rising inflation level and to create job opportunities with stress on education and health sectors.


Minor Parties

* Awami National Party
* Awami Tehreek
* Balochistan National Party
* Balochistan National Movement
* Communist Party of Pakistan
* Communist Mazdoor Kissan Party
* Federal National Movement
* Green Party of Pakistan
* Jamhoori Wattan Party
* Jamiat Ahlehadith Pakistan
* Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mehaz
* Khaksar Tehrik
* Millat Party
* National People’s Party (NPP)
* Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party
*Pakistan Awami Tehrik
* Pakistan Democratic Party
* Pakistan Muslim League (F) (also known as Functional Muslim League or PML Pagaro Group)
* Pakistan People’s Party (S)
* Hizb ut-Tahrir
* Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (Chairman Imran Khan)
* Pakistan Progressive Party
* Pasban (Voice Against Injustice) (Altaf Shakoor)
* Sindh Democratic Alliance
* Sindh National Front
* Sindh National Party
* Sindh Taraqi Pasand Party
* Tehrik-e-Istiqlal
* Hazara Qumi Mahaz (HQM)


Parties In Parliament

* Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-i-Azam), PML (Q) (led by Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain)
* Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians, PPPP (led by Benazir Bhutto)
* Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, MMA (led by Maulana Fazl ur-Rahman and Qazi Hussain Ahmad)
* Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), PML (N) (led by Nawaz Sharif)
* Muttahida Qaumi Movement, MQM (led by Altaf Hussain)
* National Alliance, NA (led by Imtiaz Sheikh)
* Pakistan Muslim League (Functional)
* Pakistan Muslim League (Junejo)
* Pakistan Peoples Party (Sherpao)
* Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf
* Pakistan Awami Tehrik
* Pakistan Muslim League (Zia)
* Balochistan National Party
* Jamhoori Watan Party
* MQM(H)
* PSPP
* Independent candidates

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Awards Of Pakistan

Military Awards

Awards and decorations of the Pakistan military are military decorations which recognize a member's service and personal accomplishments while a member of the Pakistan armed forces.



1.Nishan-i-Haider
This is Pakistan's highest decoration for the greatest acts of bravery in battle. The decoration may be awarded to any member of Pakistan's armed forces, regardless of rank or branch of service, for extraordinary bravery in the face of the enemy. It is, therefore, in the same category as Great Britain's Victoria Cross. The decoration carries with it an award of Rs. 10,000, plus monthly allowances for junior commissioned officers of Rs. 50/month and for non-commissioned officers and men of Rs. 25/month. Recipients may use the abbreviation N.H. after their names. The decoration takes its name after the famous military hero, Ali Haider (1722-82 C.E.).
Established: 16 March 1957, by the President of Pakistan.


Recipients

Captain Muhammad Sarwar Shaheed (1910–July 27, 1948)

Major Tufail Muhammad Shaheed (1914–August 7, 1958)

Major Raja Aziz Bhatti Shaheed (1928–September 10, 1965)

Major Muhammad Akram Shaheed (1938–1971)

Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas Shaheed(Air Force) (1951–August 20, 1971)

Major Shabbir Sharif Shaheed (1943–December 6, 1971)

Jawan Sowar Muhammad Hussain Shaheed (1949–December 10, 1971)

Lance Naik Muhammad Mahfuz Shaheed (1944–December 17, 1971)

Captain Karnal Sher Khan Shaheed (1970–July 5, 1999)

Lalak Jan Shaheed (1967–July 7, 1999)



2.Hilal-i-Jurat


Hilal-i-Jurat is the second highest military award of Pakistan. It is admissible to officers of the three services for act of valour, courage or devotion to duty performed on land, at sea or in air.

The award carried the right to use the post nominal abbreviation H.J. This decoration is a rough equivalent to the British Distinguished Service Order.

Established: 16 March 1957, by the President of Pakistan.


3.Sitara-i-Jurat


Sitara-i-Jurat, is the 3rd highest Military medal of Pakistan. It is admissible to all ranks for gallant and distinguished service in combat. It is normally awarded to officers /junior commissioned officers.

The award carried the right to use S.J. as a post nominal abbreviation. Junior Commissioned Officers were eligible to receive a monthly allowance of Rs. 30. The decoration is roughly comparable to the British Military Cross.
Established: 16 March 1957, by the President of Pakistan.


4.Tamgha-i-Jurat


Tamgha-i-Jurat, is the 4th highest Military medal of Pakistan. It is admissible to all ranks for gallantry and distinguished services in combat.

The award carried the right to use the post nominal abbreviation T.J. and, for non-commissioned officers and enlisted men, a monthly allowance of Rs. 15. The decoration is roughly comparable to the British Distinguished Conduct Medal.
Established: 16 March 1957, by the President of Pakistan.


5.Sitara-i-Basalat and Tamgha-i-Basalat


Awarded to all ranks of the Pakistani military for valor, courage, or devotion to duty while not in combat. The award was originally established as the Tamgha-i-Basalat, Class I and Class II. The name was later altered. It is not clear what changes in design - if any.
Established: 16 March 1957, by the President of Pakistan .


Civil Awards

According to the Article 259(2) of the Constitution of Pakistan 1973, along with the Decorations Act 1975, the President of Pakistan confers civil awards on Pakistani citizens in recognition of gallantry, or distinction in academics, sports, or nursing.

The scope of the awards is as follows:

*A Gallantry means an act of bravery, heroism, courage and the rendering of dedicated services with selfless devotion in human rights and public service.

*Academic distinction includes:

Research, achievement or performance in Medicine, Science, Engineering, Technology, Philosophy, History, Literature or the Arts, and

*An invention of national importance.

In addition, the President’s Awards for Pride of Performance can be conferred for outstanding achievements in the fields of Art, Literature, Science,Sports and Nursing.

Citizens of Pakistan are eligible for awards in the Order of Shuja’at, Imtiaz and President’s Awards for Pride of Performance while foreign nationals can be given civil awards in any Order for eminence and outstanding services to Pakistan in a significant field of activity.

The announcement of civil awards is generally made once a year on Independence Day, 14th of August, and their investiture takes place on the following Pakistan Day, 23rd of March.


Pakistan Civil Awards, instituted in 1958, comprise following five Orders.

1.The Order of Pakistan
2.The Order of Shuja’at
3.The Order of Imtiaz
4.The Order of Quaid-i-Azam
5.The Order of Khidmat


Each Order has four descending categories namely, Nishan, Hilal, Sitara and Tamgha. The seniority of the Awards, including the President’s Pride of Performance awards, is as follows:

01- Nishan-i-Pakistan
02- Nishan-i-Shuja’at
03- Nishan-i-Imtiaz
04- Nishan-i-Quaid-i-Azam
05- Nishan-i-Khidmat

06- Hilal-i-Pakistan
07- Hilal-i-Shuja’at
08- Hilal-i-Imtiaz
09- Hilal-i-Quaid-i-Azam
10- Hilal-i-Khidmat

11- Sitara-i-Pakistan
12- Sitara-i-Shuja at
13- Sitara-i-Imtiaz
14- President’s Award for Pride of Performance
15- Sitara-i-Quaid-i-Azam
16- Sitara-i-Khidmat

17- Tamgha-i-Pakistan
18- Tamgha-i-Shuja’at
19- Tamgha-i-Imtiaz
20- Tamgha-i-Quaid-i-Azam
21- Tamgha-i-Khidmat


Nishan-i-Pakistan

Awarded for the highest degree of service to the state. Established: 19 March 1957.

Nishan-i-Shujaat

Awarded for military and civilian acts of courage under circumstances of danger to oneself. In general, these are not acts of bravery performed under hostile fire or in combat situations. In very general terms, the decoration is similar to British's George Cross and George Medal.


Nishan-i-Imtiaz

Nishan-i-Imtiaz is the highest honor given to a civilian in Pakistan. Usually it is regarded as the highest award one can achieve in Pakistan as the top most award Nishan-e-Pakistan is awarded to the foreign Heads of States.

Nishan-i-Imtiaz, which translates as the sign of excellence, is an honour given by the Government of Pakistan to both the military and civilians. For those in the military it is given after distinguished service and is also the highest medal award that can be awarded to those at the rank of General.


Nishan-i-Quaid-i-Azam

Awarded for meritorious service to the state, both civilian and military. The decoration is named to commemorate the founder of the nation, Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.


Nishan-i-Khidmat

Awarded for general meritorious civilian service to the state. While not uniquely a civilian decoration, the Nishan-i-Khidmat essentially filled this niche, with the Tamgah-i-Khidmat serves as a military division.


Hilal-i-Imtiaz


Hilal-i-Imtiaz is the second highest honor given to a civilian or a military personnel in Pakistan.

Hilal-i-Imtiaz, which translates as the crescent of excellence, is an honour given by the Government of Pakistan to both the military and civilians. For those in the military it is given after distinguished service and is also the highest medal award that can be awarded to those at the rank of Major General/Lieutenant General.


Sitara-i-Imtiaz

Sitara-i-Imtiaz is the third highest honour given to a civilian or military personnel in Pakistan.

Sitara-i-Imtiaz, which translates as the star of excellence, is an honour given by the Government of Pakistan to both the military and civilians. For those in the military it is given after distinguished service and is also the highest medal award that can be awarded to those at the rank of Brigadier/Major General.


Tamgha-i-Imtiaz


Tamgha-i-Imtiaz , which translates as the medal of excellence, is fourth highest honour given by the Government of Pakistan to both the military and civilians. For those in the military it is given after distinguished service and is also the highest medal award that can be awarded to those at the rank of Colonel.


Pride of Performance

Pride of Performance is a civil award given by the Government of Pakistan to Pakistanis who did any respectable jobs in their fields. Established on 13th January 1983 by president Zia-Ul-Haq. It is awarded to a Pakistani nationals in recognition of notable achievement in the fields of art, science, literature, sports or nursing. This award does not have any particular standing in Pakistani civil decorations hierarchy, but is regarded as one of the highest honours in Pakistan. The award of the medal may be accompanied by a monetary award. The president of Pakistan reserves himself the right to confer the award, unaccompanied by a monetary award, upon persons who are not citizens of Pakistan.


Tamgha-i-Jamhuria / Republic Medal


Awarded to commemorate the inauguration of the Republic of Pakistan, 23 March 1956. Awarded to members of the Pakistani armed forces, police forces, selected civilian officials, and selected non-officials. The medal was also awarded in gold to heads of foreign delegations attending the inauguration ceremonies as official State representatives. Established: 16 March 1957, by the President of Pakistan.

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Pakistan

Official Name

Islamic Republic of Pakistan

Father of the Nation


Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah (1876-1948)

National Poet

Allama Muhammad Iqbal (1877-1938)

Head of the State

General Pervez Musharraf, President

Head of Government

Mr. Yousaf Raza Gillani, Prime Minister

Capital

Islamabad


Area:


Total--------------------796,095 Sq. km.

Punjab-------------------205,344 Sq. km.

Sindh--------------------140,914 Sq. km.

North West Frontier Province--------74,521 Sq. km.

Balochistan--------------347,190 Sq. km.

Federally Administered Tribal Areas---27,220 Sq. km.

Islamabad (Capital)-------906 Sq. km.


Population:

153.96 million (E)


Administrative Setup

Pakistan is divided into four provinces viz., North West Frontier Province (NWFP), Punjab , Sindh and Balochistan. The tribal belt adjoining NWFP is managed by the Federal Government and is named FATA i.e., Federally Administered Tribal Areas. Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas have their own respective political and administrative machinery, yet certain of their subjects are taken care of by the Federal Government through the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas. Provinces of Pakistan are further divided into Divisions and Districts.

Provinces------------Divisions----------------Districts

NWFP-------------------7----------------------24

Punjab------------------8----------------------34

Sindh-------------------5----------------------21

Balochistan-------------6----------------------22

While FATA consist of 13 Areas/Agencies and Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas have 7 and 5 Districts respectively.


Religion

95% Muslims, 5% others.

Annual Per capital income

US $846

GDP

8.4%

Currency

Pak. Rupee.


Imports

Industrial equipment, chemicals, vehicles, steel, iron ore, petroleum, edible oil, pulses, tea.

Exports

Cotton, textile goods, rice, leather items carpets, sports goods, handi-crafts, fish and fish prep. and fruit.

Languages

Urdu (National) and English (Official)

Literacy rate

53%

Government

Parliamentary form

Parliament

Parliament consists of two Houses i.e., the Senate (Upper House) and the National Assembly (Lower House).
The Senate is a permanent legislative body and symbolises a process of continuity in the national affairs. It consists of 100 members. The four Provincial Assemblies, Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Federal Capital form its electoral college.
The National Assembly has a total membership of 342 elected through adult suffrage (272 general seats, 60 women seats and 10 non-Muslim seats).

Pakistan National Flag

Dark green with a white vertical bar, a white crescent and a five-pointed star in the middle. The Flag symbolizes Pakistan 's profound commitment to Islam, the Islamic world and the rights of religious minorities.

National Anthem

Approved: in August, 1954

Verses Composed by: Abdul Asar Hafeez Jullundhri

Tune Composed by: Ahmed G. Chagla

Duration: 80 seconds

State Emblem




The State Emblem consists of:

1. The crescent and star which are symbols of Islam.

2. The shield in the centre shows four major crops.

3. Wreath surrounding the shield represents cultural heritage.

4. Scroll contains Quaid's motto: Unity Faith, Discipline.

Pakistan 's Official Map

Drawn by Mian Mahmood Alam Suhrawardy (1920-1999).

National Flower

Jasmine.

National Tree

Deodar (Cedrus Deodara).

National Animal

Markhor.

National Bird

Chakor (Red-legged partridge).

Flora

Pine, Oak, Poplar, Deodar, Maple, Mulberry.

Fauna

The Pheasant, Leopard, Deer, Ibex, Chinkara, Black buck, Neelgai, Markhor, Marco-Polo sheep, Green turtles, River & Sea fish, Crocodile, Waterfowls.

Popular games

Cricket, Hockey, Football, Squash.

Tourist's resorts

Murree, Quetta , Hunza, Ziarat, Swat, Kaghan, Chitral and Gilgit.

Archaeological sites

Moenjo Daro, Harappa , Taxila, Kot Diji, Mehr Garh, Takht Bhai.

Major Cities

Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Rawalpindi, Hyderabad, Faisalabad, Multan and Sialkot.

Major Crops

Cotton, Wheat, Rice and Sugarcane.

Agricultural Growth Rate

7.5% in 2004-05.

Total cropped area

22.94 million hectares.

Industry

Textiles, Cement, Fertiliser, Steel, Sugar, Electric Goods, Shipbuilding.

Energy

Major sources:

Electricity ( Hydel, Thermal, Nuclear) Oil, Coal, and Liquid Petroleum Gas.

Power Generating Capacity:

19,389 MW

Health


Hospitals-----------------------916

Dispensaries--------------------4,600

Basic Health Units (BHUs)-------5,301

Maternity & Child Health Centres-------906

Rural Health Centres (RHCs)-----------552

Tuberculosis (TB) Centres-------------289

Hospital Beds-------------------99,908

Doctors (registered)------------113,206

Dentists (registered)------------6,127

Nurses (registered)-------------48,446

Paramedics---------------------23,559

Lady Health Workers------------6,741


Education


Primary Schools-----------------155,000

Middle Schools------------------28,728

High Schools--------------------16,100

Secondary Vocational Institutions-----------636

Arts & Science Colleges----------1,066

Professional Colleges-------------382

Universities----------------------51


Transport & Communication


Total length of roads

259, 758 km

Pakistan Railway network

7,791 km

Locomotives

580

Railway stations

781

Pakistan International Airlines

Covers 38 international and 24 domestic stations with a fleet of 49 planes.

Major Airports

8 (Islamabad , Karachi , Lahore , Quetta , Peshawar , Multan , Faisalabad and Gwadar).

Seaports

International

2 ( Karachi and Bin Qasim), Gwadar deep sear port.

Fish Harbors -Cum-Mini Ports

3(Minora, Gawadar, and Keti Bandar).

Communications


Post Offices--------------------12,170

Telephone connections---------5,052,000

Public Call Offices--------------217,597

Telegraph offices---------------299

Internet Connections-----------2 million

Mobile Phones------------------10,542,641


Employment


Total Labour force---------46.84 million

Employed Labour Force----43.22 million

Agriculture Sector---------18.60 million

Manufacturing & Mining sector--------5.96 million

Construction---------------2.52 million

Trade----------------------6.39 million

Transport------------------2.48 million

Others---------------------6.98 million

Media

Print Media (In accordance with Central Media List)

Dailies------------------540

Weeklies----------------444

Fortnightlies------------55

Monthlies---------------268

News Agencies

Official

APP

Private

PPI, NNI, On Line and Sana .

Electronic Media


TV Channels


State Owned

Pakistan Television Network (PTV) is a state owned television station which operates on both terrestrial & satellite.

*PTV

*PTV World

*PTV National - Regional Languages Channel

*PTV Bolan - Baluchi Language Channel

*AJK TV - Azad & Jammu Kashmir TV


Educational

*Virtual University is also state owned and operate two channels.

*Virtual Television 1 (VTV 1)

*Virtual Television 2 (VTV 2)


Private


*Aaj TV

*ARY Digital

*ARY One World

*ATV

*Business Plus

*Channel G - Music Channel

*Dhoom TV

*Filmazia - Pakistani Movies Channel

*Fortune TV

*Geo TV

*Geo News

*Hum TV

*Indus Music

*Indus Plus/Indus News

*Indus Vision

*Labbaik TV

*Mashriq TV

*nVibe

*TV One

*QTV

*Roshni TV

*Rung TV

*Sun Biz - Business Channel

*TV 2 Day

*The City Channel

*The Musik

*Uni Plus


Regional

*KTN - Sindhi Language Channel

*Sindh TV - Sindhi Language Channel

*Kashish TV - Sindhi Language Channel

*Apna Channel - Punjabi Language Channel

*Ravi TV - Punjabi Language Channel

*Punjab TV - Punjabi Language Channel

*AVT Khyber - Pushto Language Channel

International

*HBO - Part of ARY Digital Network

*Fashion TV Pakistan

*Al-Jazeera Urdu

*CNBC Pakistan

*Cartoon Network

*STAR Plus

*Ten Sports


Pakistani radio channels

Sindh

*Radio Pakistan AM820 Karachi

*Radio Pakistan AM1000 Hyderabad

*Radio Pakistan AM1000 Larkana

*Radio Pakistan AM920 Khairpur

*City FM89 Karachi

*RadioActive FM96 Karachi

*FM100 Karachi

*FM101 Karachi

*FM101 Hyderabad

*APNA Radio FM107 Karachi

*HUM FM106 Karachi

*HUM FM106 Sukkar


Punjab

*Radio Pakistan AM630 Lahore

*Radio Pakistan AM1080 Lahore

*Radio Pakistan AM1260 Rawalpindi

*Radio Pakistan AM792 Rawalpindi

*Radio Pakistan FM92 Rawalpindi

*Radio Pakistan AM1030 Multan

*Radio Pakistan AM1320 Bahawalpur

*Radio Pakistan AM1476 Faisalabad ( Lyallpur )

*City FM89 Lahore

*City FM89 Rawalpindi

*City FM89 Faisalabad ( Lyallpur )

*FM100 Lahore

*FM101 Lahore

*FM101 Faisalabad ( Lyallpur )

*FM101 Sialkot

*FM101 Sargodha

*FM95 Mianwali

*MAST FM103 Lahore

*Radio Buraq FM104 Sialkot

*AWAZ Radio FM105 Gujrat

*AWAZ Radio FM106 Gujranwala

*HUM FM106.2 Lahore


Islamabad Capital Territory

*Radio Pakistan AM585 Islamabad

*City FM89 Islamabad

*FM99 Power Radio Islamabad

*FM100 Islamabad

*FM101 Islamabad

*HUM FM106.2 Islamabad


Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP)

*Radio Pakistan AM540 Peshawar

*Radio Pakistan AM1400 Dera Ismail Khan

*Radio Pakistan AM1600 Abbottabad

*Radio Pakistan AM1580 Chitral

*UPesh Radio FM107 Peshawar

*Radio Buraq FM104 Peshawar

*Radio Buraq FM104 Mardan

*FM101 Peshawar

*FM101 Bannu

*FM101 Kohat


Balochistan

*Radio Pakistan AM750 Quetta

*Radio Pakistan AM1580 Sibi

*Radio Pakistan AM560 Khuzdar

*Radio Pakistan AM1580 Turbat

*FM101 Quetta

*FM101 Gwadar


Banks


Central Bank

State Bank of Pakistan

Nationalized Scheduled Banks

*First Woman Bank Ltd.

*National Bank of Pakistan


Specialized Banks

*Zari Taraqiati Bank (ZTBL)

*Industrial Development Bank of Pakistan

*Punjab Provincial Cooperative Bank Ltd.


Private Scheduled Banks

*Askari Commercial Bank Limited

*Bank Al-Falah Limited

*Bolan Bank Limited

*Faysal Bank Limited

*Bank Al-Habib Limited

*Metropolitan Bank Limited

*KASB Commercial Bank Limited

*Prime Commercial Bank Limited

*PICIC Commercial Bank Limited

*Soneri Bank Limited

*Union Bank Limited

*Meezan Bank Limited

*Saudi-Pak Commercial Bank Limited

*Crescent Commercial Bank Limited

*Dawood Bank Limited

*NDLC-IFIC Bank Limited (NIB)

*Allied Bank of Pakistan Limited

*United Bank Limited

*Habib Bank Limited

*SME Banks


Foreign Banks

*ABN Amro Bank N.V

*Albaraka Islamic Bank BSC (EC)

*American Expresss Bank Limited

*Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi Limited

*Citibank N.A

*Deutsche Bank A.G.

*Habib Bank A.G. Zurich

*Hongkong & Shanghai Banking Corp Limited

*Oman International Bank S.O.A.G

*Rupali Bank Limited

*Standard Chartered Bank Limited


Development Financial Institutions

*Pakistan Industrial Credit and Investment Corp. Limited

*Pak Kuwait Investment Company (Pvt) Limited

*Pak Libya Holding Company (Pvt) Limited


Investment Banks

*Crescent Investment Bank Limited

*First International Investment Bank Limited

*Atlas Investment Bank Limited

*Security Investment Bank Limited

*Fidelity Investment Bank Limited

*Prudential Investment Bank Limited

*Islamic Investment Bank Limited

*Asset Investment Bank Limited

*Al-Towfeek Investment Bank imited

*Jahangir Siddiqui Investment Bank Limited

*Franklin Investment Bank Limited

*Orix Investment Bank (Pak) Limited


Famous Mountain Peaks


Peaks--------------------Height--------------------World Rating

K-2 (Chagori)-------------8616 m----------------------2nd

Nanga Parbat-------------8125 m----------------------8th

Gasherbrum -I------------8068 m----------------------11th

Broad Peak---------------8065 m----------------------12th

Gasherbrum-II------------8047 m----------------------14th

Gasherbrum-III-----------7952 m----------------------15th

Gasherbrum-IV-----------7925 m----------------------16th

Disteghil Sar-------------7885 m-----------------------20th

Kunyang Kish------------7852 m-----------------------22nd

Masherbrum (NE)--------7821 m-----------------------24th

Rakaposhi---------------7788 m-----------------------27th

Batura I----------------7785 m------------------------28th

Kanjut Sar-------------7760 m------------------------29th

Saltoro Kangri----------7742 m------------------------33rd

Trivor------------------7720 m------------------------36th

Tirich Mir---------------7708 m------------------------41st


Famous Mountain Passes


Location------------------------Province

The Khyber Pass-----------------NWFP

The Kurram Pass-----------------FATA

The Tochi Pass------------------FATA

The Gomal Pass-----------------NWFP

The Bolan Pass-----------------Balochistan

The Lowari Pass----------------Chitral (NWFP)

The Khunjrab Pass--------------Northern Areas


Rivers

Name----------------------------Length

The Indus-----------------------2,896 km

Jhelum--------------------------825 km

Chenab-------------------------1,242 km

Ravi----------------------------901 km

Sutlej---------------------------1,551 km

Beas (tributary of Sutlej )--------398 km


Famous Glaciers

Name--------------------------Length

Siachin-------------------------75 km

Batura--------------------------55 km

Baltoro--------------------------65 km


Deserts


Name-----------------------Location/Province

Thar----------------------------Sindh

Cholistan------------------------Punjab

Thal-----------------------------Punjab


Lakes

Name---------------------------Location/Province

Manchar-----------------------Sindh

Keenjar------------------------Sindh

Hanna-------------------------Balochistan

Saif-ul-Maluk-------------------NWFP

Satpara------------------------Northern Areas

Kachura------------------------Northern Areas


Major Dams

Name---------------------------Location/Province

Mangla Dam---------------------Punjab

Tarbela Dam---------------------NWFP

Warsak Dam---------------------NWFP

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