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Everything About Pakistan | Geography, History, Culture and Life

—

by

eduKate Asia
Original illustration of three fictional adults studying an illustrated book and a handmade mountain, river plain and fields model in an imagined library.

What can you learn about Pakistan? Begin with a place, an everyday practice or a question. These twenty chapters connect geography, history, community life and creativity. Read from the beginning, or choose a route and explore the subjects that interest you.

Choose a reading route: country foundations, everyday life, culture and discovery, or connections and perspectives. Each route leads to the complete chapters.

At a glance

  • Location: UN M49 groups Pakistan in Southern Asia.

Source: UN M49.

This educational overview is not a travel itinerary or personalised medical, legal or financial advice. Surveys, historical accounts and institutional plans answer different questions. Their dates and limits matter when comparing experiences or deciding what to investigate next.

Cover illustration: original AI-generated artwork of three fictional adults studying an illustrated book and a handmade mountain, river plain and cultivated fields model in an imagined library. This is a nonliteral artistic composite, not a photograph, an accurate map, an exact view of a named place or a representation of every region of the country.

Choose your reading route

Country foundations

Everyday life

Culture and discovery

Connections and perspectives

Chapter 1: Geography and regional landscapes

Statistical location and river seasons

The United Nations M49 classification places Pakistan in Southern Asia, with numerical code 586 and alphabetical code PAK. These identifiers support statistical publications and databases. The United Nations explains that its geographical groupings serve statistical convenience and do not express a position on political affiliation or territorial boundaries. Source 1.1

Seasonal changes along the Indus appear in a NASA account of Landsat observations around Guddu Barrage, just south of the Punjab and Sindh boundary. The series covers 6 June 2009 to 9 June 2010. Its captions describe falling river levels from early September while surrounding fields become green as crops mature. Fields then brown through January and February before greening again. By June 2010, shortly before that year's monsoon floods, water levels were lower than in June 2009. Source 1.2

Regional environments and mapping

A 2004 FAO volume presents ten agroecological zones based on a 1980 classification using landforms, climate, land use and water availability. Its rainfed Barani zone includes the Salt Range and Potwar Plateau. Wet mountain areas are largely forested, whereas grazing dominates the northern and western dry mountain descriptions. The dry western plateau includes a coastal belt receiving sea breezes. In the arid Sulaiman piedmont, the account describes irrigation dependent on floods carried by hill torrents. The wet mountain description includes silty soils, while deep valley soils feature in the accounts of dry mountain zones. Western dry mountains are described as barren, steep hills. Source 1.3

The Survey of Pakistan describes a mapping process that combines satellite observation with field checking. Its account dates the move to digital mapping to 2010 and describes a geospatial database updated periodically as features change. Teams use ground truthing to confirm changes before finalising map sheets, which can then be printed for departments. The agency also describes large scale mapping with unmanned aircraft and work to establish a new geodetic framework and national spatial data infrastructure. The database contains millions of features. Source 1.4

Offshore geology and mountain connections

An offshore expedition provides another view of Pakistan's landscapes. In 2018, the China Geological Survey and Pakistan's National Institute of Oceanography surveyed the Makran continental margin. A 2021 paper describes seismic profiles, multibeam bathymetry, water column data and seafloor observations gathered aboard the research vessel Haiyangdizhi10. Its abstract reports twelve mud volcanoes and three pockmarks in the surveyed area. Source 1.5

Pakistan also participates in a much larger mountain and river geography. ICIMOD describes the Hindu Kush Himalaya as extending 3,500 kilometres across all or part of eight countries, from Afghanistan to Myanmar. The Indus is among the ten major Asian river systems originating in that region, alongside the Ganges, Brahmaputra, Mekong, Yangtze and others. The description concerns a transboundary region. Source 1.6

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Chapter 2: History and political change

Founding documents and international membership

Pakistan's instrument of adherence to the United Nations records its acceptance of the obligations of the UN Charter after the General Assembly approved its membership application. Zafrullah Khan signed the document at Flushing Meadow in New York on 30 September 1947. The United Nations Treaty Series preserves the signed instrument. Source 2.1

The Indian Independence Act, dated 18 July 1947, provided for two independent dominions named India and Pakistan. Its opening section designated 15 August 1947 as the appointed day for that statutory arrangement. The Act also replaced provisions of the Government of India Act 1935 and addressed matters consequential on the creation of the dominions. Its legal date is distinct from national commemorative practice. Source 2.2

Repatriation and documentary collections

UNHCR's report on the South Asian repatriation operation describes assistance requested after the 1971 conflict. Air transport was selected over shipping for economy, speed and flexibility, while a Geneva unit coordinated with arrival and departure points including Dacca and Karachi. When the operation ended on 1 July 1974, it had moved 230,439 people: 121,695 from Pakistan to Bangladesh and 108,744 in the opposite direction. Those figures describe this operation, not every displacement associated with the conflict. UNHCR planned the logistics with the governments concerned and the International Committee of the Red Cross, maintaining coordination throughout the operation. Source 2.3

The Quaid-i-Azam Academy describes Jinnah Papers as an editorial project begun in 1990 under Zawwar Hussain Zaidi. Its catalogue lists eighteen English volumes and twelve in other languages, covering 1940 to 1948 with some gaps still being addressed. Appendices treat important landmarks of the Pakistan movement. The collection brings primary papers concerning Jinnah's life, his times and the freedom movement into a published documentary series. Source 2.4

Remembering Partition and currency history

The Ishtiaq Ahmed Collection at LUMS preserves interviews gathered for his 2014 book about Partition in Punjab. Its catalogue says contributors came from varied backgrounds on both sides of the border. Audio files have detailed descriptions, and some interviews have complete transcriptions. Ahmed donated the material for digitisation and curation. The repository presents these individual experiences as contributions to a wider conversation about Partition and invites other researchers to help extend that documentary record. Source 2.5

The State Bank museum approaches history through money and the images printed on it. Its Currency Gallery describes displays of Pakistani banknotes beginning in 1947, explaining connections between their depicted objects and the country's cultural and historical life. International historical and polymer notes broaden the collection. A separate account of decimal coinage records the government's 1961 decision to divide the rupee into one hundred paisas, marking a change in how everyday monetary units were organised. The gallery also displays international banknotes currently used in different countries. Source 2.6

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Chapter 3: Languages and belonging

Mother tongues and language resources

The 2023 census report identifies Punjabi as the mother tongue of 36.98 percent of its population, followed by Pushto at 18.15 percent and Sindhi at 14.31 percent. The relevant national population coverage comprises four provinces and Islamabad Capital Territory. Shina, Balti, Mewati, Kalasha and Kohistani were newly included categories. These are reported mother tongues within that statistical coverage, not a complete measure of every language people can use. Source 3.1

Language technology also depends on detailed work with words and their meanings. A Centre for Language Engineering paper describes an Urdu corpus built from a frequent word list, a corpus labelled by parts of speech, Urdu WordNet and a morphological analyser. The reported version contains 17,006 words tagged with 2,285 distinct senses. Its annotation tool was designed to make tagging more consistent and efficient. The project was presented at a CLE seminar in November 2014. Source 3.2

Written standards and signing

Carina Jahani's 2019 grammar describes efforts towards a shared written Balochi standard. A programme launched in 2012 brought together Uppsala University, the University of Balochistan, the Balochi Academy in Quetta and writers and literary societies. A 2014 conference chose parallel orthographies using Arabic and Latin scripts. A later grammar conference discussed variation and possible standard forms. The publisher's account emphasises contributions from Baloch writers and linguists in developing the description. Source 3.3

Pakistan Sign Language resources published by the Family Educational Services Foundation recognise regional variation rather than assuming every sign is used identically. The provider says Deaf educators and leaders have reviewed its dictionary. Its development team includes teachers, sign developers, interpreters, curriculum designers, animators and production specialists. Listed resources include a phone app, basic signs presented through several languages, a dictionary, animated stories and tutorials for teachers and students. Source 3.4

Oral traditions and language choices

The Burushaski Language Resource documents regional varieties associated with Hunza, Nagar, Yasin and Srinagar. Directed by Sadaf Munshi, the project produced recordings, fieldwork notes, transcriptions, translations and analyses now described in a university digital collection. Genres include stories, legends, personal narratives, conversation, poetry and songs. Teaching materials include greetings and word lists covering kinship, colours, weather and everyday objects. The catalogue also lists photographs documenting fieldwork and discussions of culturally important events alongside these varied pedagogical materials. Source 3.5

A study published in December 2024 explored language choices through interviews with five female Hindko speakers selected through purposive and snowball sampling. Its thematic analysis found strong connections with cultural and geographical roots. Participants maintained Hindko particularly at home while using other languages according to social context. The authors also describe their promotion of Hindko through digital platforms and language projects. This small qualitative study gives a specific view of language maintenance in multilingual lives. Source 3.6

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Chapter 4: Institutions and public life

Statutory rights and election administration

The 2025 edition of Pakistan's Constitution states that citizens are equal before the law and entitled to equal protection. Article 25 prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex while allowing special provisions for women and children. Article 140A directs provinces to establish local government systems and devolve political, administrative and financial responsibility to elected representatives. It assigns local elections to the Election Commission. These provisions describe the statutory framework, not its implementation. Source 4.1

The Election Commission's annual report for 2024 describes extensive administrative training. For the general election, it reports 1,481,590 officials trained through 37,399 sessions, alongside the preparation of polling staff handbooks. A separate online session for thirty presidential election officials covered candidate nominations, voting, counting and result compilation. Practical exercises and simulations formed part of that training. The report says the general election training used indigenous resources, including printed handbooks and refreshments for participants. Source 4.2

Audit and rights oversight

The Auditor-General's consolidated federal report for audit year 2024–25 describes scrutiny of financial year 2023–24. The work included budget estimates, appropriation accounts and financial statements, together with examination of internal controls in selected offices. Identified shortcomings were shared with management and other responsible institutions for corrective measures. Among the reported issues were fixed assets omitted from annual accounts and pension expenditure that had not been reconciled, showing the specific accounting questions examined by the audit. Source 4.3

The National Commission for Human Rights describes several distinct oversight roles: examining complaints, intervening in proceedings, conducting investigations and inspecting detention places. Its custodial rights account discusses a joint gap analysis with Justice Project Pakistan, identifying concerns about psychological torture, supervision and institutional coordination. The commission also describes a complaint protocol covering intake, assessment, referral, timelines and grounds for dismissal. Staff training and legal oversight accompany this institutional work, according to its own account. Source 4.4

Complaints and local participation

The Federal Ombudsman's 2024 report explains how its overseas complaints office maintained contact through email, messages and telephone calls. It says those complaints began entering the Complaint Management Information System in January 2024. The office also raised systemic concerns with relevant agencies. Missions and consulates were described as having focal persons and designated meeting days, while monthly reports recorded matters resolved or still in progress. Heads of missions or their representatives also conducted monthly gatherings to hear concerns from overseas Pakistanis. Source 4.5

Local participation is the focus of GIZ's Participatory Local Governance programme, recorded for July 2022 to December 2027. Its work in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa brings administrative and political actors together with civil society and public commissions. The approach seeks citizen involvement in designing and delivering services. Advisory support is directed towards provincial and local administrative staff, managers and elected representatives. Source 4.6

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Chapter 5: Economy and livelihoods

Monetary institutions and programme finance

The State Bank describes domestic price stability as its primary statutory objective, followed by financial stability and support for productive resources within that hierarchy. Its monetary framework uses the policy rate as the main instrument and aims to keep the overnight interbank repo rate close to the target. Decisions on policy stance belong to a committee comprising the governor, three senior bank executives, three board members and three external economists. Source 5.1

An IMF statement dated 14 October 2025 illustrates the distinction between negotiation and approved financing. Following discussions in Karachi, Islamabad and Washington, staff reached agreement on reviews of the Extended Fund Facility and Resilience and Sustainability Facility arrangements. The agreement remained subject to Executive Board approval. The statement said approval would provide access to about one billion US dollars under the first facility and two hundred million under the second, rather than reporting those amounts as already disbursed. Source 5.2

Reform analysis and business finance

The World Bank's October 2025 development update examined policy constraints on growth and exports. Its authors recommended a broader tax base, stronger tax administration and public sector rationalisation, including divestiture of state enterprises. They identified tariffs, cumbersome regulation and costly energy and logistics as export barriers. Their analysis argued that tariff changes alone were insufficient: trade finance, trade facilitation, access to markets, and digital and energy infrastructure also needed attention. Source 5.3

The Pakistan Stock Exchange describes its Growth Enterprise Market through stages of preparation and disclosure. An adviser carries out internal review and due diligence and prepares an information memorandum for an application. Investor presentations form part of marketing, followed by an initial offering and formal listing. The account distinguishes fixed price offerings from book building. After listing, annual reports and disclosure of material information remain continuing obligations, extending the process beyond the initial raising of capital. Source 5.4

Manufacturing networks and economic measurement

SMEDA's 2018 Sialkot cluster profile identifies hand stitched inflatable balls, particularly footballs, as a flagship product. It describes imported and locally sourced materials, with larger firms importing directly and others buying from traders. Factory linked stitching centres also operated in nearby villages. Larger organised firms maintained export departments and attended trade fairs to meet buyers. The profile noted limited development of internationally established local brands, while naming domestic examples in cricket bats and hockey sticks. Source 5.5

Pakistan Bureau of Statistics explains economic measurement through its national accounts rebasing work. An April 2022 foreword describes annual compilation of GDP, gross national income, investment and expenditure measures. Rebasing incorporates better sources and reassesses industry contributions as economic structures change. The exercise used censuses, surveys and other studies, including work on manufacturing, electricity, rents and services. Price and trade indices were also aligned with the 2015–16 reference period to support consistency between the resulting aggregates. Source 5.6

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Chapter 6: Homes and everyday community life

Household surveys and social registries

The Household Integrated Economic Survey for 2024–25 introduced digital tablet enumeration, with fieldwork from September 2024 to June 2025. PBS describes a stratified design selecting geographical blocks and then households. Its social report covers education, technology, health, housing and related topics; the economic report examines household income and consumption. The page states that results for AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan were not included in the published reports. Source 6.1

BISP's account of the National Socio-Economic Registry explains why household records need updating. Competitively contracted partner organisations and reviewers worked in assigned clusters. Collection combined visits with registration desks and a teacher based model when field operations encountered difficulties. Updated data was formally launched in January 2022 after roughly three years of work. The account describes a transition towards a dynamic registry with tehsil level access and verification against NADRA records. The design also seeks to capture changes in household circumstances in areas affected by calamities. Source 6.2

Community organisations and neighbourhood infrastructure

The Aga Khan Rural Support Programme describes its original approach through three elements: organisation, skills and capital. Established in 1982, it encouraged village and women's organisations to identify shared projects, save money and develop practical management skills. Its founding focus included Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan, a Pakistan-administered part of the disputed Kashmir region. Listed activities include strengthening community organisations, linking marginalised households with resources, promoting women's savings groups and improving connections with local government. Source 6.3

Orangi Pilot Project's 2017 account explains its sanitation model through shared responsibilities. Residents finance and manage household latrines, lane sewers and secondary sewers as internal development. Government provides the main sewers, drains and treatment plants described as external development. The research and training institute supplies social and technical guidance to both partners. This component sharing approach links work on individual lanes with planning at the wider town or city level. Source 6.4

Worker voice and local planning

The Cahn Group dates the creation of Pakistan's Hamary Awaz helpline to 2023 and describes Clear Voice's participation in its operation. Partners include Baidarie, founded by rural women near Sialkot to support women's business and civic participation, and LRQA. The provider explains its worker voice model as a channel through which factory and farm managers receive information about concerns and have an opportunity to address problems. Source 6.5

Participatory planning also appears in a PPAF account from Warghar village in Lakki Marwat. Its April 2025 newsletter reports completion of a 2,500 foot wall under the German funded LACIP programme supported through KfW. Residents had prioritised the scheme in their Village Development Plan after earlier flood damage. The provider also reports short term employment for local unskilled labourers during the work, connecting the physical project with a locally identified priority. Source 6.6

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Chapter 7: Learning and education

Curriculum coordination and inclusion

The National Curriculum Council's account distinguishes coordination from provincial implementation. It describes minimum standards developed through consultation, while provinces retain legal processes and the ability to adapt content to their needs. In 2026, its website presented a draft National Curriculum Framework and draft curricula for early childhood through Grade V for public feedback. Teachers, families, students, academics and civil society were among those invited to comment on relevance, quality and inclusion. Source 7.1

Inclusive Development Partners describes its School Sab Ke Liye work from June 2024 to February 2025 with Catholic Relief Services and local organisations, including organisations of persons with disabilities. It reports assessing institutional preparedness for inclusive education in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh. Training for trainers addressed Universal Design for Learning and social and emotional learning. A quasi-experimental study design was intended to examine teacher practice and student learning. The programme particularly emphasised girls and children with disabilities. Source 7.2

Learning surveys and libraries

ASER Pakistan's 2023 rural methodology describes a household survey. Its stated survey population consists of 151 rural districts. The design selects thirty villages per district and twenty households per village, with larger villages having a greater chance of selection. Aggregating findings requires weights because a household sampled in a larger district represents more households than one in a smaller district. Its rural design retains twenty villages from the preceding survey and adds ten new villages each year. Source 7.3

Room to Read's report identified by the publisher as its 2024 annual report describes its Literacy Project with Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi. It lists thirty-four libraries in Lahore and Bahawalpur, each supplied with 1,200 books and furniture designed for children. The partnership also adapted literature into Urdu, Sindhi, Pashto and Dari. Training for 140 district and provincial personnel focused on managing active libraries and promoting literacy. Source 7.4

Quality review and teacher development

The Higher Education Commission's quality handbook describes internal programme assessment and external peer review as complementary processes. Programmes assess themselves against PREE standards, while external panels reach judgments based on evidence. Findings lead to action plans overseen by institutional quality staff. Students can contribute written accounts of their experience, meet reviewers and help prepare those plans. The handbook expects plans to be updated annually. The departmental head signs off the action plan, with student representatives involved in its preparation or commentary. Source 7.5

A 2019 study by Kadir Demir and Azhar Qureshi examined professional learning through interviews with fifteen secondary public school science teachers in Punjab. Participants were selected purposively, and the researchers used staged coding and thematic analysis. Reported barriers concerned institutional procedures, trainer and participant selection, access and subject specific content. The authors called for teachers' needs and voices to shape professional development, drawing their recommendations from this local qualitative sample. Source 7.6

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Chapter 8: Health and community care

Primary care and delivery systems

The 2017 PRIMASYS case study approached Pakistan's primary health care as a system of structures, processes and outcomes. Its publisher describes attention to financing, governance, service integration, coverage and monitoring, together with four pathways of change. Developed through an international research partnership hosted by WHO, the study was intended to help researchers and policymakers understand how services operate at national and subnational levels. Policy development and implementation are among its analytical dimensions. The comprehensive version targets researchers seeking deeper insight, while the abridged account highlights entry points for policymakers. Source 8.1

A UNICEF update dated 23 April 2025 reports the handover of thirty-one refrigerated trucks to the Federal Directorate of Immunization in Islamabad, with Gavi support. The delivery followed twenty-three refrigerated vehicles in 2021 and seven pickup trucks earlier in 2025. The same account describes technical assistance for local immunization planning, cold chain systems and monitoring at national and subnational levels. The partners described these investments as support for routine immunization and outreach capacity. Source 8.2

Rehabilitation and digital support

The ICRC's September 2023 account traces its rehabilitation work in Pakistan to a centre established during the Afghan Soviet war. It describes services including walking aids, wheelchairs and physical and occupational therapy. The Rehab Initiative, established in 2016, supports local supplies of materials and equipment for assistive devices and related training. The account separately describes educational sponsorship and social inclusion through sport, alongside vocational training in prosthetic and orthotic sciences. Source 8.3

The Aga Khan Development Network's Digital Health Resource Centre describes a programme established in 2011 to support service delivery, research and capacity building through information and communication technologies. Its institutional profile lists work in Pakistan and seven other countries in Asia and Africa, with a Karachi contact address. An Innovation Lab established in 2014 provides a setting for developing and testing health care products. Source 8.4

Community services and district planning

Sindh Integrated Emergency and Health Services describes a model extending beyond hospital buildings. Its institutional account combines ambulance services with a telemedicine service and an internal Research, Development and Education department. That department is described as a training unit staffed by medical professionals and paramedics, supporting health professionals and communities. The provider was formerly known as Aman Foundation. Its ambulance description concerns Sindh, while the Tele-Tabeeb service is described as nationwide. Source 8.5

WHO's account of a planning workshop describes preparation for a mental health pilot in Hyderabad, Quetta, Rawalpindi and Peshawar. Following trainer training in December 2016, the federal health ministry, WHO's Pakistan office and a collaborating centre at the Institute of Psychiatry in Rawalpindi organised the exercise. The proposed next steps were plans for training general physicians at tehsil level and separate training for paramedical staff in primary care facilities within the four districts. Source 8.6

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Chapter 9: Transport and digital connections

Urban transit and corridor consultation

The Karachi Red Line project profile records financing approval in November 2019 and describes a planned 24.2 kilometre main bus corridor, a 2.4 kilometre common section and feeder connections. Its design also included vehicles and operating systems. Environmental and resettlement assessments accompanied the scheme. Consultations took place between December 2017 and June 2019, with English and Urdu summaries made available for public comment. The resettlement summary was translated into an Urdu brochure and displayed in the project area. The design included two depots and a staging facility. Source 9.1

A January 2026 World Bank account reports an agreement between government representatives and affected communities concerning the Khyber Pass Economic Corridor. A complaint by 448 individuals had raised concerns about the Southern Link Road's design and alignment. The dispute process considered livelihoods, consultation and conflict risks. The agreement provided for subsequent public information sessions, women's participation and progress reporting, with monitoring by the Dispute Resolution Service. The agreement was signed on 20 January, with monitoring planned for up to one year unless extended. Source 9.2

Road communications and research networks

Digital connectivity is also planned along transport routes. A Universal Service Fund project record describes a contract with PTML signed on 20 October 2022 for voice and broadband services along underserved portions of the M8 between Rato Dero and Gwadar. The stated road length is 478.32 kilometres across seven districts of Sindh and Balochistan. Named districts include Gwadar, Kech, Awaran, Khuzdar, Jhal Magsi, Kambar Shahdad Kot and Larkana. Source 9.3

The Pakistan Educational and Research Network connects higher education and research institutions, according to its APAN member profile. The account describes links to national and international networks, internet access, audio and video conferencing, digital library resources and cloud services. It also lists educational roaming and campus Wi-Fi within the Smart University project. This institutional network supports communication among researchers and classrooms, while its profile describes backbone upgrading as work in progress. Source 9.4

Rail planning and port operations

Railway finance remained a planning question in a government account dated 28 August 2026. A committee reviewing the Rohri to Multan section of ML-1 considered public development funding, foreign finance, partnerships, commercial banks and domestic capital markets. The planning minister directed an independent feasibility study of technical, financial and economic viability. He also asked the railway ministry to assess future locomotive, freight wagon and passenger coach requirements within an integrated plan. Source 9.5

Karachi Port's institutional overview dates its handling of containerised cargo to 1973. It describes eastern, western and southern wharves and identifies KICT, KGTL and SAPTL as container terminals operated through private partnerships. Oil piers handle liquid cargo, adding a different kind of movement to container traffic. The account also identifies dredging as necessary to maintain the shipping channel. Source 9.6

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Chapter 10: Work, skills and opportunity

Workplace priorities and vocational reform

Pakistan's Fourth Decent Work Country Programme was signed on 4 May 2023 by government, employer and worker representatives with the ILO. Covering 2023 to 2027, it sets shared priorities for employment creation, social protection, international labour standards, and occupational safety and health. The ILO's publisher overview frames these as objectives for a more inclusive and socially just world of work. Source 10.1

GIZ's historical TVET reform profile describes efforts to connect vocational education more closely with labour market demand. Its listed 2017 to 2023 phase addressed governance, private sector engagement, training delivery and teacher development. Employer led skills councils and institute management committees were among the proposed mechanisms. The approach also supported agreements between enterprises and training providers, workplace learning, competency based assessment and teacher training, combining institutional reform with intended improvements in training delivery. Source 10.2

Rural digital skills and alternative learning

Wang Lab of Innovation describes a local digital learning space in Ahmed Abad Wang, Bela, in Balochistan's Lasbela area. Founded in 2021, the lab focuses on practical learning for rural young people, girls and children. Its programme list includes computer basics, office software, internet skills and typing. It also describes a six month information technology certificate, workshops on responsible use of artificial intelligence tools and a seasonal digital camp for children and beginners. Source 10.3

UNESCO's May 2024 account of the AQAL project describes alternative learning for people with limited access to schooling, especially women. Launched in 2015, the programme links literacy, daily life skills and vocational preparation through JICA and federal and provincial partners. Its design includes basic education for younger learners and a six month adult literacy module. Urdu and English are the instructional languages, while teachers may use Punjabi, Pashto, Sindhi or Balochi to support learners. The account includes extra coaching and a further three month vocational preparation pathway for adult learners. Source 10.4

Field learning and online training

A July 2026 FAO account describes planned community field schools in Balochistan through an EU supported recovery programme. The design aims to reach at least 45,000 livestock keeping households, emphasising discovery based learning and inclusion of women and young people. Named local partners work in Pishin, Loralai, Zhob, Khuzdar, Jaffarabad and Usta Muhammad. The article describes collaboration with local organisations and academic institutions to organise the learning approach; the household figure is intended reach. Source 10.5

PSDF's Mein Digital programme describes online training for women in rural Punjab, delivered from home through an instructor led learning management system. Listed subjects include English, content creation, digital marketing, product development, market connections, electronic commerce, financial literacy and soft skills. The provider distinguishes scheduled classes from independent study at any pace. Its account also describes certification for successful completion. PSDF describes using the Urban Unit's geographical mapping to classify rural areas. Source 10.6

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11. Habitats and living landscapes

Desert edges and coastal wetlands

Lal Suhanra brings several contrasting habitats together on the northwestern edge of the Cholistan Desert in Punjab. UNESCO records its biosphere reserve nomination in 1977. The relatively flat, arid landscape contains sand dunes, the dry bed of the Hakra River, Patisar Lake and irrigated land. Its ecological description distinguishes subtropical thorn forest from irrigated plantations and freshwater wetlands. Tamarisk and other trees occur alongside wetland plants such as reeds, water lilies and lotus. (Source 11.1).

The Indus Delta Ramsar profile describes a coastal mosaic in Sindh rather than a single continuous habitat. Creeks and estuaries meet mudflats, sand, salt flats, mangroves, marshes and rocky shores. Designated in November 2002, the listed wetland covers 472,800 hectares. Its historical information identifies fish, shrimps and birds, including Dalmatian pelicans, alongside several kinds of dolphins and other marine animals. The underlying information sheet dates to 2001, so it provides a historical habitat account rather than a current wildlife census. (Source 11.2).

Lakes and community conservation

The Ucchali Complex consists of three lakes in the Salt Range near Nowshera in Khushab district. Its Ramsar account describes brackish to saline water, limited marsh vegetation and surrounding agricultural fields. Rainfall and human influence change lake levels. A May 1990 monitoring mission recommended treating the lakes together because waterfowl move between them. The account also describes livestock grazing, indirect irrigation benefits and wintering birds, including white headed ducks, ferruginous ducks, greylag geese and flamingoes. (Source 11.3).

Snow leopard conservation can involve the economic concerns of livestock keepers. BWCDO traces its programme to a 1999 pilot founded by Shafqat Hussain, followed by registration under its current name in 2007. The organisation describes working with communities to compensate livestock losses and reduce incentives for retaliation against snow leopards. Its named areas include valleys in Baltistan and Gojal in Upper Hunza, within Pakistan administered Gilgit Baltistan in the disputed Kashmir region. Named valleys include Basha, Braldu, Basho, Rondu, Thalay and Hushe. (Source 11.4).

Restoration and mountain forests

In June 2026, IUCN announced a mangrove initiative with Pak Suzuki at Phitto Creek on the Karachi coast. The plan proposed planting more than 100,000 seedlings across sixty hectares over the following year. Community participation was intended to include planting, monitoring survival and stewardship. A launch ceremony brought together institutional representatives and local stakeholders. The programme also aimed to encourage wider coastal conservation awareness beyond its planting targets. (Source 11.5).

UNESCO records the nomination of Ziarat Juniper Forests as a biosphere reserve in 2013. Its account identifies mountain habitats, including Khalifat Mountain, and describes wildlife sanctuaries and game reserves within the wider ecosystem. Reported animals include markhor, urial, wolves, Afghan pikas and migrating birds. The profile also identifies habitat fragmentation associated with settlement, livestock grazing and illegal hunting, placing protected areas within a landscape affected by human activity. (Source 11.6).

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12. Food and shared meals

Forests and household knowledge

Chilgoza pine nuts connect forest management with rural livelihoods. FAO lists its Pakistan restoration project as running from January 2018 to June 2025 and records it as completed. Its objectives included pine nut value addition, forest protection and resilient livelihoods. The programme combined policy work, restoration, capacity building and knowledge sharing. Listed outputs include four community training centres and development of a geographical indication specification for the nuts. Sites included Sherani in Balochistan, South Waziristan, and Chitral in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. (Source 12.1).

A Lahore study published in June 2024 used household discussions to investigate cereal and vegetable dishes. The researchers selected 423 households for participation and conducted twenty seven focus groups between September and November 2022. They examined commonly consumed dishes, eating patterns, factors influencing consumption and basic recipes. Transcripts were compared and organised thematically. Recorded dishes included chicken biryani, mattar pulao, bhindi and saag makhni, placing rice combinations alongside vegetable dishes within the food discussed by participating households. (Source 12.2).

Preferences and school meals

Hasnain's 2018 study explores what middle class residents of Islamabad meant by good food. Participant observation and interviews revealed considerations extending beyond price and convenience: freshness, purity, links with particular places and cultural belonging mattered too. The author argues that these ideas helped participants reconnect food with nature, social identity and changing food systems. The study describes culturally informed preferences among its participants, even when imported organic or local food labels were familiar and some such products were available. (Source 12.3).

A June 2025 WFP account describes a national consultation on school meals in Islamabad. Federal and provincial representatives met alongside development agencies, businesses, academics and civil society organisations. Provincial plans differed: Punjab proposed expansion to more districts, Sindh reaffirmed plans for a new programme, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa considered school meals alongside its cash based model. Balochistan presented an action plan that included children with special needs. These were commitments and planning discussions recorded at that meeting, not evidence of universal provision. (Source 12.4).

Cookbooks and changing dishes

Maryam Jillani's Pakistan presents food through home kitchens, restaurants and roadside stands. The publisher lists more than one hundred regional recipes, photography made on location and essays about life in Pakistan. Published in April 2025, the book includes sauces, chutneys, curries and vegetable dishes. Its catalogue description places cooking within cultural contexts shaped by migration, trade and connections with neighbouring countries. (Source 12.5).

Tehreem Zahra and Francesco Perono Cacciafoco examine nihari through historical research, ethnography and culinary anthropology. Their study treats the slow cooked meat stew as an edible archive whose recipe carries traces of social change. They argue that its movement from an elite Mughal breakfast towards a national food involved adaptation within Karachi and Peshawar. In their interpretation, local preferences reshaped the dish while links with aristocratic food traditions remained. (Source 12.6).

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13. Arts, music and storytelling

Festivals and observation

A March 2025 diplomatic account describes Pakistan celebrating Nowruz at UNESCO headquarters in Paris with twelve other countries. The gathering brought together diplomats, community members and other guests through music, performances, cultural displays and food exhibitions. Pakistani dishes listed in the account included shami kebabs, biryani and lassi. This particular event illustrates cultural exchange in an international setting, with the participating countries presenting different traditions associated with the shared celebration. (Source 13.1).

Suri Jagek is a Kalasha knowledge system based on observing the sun, moon, stars and shadows in relation to local terrain. UNESCO inscribed it on the urgent safeguarding list in 2018. The practice helps determine dates in the Kalasha calendar, including festivals, feasts and religious ceremonies. Stories, songs, proverbs and spoken explanation support its transmission. The dossier also describes some aspects being adapted to contemporary circumstances, including shadow observations connected with livestock keeping in the Hindu Kush setting. (Source 13.2).

Recorded music and contemporary art

The catalogue for Pakistan: The Music of the Qawal describes an ensemble of ten musicians led by Haji Ghulam Farid Sabri and four brothers. The performers accompany their Urdu poems with harmonium, flute, tanpura and percussion. Among the four songs, two praise the Prophet Mohammad, while another is identified as a Sufi poem set to music by Hadji Maqbul Ahmed Sabri. The recording belongs to the UNESCO Collection of Traditional Music. (Source 13.3).

The Lahore Biennale Foundation announced Of Mountains and Seas for October and November 2024, curated by John Tain. The programme invited around sixty artists from thirty countries to address ecology and sustainable futures through installations and work made for particular sites. Its framing connected environmental concerns with vernacular and Indigenous heritage. The planned closing Climate Congress was designed to bring researchers, artists and curators into conversation about contributions from arts and humanities, with attention to Pakistan and the wider Global South. (Source 13.4).

Manuscripts and cinema

HMML began photographing the Karachi collection of Anjuman i Taraqqi yi Urdu Pakistan in 2020. Its February 2026 account describes approximately two thousand manuscripts, mainly in Urdu, Persian and Arabic, being digitised and catalogued. One caption identifies a devotional Bhagavatapurana manuscript copied in Hyderabad, India, in 1747 using Arabic script. The collection thus includes material whose language, script and place of production cross familiar cultural categories. The account presents online access as a way to support literary study across borders and partitions, continuing the library's wider scholarly purpose. (Source 13.5).

The Cannes catalogue identifies Joyland as a 2022 first film by Saim Sadiq. It records the film in Un Certain Regard and lists that section's Jury Prize for 2022, establishing a specific international festival recognition. Its metadata separately gives 2021 as the production year and a running time of 126 minutes. (Source 13.6).

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14. Heritage and places of memory

Cities beneath later landscapes

UNESCO's Moenjodaro account describes a city built largely in baked brick, with wells, public baths and drainage. It distinguishes a western citadel area from the lower city to the east, where streets intersect at right angles. A Buddhist stupa was constructed above earlier ruins in the second century CE. These layers show that the archaeological landscape contains structures from different periods, while the street arrangement and sanitation systems provide concrete evidence of organised urban construction. (Source 14.1).

Taxila is a group of archaeological places in Rawalpindi district, not a single building or settlement. UNESCO identifies Saraikala, Bhir, Sirkap and Sirsukh as evidence of changing urban forms. Bhir preserves winding streets and house foundations, while Sirkap contains a planned grid of houses, stupas and temples. The wider property also includes Khanpur cave and Buddhist monasteries. At Giri, a mosque, tomb and school add a later religious layer to this varied archaeological landscape. (Source 14.2).

Gardens and fortifications

Lahore Fort and Shalamar Gardens form two separate royal complexes about seven kilometres apart. UNESCO describes their architecture and gardens as expressions of Mughal art during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The fort combines brick, sandstone, marble, inlays and mosaics from different building phases. The gardens, constructed in 1641 and 1642, cover sixteen hectares on three descending terraces. Enclosing walls, regular paths, planted beds, pavilions and large water basins organise the garden landscape. (Source 14.3).

Construction of Rohtas Fort began under Sher Shah Suri in 1541. Its irregular plan follows the hilltop terrain in Punjab. UNESCO describes walls extending more than four kilometres, with sixty eight bastions and twelve monumental gateways. An internal wall separates the citadel, while stepped wells provided water within the defences. Decorative carving, calligraphy, plasterwork and glazed tiles complement the military structures. The Shahi Masjid stands near the Kabuli Gate, alongside other buildings added during different periods. (Source 14.4).

Monuments and written memory

Makli preserves tombs for rulers, scholars, saints and other figures in the history of Sindh. UNESCO describes brick and stone monuments, some decorated with glazed tiles. Named examples include the tomb of Jam Nizamuddin II and the mausoleums of Isa Khan Tarkhan the Younger and Jan Baba. Its account emphasises the adaptation of different architectural influences into a local style, including Gujarat, Mughal and Persian elements, rather than presenting the monuments as a uniform architectural group. (Source 14.5).

The Nur i Afshan archive preserves a different form of historical memory. The Endangered Archives Programme catalogue covers the periodical from 1873 to 1944. Its contents included news, official notices, commodity prices, advertisements, essays, poems and proverbs. Contributions came from beyond professional journalism, while editors represented different religious communities. The digitisation project, hosted by Forman Christian College, recorded these Urdu materials as a resource for studying varied social and religious discussions in historical Punjab. (Source 14.6).

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15. Science and discovery

Institutions across borders

Pakistan became an associate member of CERN on 31 July 2015, following ratification of an earlier agreement. CERN's contemporary account described opportunities to attend Council meetings and participate in scientific employment, training and career development. Pakistani industry could also bid for contracts. The account presented associate membership as an extension of an existing partnership between CERN and the Pakistani scientific community. (Source 15.1).

Abdus Salam's role in creating the International Centre for Theoretical Physics illustrates another international connection. An institutional history published in 2015 traces his proposal to 1960, when he represented Pakistan at the International Atomic Energy Agency. The centre opened in Trieste, Italy, in 1964, with Salam as director, to support basic science, especially in developing countries. The account describes continuing international exchange and the creation of a South American partner centre in Brazil in 2010. (Source 15.2).

Excavations and lunar observations

A 2026 author abstract reports Italian and Pakistani archaeological work at Barikot during 2023 and 2024. Three large trenches investigated urban phases from the first century BCE to the fifth century CE. Reported discoveries included a later stupa associated with Kidarite coins, a northern city boundary identified as predating the Kushan period, pottery production areas and part of a road network. Collaboration included specialists and the archaeology authorities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with Luca Olivieri and Elisa Iori directing the mission. (Source 15.3).

SUPARCO dates the launch of iCube Qamar to 3 May 2024 from Hainan in China aboard Chang E6. The mission involved the Pakistan Institute of Space Technology and Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Two optical cameras were designed to photograph the lunar surface. The mission profile described an intended orbital period of three to six months for collecting research data. (Source 15.4).

Reading ice and sand

A glacier inventory published in February 2023 used Landsat images to examine the transboundary Karakoram across four decades, from the 1990s onwards. Researchers combined automated mapping with manual correction and tested uncertainty through independent digitisation of thirty seven glaciers. They recorded more than twenty attributes for each glacier. Total mapped area was relatively stable across the study interval, but regional differences and increasing debris cover complicated that overall picture. Area measurements are not measurements of total ice mass. (Source 15.5).

Thal Desert sand preserves evidence of earlier Indus landscapes. A 2020 study combined existing geological databases with original sediment chemistry and age measurements. The authors inferred a substantial contribution from erosion of the Kohistan arc, followed by wind reworking and dune accumulation under earlier conditions. Their reconstruction relates renewed river incision during the early Holocene to a stronger South Asian monsoon. Their estimated Kohistan contribution was about forty percent, exceeding the proportion assessed in modern Upper Indus sand. (Source 15.6).

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16. Sport and shared recreation

Organisations and cricket

The International Olympic Committee identifies the Pakistan Olympic Association and records its recognition in 1948. Its institutional profile gives the code PAK and lists an address at Olympic House in Lahore. (Source 16.1).

Pakistan won the 2017 Champions Trophy final against India at The Oval by 180 runs. The ICC account records 338 for four, followed by India being dismissed for 158 in 30.3 overs. Fakhar Zaman made 114 from 106 balls and shared an opening partnership of 128 with Azhar Ali. Mohammad Amir removed the leading three Indian batsmen within nine overs. Hardik Pandya responded with 76 from 43 balls, but Pakistan secured its first title in the competition. Later batting contributions included Mohammad Hafeez's unbeaten 57. He and Imad Wasim added an unbeaten 71 together. (Source 16.2).

Javelin and hockey

Arshad Nadeem won the men's javelin final at the Paris Olympics on 8 August 2024. His second throw travelled 92.97 metres, setting an Olympic record at that event. The World Athletics report describes a final with eleven other competitors. Neeraj Chopra responded with 89.45 metres, his best throw of the competition, before fouling his next four attempts. Nadeem was twenty seven years old when he achieved this Olympic result. (Source 16.3).

A 2018 FIH retrospective records goalkeeper Mansoor Ahmed's 338 international appearances between 1986 and 2000. He competed at three Olympic Games. His career included Olympic bronze at Barcelona in 1992 and carrying the national flag at Atlanta in 1996. At the 1994 World Cup in Sydney, he made decisive penalty saves in both the semifinal and final. He denied Germany's Christian Blunck in the semifinal and stopped Jeroen Delmee in the final against the Netherlands, helping Pakistan secure its fourth World Cup title. (Source 16.4).

Para sport and wider participation

Haider Ali won Pakistan's first Paralympic gold on 3 September 2021 in the Tokyo Games. His winning discus throw in class F37 measured 55.26 metres. Earlier medals had come in long jump: silver at Beijing in 2008 and bronze at Rio in 2016. The contemporary report records Mykola Zhabnyak taking silver and Joao Victor Teixeira bronze in Tokyo. Ali expressed hope that his success would encourage others to participate in para sport. (Source 16.5).

The historical Special Olympics Pakistan factsheet describes a programme founded in 1989, with its first National Games held in Karachi in 1991 for seventy five athletes. It records fifty two athletes attending the 2015 World Summer Games in Los Angeles. Its listed sports range from aquatics and athletics to badminton, cricket, cycling and table tennis. Alongside training and competition for people with intellectual disabilities, the programme identifies athlete leadership, family support and activities for younger participants among its areas of work. (Source 16.6).

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17. Weather, water and environmental challenges

Observing floods and seasons

NASA's September 2022 account compares Landsat observations from 4 and 28 August to describe flooding around the Indus. Its explanation of the images identifies water spreading beyond normal channels in Qambar and Shikarpur districts of Sindh. A separate satellite view from 31 August used infrared and visible light to distinguish flooded plains. The observations came from Landsat 8 and 9 and the VIIRS instrument aboard the NOAA 20 satellite. (Source 17.1).

The Pakistan Meteorological Department's 2024 summary describes Cyclone Asna in the northeastern Arabian Sea during August as an unusual seasonal event. Its provincial rainfall figures show Sindh ninety four percent and Balochistan eighty two percent above average, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was four percent above average. The source also reports near average winter rainfall and much lower than average rainfall after the monsoon within its national seasonal summary. The seasonal periods were January to March and October to December respectively. (Source 17.2).

Water management and preparedness

The World Bank's December 2022 Sindh Water and Agriculture Transformation factsheet focuses on growing more crops per unit of irrigation water. The design combines improvements on farms with water delivery, participatory management and recovery transfers after the floods. It targets up to 385,000 households, principally small and medium farmers. Planned activities include subsidies for crops requiring less water and renovation of the Akram Wah canal, alongside support for selected farmer organisations and wider policy changes. (Source 17.3).

The Green Climate Fund approved FP018 in October 2016 with UNDP as its implementing entity. Its northern Pakistan design combines early warning with engineering works and disaster management policy. Proposed measures include 250 structures, weather monitoring stations and flood gauges. The intended coverage includes Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pakistan administered Gilgit Baltistan in the disputed Kashmir region. These are the approved design measures; the captured project record does not reliably establish their present completion status. (Source 17.4).

Waste and urban air

A March 2025 UNEP and Sustainable Development Policy Institute catalogue abstract examines the feasibility of plastic recycling among small and medium enterprises in Pakistan. Its stated scope includes market demand, financial sustainability, regulation and stakeholder participation. The study aims to identify barriers and opportunities and inform a recycling roadmap, linking environmental questions with the practical circumstances of businesses handling plastic waste. (Source 17.5).

A paper published in December 2014 examined particulate matter collected at one urban site in Lahore. Its samples ranged from 254 to 555 micrograms per cubic metre for PM10, with an average of 406 plus or minus 87. A statistical source attribution model identified vehicle emissions, biomass fuel, industrial dust and resuspended dust among major contributors. These findings concern the sampled setting; the publication date does not establish when all sampling occurred or describe current citywide air conditions. (Source 17.6).

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18. Regional and global connections

Cooperation frameworks

The United Nations cooperation framework published in November 2022 set five development outcomes for Pakistan for 2023 to 2027. Its priorities connected basic services, including health, education and sanitation, with empowerment, the Indus basin, inclusive economic growth and accountable governance. The framework described these as conditional pathways: stronger services were intended to improve access, while equitable use and protection of basin resources would support adaptation. It also linked decent work with employment opportunities and described accessible justice and public awareness of rights as governance objectives. (Source 18.1).

Pakistan joined the World Trade Organization on 1 January 1995. The WTO country profile also records membership of its predecessor agreement, GATT, from 30 July 1948. The profile provides links to goods and services schedules, tariff data and related trade information. (Source 18.2).

Regional institutions and investment plans

Pakistan is among the countries listed by the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. SAARC's institutional account dates the signing of its charter in Dhaka to 8 December 1985 and the establishment of its Kathmandu secretariat to January 1987. The charter objectives include public welfare, economic growth, social progress and cultural development. Collective self reliance and mutual understanding are also stated purposes. Its institutional profile lists eight members, including Bangladesh and Nepal. (Source 18.3).

The Asian Development Bank launched a Pakistan partnership strategy for 2026 to 2030 in March 2026. It identified three pathways: private sector development, inclusion and empowerment, and resilience and sustainability. Planned support combined regulatory reform, infrastructure, access to finance and partnerships with investment in services and human capital. Crosscutting themes included governance, gender equality, digital transformation and regional cooperation. The strategy also identified opportunities in railways, clean energy, agricultural value chains, skills and water management, alongside disaster preparedness and air quality initiatives. (Source 18.4).

People and practical exchanges

A United Nations account published in August 2024 identifies Major Sania Safdar from Pakistan as the first UNFICYP peacekeeper to receive its 2023 Certificate of Recognition for gender advocacy. Colin Stewart presented the certificate in Cyprus. This recognition concerned contributions to the Women, Peace and Security agenda. The account distinguishes such certificates from the separate Military Gender Advocate of the Year award, rather than treating the two honours as interchangeable. (Source 18.5).

UNESCO's February 2025 account describes a tsunami evacuation drill involving two schools in Gwadar. Participants included 180 girls and more than 150 boys. Provincial disaster authorities, the meteorological department, NED University, local government and a community development council collaborated in the activity. Linked with World Tsunami Awareness Day 2024 work, it belonged to a regional project supported by UNESCAP. The local exercise connected school participation with wider efforts to improve preparedness and early warning cooperation in the northwestern Indian Ocean. (Source 18.6).

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19. Contemporary creativity and enterprise

Innovation and payment systems

WIPO's 2026 Global Innovation Index places Pakistan ninety fifth among 139 economies. The profile ranks innovation inputs at 121 and outputs at seventy two. Its confidence interval spans ranks eighty five to one hundred. WIPO cautions that changing data availability and model frameworks affect comparisons between years, so the published position should be read with that uncertainty. (Source 19.1).

A State Bank circular dated February 2022 describes the second phase of Raast, introducing transfers between individuals after the January 2021 launch of bulk payments. The design allowed customers to send and receive funds using an international bank account number or a Raast identifier. Initially, a registered mobile number could serve as that identifier when linked to a bank account. (Source 19.2).

Finance and creative businesses

An IFC disclosure describes proposed financing of up to US$100 million for Bank Alfalah for up to five years. Intended proceeds would support micro, small and medium enterprises and agriculture. Associated advisory work concerned the regulatory framework and preparation for the financing product. The page's status, last updated on 2 June 2026, was pending signing. Its indicative amount therefore represents proposed finance, not money shown as disbursed to businesses. (Source 19.3).

The British Council's Developing Inclusive and Creative Economies programme offered training, mentoring and networking to social and creative entrepreneurs. Its provider account reports six hundred fellows trained across eleven locations in two phases. Named locations include Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar and Faisalabad. A portal developed during the pandemic was intended to maintain connections after the original training. It provided learning resources, webinar recordings and space for discussion and collaboration. Women enterprise leaders were among the groups supported, within a programme initially launched as a pilot in March 2018. (Source 19.4).

Experimentation and local enterprise

UNDP describes its Pakistan Accelerator Lab as launched in 2019 after a 2017 commitment to innovation. Its approach includes identifying emerging issues through horizon scanning, mapping solutions using strategic foresight, testing ideas and sharing learning. In Rahim Yar Khan, the lab developed plastic waste experiments with partners including the Environment and Climate Change team, Unilever and a regional innovation centre. The work tested different points in the system, from community behaviour to economic incentives, with the intention of informing larger programmes and policy on waste and circular resource use. (Source 19.5).

The National Incubation Center Faisalabad newsletter for October 2022 invited a second cohort, particularly businesses in its AgriTech and TextTech categories. Listed support included mentoring, seed funding, technical assistance and incubation facilities. The newsletter also described a discussion with Foster Learning in which local startups shared challenges and opportunities. A separate agribusiness session featured Aamer Hayat Bhandara of Agriculture Republic and Digital Dera, discussing opportunities to introduce innovation into agricultural technology and practice. (Source 19.6).

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20. Future choices for communities

Youth voices and adaptation

UNICEF's July 2016 account describes PakAvaz as a free SMS system for young people to discuss community concerns. It began by selecting thirty ambassadors aged eighteen to twenty four from twenty districts. Training prepared them to organise youth camps, encourage registration, develop local polls and facilitate discussions with community stakeholders. The account reported a network of 660 ambassadors at that time. This was a programme network, not a representative survey of all young people. (Source 20.1).

An approved Green Climate Fund readiness proposal with a February 2018 cover date outlines adaptation planning support through UNEP. Its design aims to strengthen coordination and incorporate adaptation into policies, strategies and programmes. It also proposes sharing knowledge about experience, gaps and needs at local, national and international levels. Monitoring, communicating benefits and regularly updating the national adaptation plan form another strand, with attention to vulnerable communities and ecosystem restoration. The proposal also envisaged exchanges through international adaptation events and meetings. (Source 20.2).

Skills and neighbourhood planning

UNDP reported the completion of a three month skills programme for Kurram and Orakzai in November 2024. Supported by Japan and implemented with the Sarhad Rural Support Programme, it involved seven hundred young people, including 375 women. Participants received practical training, certificates and toolkits. Listed trades included phone repair, jewellery making, plumbing and packaging. A dialogue on climate adaptation and girls' education accompanied the closing event, linking the training with wider aims around livelihoods, social cohesion and local governance. (Source 20.3).

A September 2025 UN Habitat document reports completed participatory planning in seven Karachi settlements hosting Afghan refugees and other residents, with five more planned by December. Residents contributed through walks, discussions and mapping of services, paths, businesses and community assets. The process moved from mapping and problem analysis to project proposals and prioritisation. Public workshops discussed and voted on proposals, while communities nominated committees to guide implementation. The reported achievement was planning, not completion of every proposed neighbourhood improvement. (Source 20.4).

Rural livelihoods and natural resources

IFAD's Southern Punjab Poverty Alleviation Project design names Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Muzaffargarh and Rajanpur. It aims to raise incomes through employment opportunities and agricultural productivity. Intended beneficiaries include landless labourers, smallholders and households headed by women, with a target of eighty thousand households. The design also describes using a poverty scorecard to identify participants, connecting the project with provincial economic growth and poverty reduction objectives. (Source 20.5).

GEF project 11493 concerns using natural capital accounting in landscape management. Its registry identifies UNEP as implementing agency and the climate ministry and Sindh Forest Department as executing bodies. The concept received approval on 4 April 2025. The objective is to demonstrate the approach and build capacity among users; the recorded implementation approval date was 23 April 2026. (Source 20.6).

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Frequently asked questions about Pakistan

What does the Sialkot cluster profile describe?

SMEDA’s 2018 profile describes football production, materials supplied through imports and local traders, and export marketing through trade fairs. Source FAQ1

How does the Orangi component sharing model work?

Residents manage household, lane and secondary sanitation infrastructure, while government provides main sewers, drains and treatment plants, according to the project account. Source FAQ2

What did the small Hindko study find?

Its five participants maintained Hindko particularly at home and used other languages according to social context. The findings describe this local qualitative sample. Source FAQ3

What is ASER Pakistan’s rural survey design?

The 2023 methodology selects thirty villages per district and twenty households per village, then uses household weights when aggregating estimates. Source FAQ4

Where is the Ucchali Complex?

In the Salt Range near Nowshera in Punjab. (Source 11.3).

Who directed Joyland?

Saim Sadiq. (Source 13.6).

When did Pakistan join the WTO?

On 1 January 1995. (Source 18.2).

What was PakAvaz designed for?

Sharing young people’s community views through SMS. (Source 20.1).

Continue reading: specialist guides to Pakistan

These guides offer focused educational reading. Visitor-oriented pages do not confirm current access, safety, opening times or services, and vocabulary material is a reading resource rather than a claim about every community.

Explore the Everything About Countries archive for more national overviews. The companion How Countries Work archive follows the systems behind everyday life.

Bring the evidence together

Choose a place, practice or community project from these chapters. Which details describe observations, which explain an earlier event, and which set out an aim? Compare two examples and write a question that would help you understand them more fully.

Sources and further evidence

Sources consulted 26 October 2026; observations retain their original dates.