PAKISTANI Culture (Part-1)

The society of Pakistan (Urdu: ثقافت پاکستان) comprises numerous diverse cultures from the Punjabis and Sindhis in the east to the tribal cultures of the easternmost of Pakistan's provinces. The cultures have been greatly influenced by the surrounding cultures of India, Afghanistan, Central Asia and the Middle East along with other places. Pakistan in ancient times was a major cultural hub, the home of ancient civilizations, including the Indus Valley Civilization, the foundation of Indian culture. Many cultural practices and monuments have been inherited from the rule of many rulers of the region that have added their cultural traditions to the region.

One of the most influenced cultures being the Mughals.

The 17th Century Badshahi Mosque built by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in Lahore
Pakistan has a wealthy cultural and ethnic background going back to Indus Valley Civilization, 2800 BC – 1800 BC. The region of Pakistan has been invaded in the past, occupied and settled by many different people, including Aryans, Greeks, White Huns, Arabs, Turks, Mongols and various Eurasian groups. And indeed the region has formed a distinct cultural unit within the main cultural complex of South Asia from earlier times. There are differences in culture among the different ethnic groups in matters such as dress, food, and religion, especially where pre-Islamic customs differ from Islamic practices. The cultural origins come from the civilizations of India and eastern Afghanistan, with significant influences from Persia, Turkestan and Hellenistic Greece. However, it was the first part of the subcontinent to receive the full impact of Islam. Hence it has developed an identity of its own.

Diwan-e-Khas: The hall of special audience with the emperor

Ancient sites in Pakistan include Buddhist monuments, Hindu/Buddhist temples, Palaces and Monuments built by Emperors, tombs, pleasure grounds and Anglo-Mogul mansions - some in a state of dereliction which makes their former grandeur more emphatic. Sculpture is dominated by Greco-Buddhist friezes, and crafts by ceramics, jewellery, silk goods and engraved woodwork and metalwork.

Pakistani society is largely multilingual and multicultural. Though cultures within the country differ to some extent, more similarities than differences can be found as most Pakistanis are of mainly Aryan heritage. However, over 60 years of integration, a distinctive "Pakistani" culture has sprung up especially in the urban areas. Education is highly regarded by members of every socio-economic stratum.

Bahauddin Zakariya

The traditional family values are highly respected and considered sacred, although urban families have grown into a nuclear family system, owing to the socio-economic constraints imposed by the traditional joint family system.

The past few decades have seen emergence of a middle class in cities such as Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Hyderabad, Quetta, Faisalabad, Sukkur, Peshawar, Abbottabad and Multan. The rural areas of Pakistan are regarded as more conservative and are dominated by regional tribal customs dating back hundreds of years.