Punjab:
Economy of Punjab
Punjab’s economy is mainly agricultural, although industry makes a
substantial contribution. The province is playing a leading role in agricultural
production. It contributes about 68% to annual food grain production in the
country. 51 million acres is cultivated and another 9.05 million acres are lying
as cultivable waste in different parts of the province.
Cotton and
rice are important crops. They are the cash crops that contribute substantially
to the national exchequer. Attaining self-sufficiency in agriculture has shifted
the focus of the strategies towards small and medium farming, stress on barani
areas, farms-to-market roads, electrification for tube-wells and control of
water logging and salinity.
Punjab has
also more than 48 thousand industrial units. The small and cottage industries
are in abundance. There are 39,033 small and cottage industrial units. The
number of textile units is 11,820. The ginning industries are 6,778. There are
6,355 units for processing of agricultural raw materials including food and feed
industries.
Lahore and
Gujranwala Divisions have the largest concentration of small light engineering
units. The district of Sialkot excels in sports goods, surgical instruments and
cutlery goods.
Punjab is
also a mineral rich province with extensive mineral deposits of coal, rock-salt,
dolomite, and gypsum, silica-sand. The Punjab Mineral Development Corporation is
running over a dozen economically viable projects
What Makes Punjab
Unique?
To the north
of the Punjab is the NWFP (North West Frontier Province) and the Federal capital
area of Islamabad. To the north east is the Azad Kashmir. To its east and south
is India (Indian Punjab & Rajasthan). To the south west is the province of
Sindh. To the west is Balochistan Province and the Federally Administered Tribal
Areas (FATA).
The province
is predominantly on level plain. There are, however, some mountainous and hilly
areas in the northwest and extreme southwest. There is also a plateau adjacent
to the mountains known as the Potohar plateau and a desert belt in the south
eastern part known as Cholistan.
All the major
rivers of the country namely Indus, Jhelum, Chanab, Ravi, & Sutlaj flow
through this province. They originate from the Himalayas and pass from North
West to south west. They are primeval in nature and the volume of water
increases in summer after monsoon rains, resulting sometimes in
floods.
Punjab is the
most populous province of Pakistan. According to 1998 census, the population of
the Province is 7, 25, 85,000. The population density is 353 persons per square
kilometer as compared to the national figure of 164. It contains several major
cities of the country: Lahore, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Multan and
Gujranwala.
In religion,
the province is almost entirely Muslim, with a small Christian minority. Punjabi
is the mother tongue of 90 percent of the population. The main language used in
writing is Urdu, followed by English. The major ethnic groups are the Jat,
Rajput, Arain, Gujar and Awan.
The Province
of Punjab comprises eight Administrative Divisions and 34 districts. It extends
over an area of 2,05,345 square kilometers (97,192 square miles) which is 25.8
percent of the total area of Pakistan.
Cultural Heritage of Punjab
Punjab has
been the cradle of civilization since times immemorial. The ruins of Harappa
show an advanced urban culture that flourished over 5000 years ago. Taxila,
another historic landmark also stands out as a proof of the achievements of the
area in learning, arts and crafts in bygone ages.
The forts,
palaces, gardens, mosques, mausoleums, are eloquent reminders of the great
tradition in Muslim architecture. They remind of the glorious Muslim tradition
in the area which bequeathed to the province a culture which is essentially
Islamic in nature. The structure of a mosque is simple and it expresses
openness. Calligraphic inscriptions from the Holy Quran decorate mosques and
mausoleums. The inscriptions on bricks and tiles of the mausoleum of Shah
Rukn-e-Alam (1320 AD) at Multan are outstanding specimens of architectural
calligraphy. The earliest existing building in South Asia with enameled
tile-work, is the tomb of Shah Yusuf Gardezi (1150 AD) at Multan. A specimen of
the sixteenth century tile-work at Lahore is the tomb of Sheikh Musa Ahangar,
with its brilliant blue dome. The tile-work of Emperor Shah Jahan’s reign is of
a richer and more elaborate nature. The pictured wall of Lahore Fort is the last
line in the tile-work in the entire world.
For more
information please visit web site:
www.punjab.gov.pk
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General Description of the Rawalpindi
District:
Introduction:
The district takes its name from its headquarters town
“Rawalpindi” which means the abode of Rawals. In Tuzk-e-Jehangiri, it has been
recorded that the name Rawalpindi consists of two parts. Viz, Rawalpindi The
Rawals a Jogi Tribe, funded a village Rawal at the site where we have the Rawal
Dam today, where Jhanda Khan, a Ghakkar Chief, funded a new town at the site of
an old town Kaawa as Fatch Pur Barri, he named it Rawlpindi.
Rawalpindi emerged as a fiscal district during sikh rule. At
the time of Alexander’s invasion, the district was known by the name of Amanda.
Durring Mughal period, the area was known as Sindh-Sagar and east of the tract
now included in the Rawalpindi district was then comprised in the Fathepur
Mahal.
Location:
The district is spread over an
area of 5,286 Square Kilometers. It has 42nd position in respect of entire area
of Pakistan, comprising of following six tehsils:
- Rawalpindi
- Kahuta
- Murree
- GujarKhan
- Taxila
- Kotli Sattain
Physical Features and Topography:
Rawalpindi district is divided in to three distinct portions
according to general configuration. The first portion consists of Murree and
Kotli Sattain Tehsils and northern portion of the Kahuta Tehsil. The second
portion is Rawalpindi Tehsil and extending through Kahuta up to West Bank of the
Jhelum and down into Ghujar Khan Tehsil till it reaches the northern border of
Jhelum district. The third portion in the plain or Potohar that includes whole
of Ghujar Khan Tehsil except a small corner on the east traversed by the hill on
the bank of Jhelum and southeast portion of Kahuta Tehsil.
Physical feature of the district exhibit a rich variety, which
is continental in dimensions. Here are found mountains, forests, Plateaus,
Valleys, Ravines, Torrents, Streams, Plain and all possible species of
topography, which the physical process could produce during the course of ages.
Nature has endowed the district with some beautiful scenery. With in the
district there are also areas fantastic; dreary tumbled up side down, where
there can be no human habitation for kilometers around. The district is shaped
like a square. At the top rise the Murree hills. The Murree hills from off shoot
of the Himalayan system. They rise in spurs rising to height between 2100 to
2438 meter.
CLIMATE AND GENERAL SOIL CONDITIONS:
There is a wide variation of climate between various parts of
the district. The Murree Tehsil has severe winter and mild summer, while Ghujar
Khan and Rawalpindi Tehsils have a hot summer and a moderate winter. The average
rain fall in the district is 1550 mm. The land in Tehsil Ghujar Khan and
Rawalpindi is generally plain.
Industries
Major industries:
According to the general survey of industry conducted by
Directorate of Industries and Mineral Development Punjab. There are at present
939 industrial units operating in the district. This district is not famous for
industrial goods like other districts. The progress has been mostly in the
private sector. The existing industrial units provide employment to about 35,000
persons i.e. about 1.6 % of district population is directly employed in large,
medium and small industrial units.
Apparently there is no shortage of skilled manpower. The
Technical/ Vocational Training Institute operating in the district turn out
about 1974. Technicians/ Artisans annually trained in various fields of
engineering. Airconditiong, Drafting, Metallurgy, Welding, Auto knitting and
commerce etc.
Brief description of some concern is given
below:
- Kohinoor Textile Mills: Kohinoor Mills is the largest unit in the district
and is equipped with 50,000spindles and 1,021 power looms.
- Wattan Woolen Mills: Next is Wattan Woolen and Hosiery Mills fitted 10,000
spindles.
- Silk industry
- Woolen Mills
- Hosiery Industry
- Engineering Industry
- There is a Heavy Mechanical Complex in Taxila which deals in engineering
goods.
- Food Industry
- Flour Mills.
- Soap Industry
- Glass Factories.
- Chemical Factories.
- Drink (Beverages).
- Foot Wear.
- Furniture and Fixture etc.
- Marble.
- Handicrafts.
Cotton Industries:
A part from the large scale industries several small and
cottage industries also exist in the district. There are about 4000 handloom
producing different kind of Cloths, Bed sheets, Bed covers, etc.
Some other cottage industries are thread ball making
manufacturing of disinfectants like Phenyl, and Paints. Manufacturing of metal
products and plastic, celluloid, stationery and Jewellery is also done in
Cottage Industry lines. The traditional craft of the district Rawalpindi include
manufacturing of Khussa’ Shoes at Taxila/ Wah, wheat straw baskets at Ali Pur
Syadan “Namdas” at Kahuta. Kasmiri Shawal pashmina/ crafts, hand loom woolen
cloths, marble and other stone craft at Rawalpindi.
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Sindh:
Investment Opportunities In
Sindh
Nature has blessed Sindh Province with ideal climate suitable
for growing a wide range of crops, and fruits and abundant of minerals and
man-power resources. Government policies are conducive with the emphasis on
promotional activities to facilitate the establishment of new industries and
their smooth growth operation so as nature blessing are tapped and utilized to
maximum.
Origin of The
Name
The province of Sindh has been designated after the river Sindh
(Indus) which literally created it and has been also its sole means of
sustenance. However, the importance of the river and close phonetical
resemblance in nomenclature would make one consider Sindhu as the probable
origin of the name of Sindh. Later phonetical changes transformed Sindhu into
Hindu in Pahlavi and into Hoddu in Hebrew. The Greeks (who conquered Sindh in
125 BC under the command of the Alexander the great) rendered it into Indos,
hence modern Indus.
Culture And
Literature
Sindh is a repository of varied cultural values and has
remained the seat of civilization and meeting point of diverse cultures from
times immemorial. After Independence on August 14, 1947 with the influx of
Muslims from India, its culture has progressively assumed a new complexion.
Sindh’s cultural life has been shaped, to a large extent, by its comparative
isolation in the past from the rest of the subcontinent. A long stretch of
desert to its east and a mountainous terrain to the west served as barriers,
while the Arabian Sea in the south and the Indus in the north prevented easy
access. As a result, the people of Sindh developed their own exclusive artistic
tradition. Their arts and craft, music and literature, games and sports have
retained their original flavor. Sindh is rich in exquisite pottery, variegated
glazed tiles, lacquer-work, leather and straw products, needlework, quilts,
embroidery, hand print making and textile design. According to renowned European
historian H.T. Sorelay, Sindhis had not only contributed to literature but also
to astronomy, medicine, philosophy, dialectics and similar subjects.
Investment Policy And
Incentives
The most recent Investment policy of is very liberal and
opens new vistas to local as well as foreign investors for investment in service
sector, social sector, agriculture sector and industrial sector so as to keep
Pakistan competitive in international market and viable area of investment.
Under the Investment Policy in force there is no requirement for obtaining no
objection certificate from Federal and Provincial Govt. for setting up any
industry in an field, place except at notified negative areas, and size
excluding the four trades namely arms and ammunition, high explosives, radio
active substance, security printing currency and mint and manufacturer of
alcohol.
Investment Policy
The main objectives of the
investment policy are as under:
- Self-reliance
- Development of value added
export
- Development of skills to
improve efficiency, productivity and quality.
- Encouragement of the high
tech and labor oriented industries.
- Development of
infrastructure facilities through establishment of planned industrial estates,
areas and zones.
- Promotion of the dispersal
investment at various locations.
Numerous
incentives have been provided under Investment Policy to Investors in
manufacturing sector. In the light of the above policy, Industries Department in
Govt. of Sindh, has taken following steps for promotion of industrialization in
Sindh Province and to attain above policy object by attracting more investment
in the industrial sector: -
- Industrial Estates
- Institutional Set-Up
- Financing
A) Industrial
Estates
- Industrial Estates
- Industrial Areas
- Special Industrial Zones/
Export Processing Zones
- National Industrial Zone
B)
Institutional Setup
For the promotion of the industrialization in
the province to cater to the needs of the existing and new units and to resolve
the impediments faced by the investors for setting up of the industries and its
smooth operation Boards & Committees have been constituted at different
level as under:
- Divisional Facility Board
- Provincial Industrial
Facility Board
- Provincial Committee on
Investment
- Investment Advisory Cell
C)
Financing
Loading is an important ingredient to promote
industrialization. In this regard Government of Sindh in Industries Department
through Sindh Small Industries Corporation has been launching different schemes
to meet the financial requirement of small investors for establishing small
industries in Province. Following schemes have been launched by Sindh Small
Industries Corporation for the promotion of Small Industries in the
Province:
- Supervised Credit Scheme
- Self–Employment Scheme
For more
information please visit web site:
www.sindh.gov.pk
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Baluchistan:
Historical Background
The province of Baluchistan (or Baluchistan) of Pakistan contains
roughly the part of Baluchistan that falls within the borders of present-day
Pakistan. Neighboring regions are Iranian Baluchistan to the west, Afghanistan
and Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Pakistan to the north and Punjab and
Sindh to the east. To the south is the Arabian Sea.
Baluchistan
is geographically the largest of the four provinces at 347,190 km², but has the
smallest population: approximately 6.3 million in 1994. The population density
is very low due to the mountainous terrain and scarcity of water.
The southern
region is known as Makran. A region in the centre of the province is known as
Kalat.
The capital
city is Quetta, located in the most densly populated district in the northeast
of the province. Quetta is situated in a river valley near the border with
Afghanistan, with a road to Kandahar in the northwest Baluchistan was the site
of the earliest known farming settlements in south Asia, the earliest of which
was Mehrgarh dated at 6500 BC. Parts of Baluchistan were held by Oman as late as
the 1950s, but they were eventually turned over to Pakistan. Included in these
areas is the coastal city of Gwadar where the Pakistani government is
undertaking a large project with Chinese help to build a large port. This is
being done partially to provide the Pakistani Navy with another base, and to
reduce Pakistan's reliance on Karachi, which currently is the only major
port.
Investment Conference In The
Province of Baluchistan
Chief Minister Baluchistan, Jam Mohammed
Yousuf on the recent Investment conference held on 8th May 2004 in the Province
of Baluchistan, said that a new era of economic development in the province is
about to start. Welcoming the participants of a one-day international conference
on investment opportunities in Baluchistan he said: "The overwhelming interest
shown by investors to explore possibilities of investment in Baluchistan is
precious to my government"
The major
attractive areas at Baluchistan are experiencing swift progress like for example
Gwadar project (US $1.1 billion Gwadar port project will be completed by 2005),
fast completion of coastal highway and revival of Saindak Copper and Gold
Project in the province. Projects of Duddar Lead and Zinc, Dilband Iron Ore and
Rekodik copper and Gold are also running successfully.
Available
Opportunities at Baluchistan for the investors include huge natural resources of
the province and its peculiar geographical location.
What
Makes Baluchistan A Matchless Investment Break?
Baluchistan is a
gateway to the land-locked Central Asian Republics and Afghanistan. The efforts
to link the upcoming Gwadar port with the railway network of the country, and
eventually to extend it right up to Turkmenistan, would create integrated
railway bondage between India, Pakistan, Iran, Bangladesh and Central Asian
Republics.
- The most important
international sea routes also flow along Baluchistan and many natural resources
of the province such as copper, gold, gas and oil are still untapped.
- The rich marine life found
along its 750km long coastal strip has yet to be fully discovered and exploited.
Further more, vast land of this province with diverse seasons offers
opportunities to investors in the field of agriculture.
- There is an enormous
availability of capital investment, technological innovativeness, managerial
skills and marketing expertise to harness these precious resources.
- To create a more conducive
environment for the investors the government is providing basic infrastructure
of roads and development of human resources.
- The Government of
Baluchistan has an open policy of investment offering all incentives,
concessions and facilities without any discrimination.
- A lot of security concerns
are taken into account and measures are implanted at foreign assisted projects
like Saindak, Rekodil and other similar projects had been excellent.
- Plans are afoot to
establish a new city, an industrial zone and oil storage and refining facilities
adjacent to the port, which will also provide warehousing, transshipment and
other related facilities.
- Six new exploration
concession agreements covering an area of some 14,000 square kilometers have
been signed with Pakistani and foreign companies is evidence of the oil and gas
prospects in the province.
- Balochistan offers
multiple opportunities of investment in infrastructure.
- The Asian Development Bank
has offered to fund an extensive "Balochistan Road Development Sector Project".
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Northern
Areas:
The whole of the Northern Region of Pakistan is very
beautiful and its scenic places like Swat, Kalam, Naran, Bhurban, Murree and the
set of Galiyats are very popular with the local and foreign tourists. Howerver,
the real beauty of this tough and mountainous terrain spreads furthers north in
the districts of Gilgit, Skardu, Diamer, Ghizer, and Ghanche, know as Northern
Areas, over an area of 72,500 sq. Kilometers.
Northern
Areas constitute a pristine home for about one million people. They are
connected to Pakistan and the outside world through the Karakorrum Highway
(KKH), nicknamed as the Silk Route. The KKH, a marvelous creation of Chinese and
Pakistani engineers, is in itself the 8th wonder of the world and a source of
great tourist attraction. The Northern Areas, connected to China through the
KKH, provide a vast potential in tourism & related activities, trade
expansion, minerals, and cottage industries.
Pakistan has an amazing mountain
heritage with the four ranges of Hindukush. Pamir, Karakorrum, and the Great
Himalayas converging here. Amongst them, they contain the world's densest
concentration of high peaks (five out of 14 highest) in their fold which
are:-
- Name of the Peak Height –
Feet/Metres
- Godwin Austin (k-2)
28,251/8,611
- Nanga Parbat 26,660/8,125
- Gasherbrum-I 26,470/8,068
- BroadPeak 26,400/8,407
- Gasherbrum-II 26,360/8,035
There are 42
other peaks which are higher than all the highest peaks of the other continents.
In all, Pakistan has over 700 peaks above 6000 meters in height and over 160
peaks above 7000 meters
Besides the
high mountains, the Northern Areas have the world's longest glaciers including
the Godwin Austin, Abruzzin and Baltoro which meet at Concordia forming the
largest glacial lake at a high of 4720 meters. The enchanting valleys of Hunza,
Shigar, Khaplu, Lshkuman, Nalar, Gilgit, Skardu, Chitral, and Dir and the
glacial lakes like Kachura, Satpara, Lalusar, and Saiful Muluk add unmatched
grandeur to the beauty of the rugged mountains.
The Northern
Areas with its flora and fauna; the wildlife which can be seen in the form of
snow leopards, ibexes and urials; and the variety of people who live in these
areas with their cultural heritage and millennia-old civilizations form a
paradise for the tourists, trekkers, and mountaineers from all around the world.
The Government of Pakistan is aware that preservation of these mountains and the
future of its tourism industry are inter-linked.
Promotion of
tourism and development of tourism - related infrastructure in the Northern
Areas thus offer vast opportunities for investors both from local and foreign
origin. These facilities could be the creation of hotel accommodation in the
most frequented places, the development of ski resorts, fixation of chair lifts,
mountain climbing facilities, and the like.
Agriculture also forms a
potential area for investment in the shape of :-
- Production, preservation
& marketing of quality fruits and vegetables.
- Production of vegetable
seeds;
- Livestock, dairy &
poultry farming,
- Fish/trout farming, and
the
- Use of herbs for medicinal
purposes.
Another field which
promises profitable investment in Northern Areas is the exploration and
exploitation of mineral resources and precious stones. Although the quantitative
potential has yet to be established there are numerous kinds of minerals like
gold, ruby, emerald, aquamarine, topaz, tourmaline etc. which can be gainfully
exploited. Some industrial minerals like marble, granite, mica, feldspar,
barite, China clay, copper, lead, antimony etc. are also found in large deposit.
Based on these resources, cement industry, granite cutting & polishing,
paint industry, pottery and ceramics etc. can be established.
The most
readily available opportunity for investment is however, in the hydropower
sector. At present only half of the Northern Areas requirement for electricity
is met through 79 mini and small hydel power plants. Atleast 10 more power
planets are needed 2 each in teh Districts of Gilgit, Skardu and Diamer, 3 in
District Ghizer, and one mini unit in Ghanche district. The units in Gilgit and
Skardu would produce 43 Megawatt each while the units in Diamer will each be 10
MW and that in Ghizer 9 MW. Additionally, some national level power plants like
Doyan Astore (425 MW), Basha-DMR (3400-MW) and Bunji-Indus (1400 MW) are also
being studied in Northern Areas.
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NWFP
North West Frontier Province is a
province of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. It is located on both banks of the
river Indus and stretches from the Himalayas in the north to the deserts in the
south where it is bordered by the Baluchistan and Punjab provinces. On its
western flank is the rugged terrain of neighboring country Afghanistan, which is
accessed via the historic Khyber Pass through the mountains of the Sulaiman
Range. The N.W.F.P.'s borders touched or are close to those of China, the
Tajikistan and the disputed territory of the state of Jammu and Kashmir in the
north and Afghanistan to the west all along the mountains and highlands from the
Pamirs to the rugged terrain of South Waziristan. The capital of the province is
the city of Peshawar.
It covers an
area of 74,521 sq. km. According to the 1998 census, the total population of
N.W.F.P. was approximately 14 million out of whom 52% are males and 48% females.
The density of population is 187 per sq. km and the intercensal change of
population is of about 30 percent. Geographically the province could be divided
into two zones: the northern one extending from the ranges of the Hindukush to
the borders of Peshawar basin; and the southern one extending from Peshawar to
the Derajat basin. The northern zone is cold and snowy in winters with heavy
rainfall and pleasant summers with the exception of Peshawar basin which is hot
in summer and cold in winter. It has moderate rainfall. The southern zone is
raid with hot summers and relatively cold winters and scantly rainfall.Its
climate varies from very cold (Chitral in the north) to very hot in places like
D.I. Khan.
Its
snow-capped peaks and lush green valleys of unusual beauty attract tourists and
mountaineers from far and wide while its art and architecture no less known than
the historic Khyber Pass. Once the cradle of Gandhara civilization, the area is
now known for its devout Muslims who jealously guard their religion and culture
and the way of life which they have been following for centuries.
The
Government of NWFP
The Government of the North West Frontier
Province functions under the provisions of the Constitution of
Pakistan(1973).
The Province has a Provincial Assembly with 99 elected
members. The Provincial Assembly elects the Chief Minister of the Province who
forms a Cabinet of Ministers to look after the various Departments. The Chief
Minister is the Chief Executive of the Province. The Federal Government appoints
a Governor as head of the Provincial Government.
The
bureacratic machinary of the province is headed by a Chief Secretary who
coordinates and supervises functions of various Departments headed by
Departmental Secretaries. In NWFP for the Planning & Development Department
the incharge is the Additional Chief Secretary who reports to the Chief
Secretary. All the Secretaries are assisted by Additional Secretaries, Deputy
Secretaries, Section Officers and other staff. The Departments may have attached
Departments and autonomous or semi-autonomous bodies to look after various
functions.
Since the
year 2001, the system of elected District Governments has been introduced. The
Province is divided into 24 districts.The Districts are headed by a Zilla Nazim
assisted by a District Coordination Officer incharge of district bureacracy. In
the District the functions are devolved further to the Tehsil, Town and Union
Council Governments. Each District has an elected Zilla Council, elected Tehsil,
Town and Union Councils who look after various activities at their respective
levels.
At district
level a District Police Officer looks after the Law and Order and he reports to
the Zilla Nazim. Each district has a Public Safety Commission which addresses
public complaints against the Police. There is a Provincial Police Officer who
is incharge of the Police systema the provincial level.
People of
NWFP
"They are fond of liberty, faithful to their friends, kind to
their dependants, hospitable, brave, hardy, frugal, laborious and
prudent."
Pakhtoon designates a person who speaks Pukhtu. Pathan is a Hindi
term adopted for them by the British. The racial composition of the Pukhtoons is
less than clear. The tribes who dwelled in the area in the days of the Greek
historians are believed to be part of the great Aryan horde which had moved down
from Central Asia a millennium earlier. Over the course of centuries, the Greek,
Persian, Turk, and Mongol invaders who passed through the Frontier have added
their blood.
Nearly
one-third of the population of NWFP is non-Pakhtoon. In the tribal areas, they
are called Hamsaya or Kadwal. In the border areas of Hazara and Derajat, social
norms more closely resembling those in Punjab and Kashmir may be discerned. Clan
groups remain important, but mainly as social networks, particularly for
marriages. Chitral has a separate language and culture of its own; a visible
difference crossing over from Dir is that the carrying of arms is uncommon. Most
distinct are the indigenous Kalash, people now confined to three small valleys
in Chitral. Their way of life is rooted in the worship of ancestral spirits and
trees. Their unique customs attract a lot of attention from visitors. However,
due to the conversions of the Kalash to Islam, their age-old traditions are
rapidly becoming extinct.
Around 68 per
cent of the households in NWFP are Pukhtu speaking, eighteen per cent are Hindko
speaking while Seraiki is the mother tongue of four per cent. Around eight per
cent of households speak local languages, such as Kohwar in Chitral district,
while Urdu and Punjabi speaking migrants account for only two per cent of the
households. With the exception of Sindh, Islam came to NWFP earlier than to any
other part of South Asia.
Pukhtoon
Society
The Pukhtoon society comprises both the people of the tribal
areas and the settled districts of NWFP. The tribal society has been the focus
of many studies as it has kept alive the true Pukhtoon ethos. The Pukhtoon of
the settled districts have however been subject to external influence and have
moderated some of the more traditional aspect of their culture and customs. The
Yousafzai, Muhammadzai and Khalil tribes belong to the settled districts and
have limited links in the tribal areas. All other Pukhtoon tribes of the settled
districts have extensive affinal and consanguninal ties with the tribal
Pukhtoons.
The Pukhtoon
society is individualistic despite the rigid behavior prescribed by clan
membership. While Pukhtu speaking people constitute one cultural and social
entity, Pukhtoon society is divided into tribes, based on genealogies. The
tribes are sub-divided into Khels, which may be equated with clans. Within the
Khels, the basic division is the expanded family group. The leader of each
family group is called a Malik, and the most important of a group of Maliks is
designated as the leading Malik of the Khel. The usual object of allegiance is
the Malik, and in settled districts, a Khan. They gain their title by their
ability to lead followers in public affairs. A Pukhtoon Malik is however no more
than a first among equals, and acquires the status through personal merit and
the ability to inspire fellow tribesmen. Primogeniture is not recognized, and
leadership is accorded to the most capable.
The social
structure in the settled districts has altered a great deal from the tribal
order. The Khans have lost much of their original leadership role in the settled
districts. Agriculture is a notable characteristic of the culture of both the
settled and tribal areas. In the former, it is however more developed in terms
of irrigation, cultivation of cash crops and utilization of modern technology.
The literacy rate is higher in the settled districts, especially for women. The
trend towards having nuclear rather than extended families is also more
pronounced in the settled districts.
Jirga
(Pukhtoon Assembly)
The Jirga is the Pukhtoon assembly in which all
public and private affairs are settled. The Jirga, of which the Khan is the
head, now contends with the state judiciary in the settled districts. Rules of
the federal and provincial governments are enforced through state intervention.
The decisions of the village Jirga in the districts have to be reinforced by the
court of law if the law enforcement authorities have also registered the case.
Unlike in the tribal areas, a legal permit is required for the manufacture and
possession of arms and ammunition. The Hujra is traditionally a male club and
social centre, which exists in every village of the tribal as well as settled
areas. It is the focus of community opinions and actions. While Hujras exist in
the villages of the settled districts as well, they have lost much of their
functional importance.
Traditionally, the conduct of
Pukhtoons was guided by a code of honor called the Pukhtunwali. The foremost
commandment of the Pukhtunwali is Badal or revenge (revenge is a dish which
tastes better cold, Pukhtoon proverb). The obligations to take revenge for wrong
falls not only upon the man who has suffered it, but also upon his family and
tribe. Insults and retaliation hence involve clans and perpetuate blood feuds.
The most frequent causes of trouble are money, women and land (zar, zan, and
zamin). In rare instance, feuds are terminated when the weaker party throws
itself on the mercy of its enemy, called Nanawati or acceptance of a bonafide
truce, when blood money may be accepted in lieu of revenge. The third component
of Pukhtunwali is Melmastia, or hospitality towards a guest, stranger, or an
enemy if he seeks it. A formal escort or assurance of safety to a guest or enemy
is called Badragga. The Pukhtunwali provides for law and order in a harsh
environment, and is still a strong force in the tribal areas.
Women are
intelligent and aggressive within the limits prescribed by custom. They play an
important role in arranging marriages and alliances between families. Women also
provide the practical means of implementing Melmastia. Women of the working
classes are responsible for domestic work, some outdoors. They do not observe
Purdah in the same way as the affluent classes. With modernization, more and
more women have emerged into the working world and can be found performing well
in offices and industries.
Family
An
attractive feature of the Pukhtun way of life is the joint family system, which
signifies their deep love for the family's solidarity and welfare. The desire
for communal life emanates from a consideration of economic security and
integrity. All the family members, even the married sons, live jointly in a
house large enough to separately accommodate each married couple under the
authority of the father who as head of the family, manages the family affairs
and exercises an immense influence in his own domain.
All the
earning hands of the family, married as well as unmarried, contribute their
share of income to the common pool of resources. All expenses on food, clothing,
education, health, birth, marriages and deaths are defrayed from the common
fund. The mantle of authority falls on the eldest son's shoulders after the
death of the father or when old age renders him unable to discharge his
functions. The internal management of the household rests with the mother who
exercises her authority within her own sphere of influence. The joint family
system, however, is gradually giving way to individualistic trends under the
impact of modern influence. It is losing its hold, particularly in educated
classes and well off sections.
For more
information please visit web site:
www.nwfp.gov.pk
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