Another independence day has come and gone. Although we may not have come much closer to solving our many internal and external problems, one positive can most definitely be clearly seen – our resolve as a nation. This independence day, I saw more unity, especially amongst the youth [which are the future of Pakistan], and a determination towards working for a better tomorrow, together. We have finally adopted the ‘right attitude’ and with the many youth organisations which have been given birth to suddenly, I see much hope. These organizations are serving Pakistan in a positive way and representing us on a global level, trying to patch up our currently torn & tattered image. My suggestion would be to continue on a path of positivity, regardless of all the daily hurdles each one of us has to face. Our salvation depends on it.

Pakistan Zindabad!

]]> http://independence.teabreak.pk/my-thoughts-on-independence-day-fariha-rashid/62/feed 1 http://independence.teabreak.pk/independence-day-unfulfilled-promises-and-hope-sana-saleem/57 http://independence.teabreak.pk/independence-day-unfulfilled-promises-and-hope-sana-saleem/57#comments Sat, 15 Aug 2009 17:04:43 +0000 ammar http://independence.teabreak.pk/?p=57

Patriotism is a splendid thing, but it is preposterous if it makes one blind to reality. It then becomes a rather pernicious form of idiocy, which would give individuals a refuge to ignore atrocities. Pretty much of what happens in my part of the world. Unfortunately, most of us are too hell-bent on preventing our country’s ‘image’. Moreover, we seek no limit while we are at it. For me it makes the Independence Day more of a celebratory gesture, than something that is meaningful. I would rather love my country despite all its flaws than to bury my head in the sand. With that as we celebrate our independence day this year there are a lot of things that need to be remembered, condemned and highlighted.

Over the decades, the meaning of independence and freedom has meant different things to our society. It has been a long journey from breaking through British Colonial rule to fulfilling the dream of a homeland and then rebranding it. With time, the ideology behind Pakistan has been moulded, manipulated, and tampered to serve the vested interests of our feudalistic politicians and democratic dictators.

On the 14^th of August 1947 at the Inauguration ceremony of the Pakistan constituent, Quaid–i-Azam Muhammad Ai Jinnah said the following:

“I wish to emphasize that we appreciate the spirit in which those in the Government service at present and in the Armed Forces and others have so willingly and ungrudgingly volunteered themselves provisionally to serve Pakistan. As servants of Pakistan we shall make them happy and they will be treated equally with our nationals. The tolerance and goodwill that great Emperor Akbar showed to all the non-Muslim is not of recent origin. It dates back thirteen centuries ago when our Prophet not only by words but also by deeds treated the Jews and Christians, after he had conquered them, with the utmost tolerance, regard, and respect for their faith and beliefs. The whole history of Muslims, wherever they ruled, is replete with those humane and great principles, which should be followed and practiced.”

Finally, I thank you for your good wishes for Pakistan, and I assure you that we shall not be wanting in friendly spirit with our neighbors and with all nations of the world.

Pakistan Zindabad

Now after 62 years we seem to have forgotten the lessons history taught us. These lessons were the pioneers to the struggle, which brought us a nation. However, we have forgotten that and chosen to embrace the ideology that was ingrained into our minds with over 31 years of dictatorship and the crippled democracy, which only served to fill the voids in between. Over the time, we have contested and negotiated our freedom. A feeling, that is multifaceted, and widely misunderstood. We seem to champion our freedom under someone else’s slogan, courtesy to the messianic orientation of our minds. The cockeyed notion, that one man can save us from the breeding hell, while we plod along meaninglessly sloganeering. One movement, which is the most perfect example of the messianic thought process, is the judicial movement. A movement that promised a lot without logic or rational strategy for deliverance.

Then we have the swat crisis, an exodus, which could have been easily avoided by prompt actions. The negligence and the infamous Good and bad Taliban game bolstered the strength of the extremist militants, and if that was not enough more time was wasted on negotiating the ‘peace treaty’ with the Taliban. Eventually coming back to sanity left us with only one option, something that could have been dealt with ages ago, the army offensive against militancy, causing the largest exodus in the country’s history after Partition. It pains me even more that many of our flaws are either pushed under the table or blamed on the previous government (or both in a convenient sequence). Both of the methods eventually leave the problems pending and piling up, eventually becoming more chaotic.

In the backdrop of the current situations and the past, Independence Day for me this year was a day to introspect. It pains me to see the abuse of power, lynching of minorities, constant sloganeering, and most of all the indifference towards some of our major issues. Issues like the Kashmir dispute only resurface when we realize the absence of something to whine about. There are innumerable issues that question our freedom today. We see the victims of Gojra hoisting black flags, the children of missing people of Pakistan putting up exhibitions saying “No jashne azadi for the missing people”. I think this is an alarming situation that needs to be looked into and acted upon. It goes out to prove that most of us will not be plodding along with mere celebratory gestures. For me this means that people actually acknowledge the day as an important historic event with all its essence. This is exactly why they choose to reflect this day to highlight how they feel being a part of the community.

The gesture by the victims of Gojra is a simple yet very strong notion that “They will not celebrate independence day because they don’t feel free to practice, they aren’t safe, and they don’t feel as much as a part of a community, as they deserve to be”

It is tragic that even our expressions of patriotism reflect violence. Aerial firing, maddening crackers and speeding motorbikes, the infamous motorbike stunts have caused seven deaths and dozens injured this year only, the stats of people losing lives to aerial firing remains unconfirmed. At the end of it all, the choice has always been ours to make, whether we remain apathetic or realize and act upon determines our future. The truth is we are a nation with great resilience that continues to move on despite the grievous situations. I see hope even in these condemnations, hope, and faith that people have finally understood the importance of being empowered. That a lot among us will not do or say things for the heck of it.

These gestures are symbols that many in our society are aware of their rights, and that for them the Independence Day means a lot more than just a celebratory gesture. Celebrating Independence Day is not only hoisting flags, painting green and enchanting slogans; it goes much deeper to the very roots of ‘freedom and right to exist (co-exist) as a society.’ Let us hope we all realize that soon and march forth to a much-needed change.

Friends, Bloggers and Countrymen….lend me your ears (and eyes):

A few hours ago, I returned after a traditional trip to the heart of the city to watch the ‘lights’ in celebration of the 62^nd independence day of the country and it warmed my heart to see people dancing and cheering with joy.  Later in the night, I switched on the TV and all across the country I could see men and women cheering and celebrating their independence day with infectious zeal…all for one cause: Pakistan.  And that left me wondering: what makes the love for one’s country all encompassing and so overwhelming despite one’s crisis, problems and challenges? More importantly, why do we need to ‘go green’ and wear the Pakistani flag only around the month of August? Is love for one’s country limited to only as far as waving the flag is concerned or is it much more? Why can our hearts and minds not remain for and on Pakistan for the rest of the year too?

62^nd year of independence and still standing, as a friend stated on her facebook page.  I also heard many stating with a tongue in cheek: Na bijli hai na paani hai, phir bhee dil Pakistani hai (there is no electricity, no water, but my heart still sings Pakistan!). Perhaps it is time to really and practically realize what we can do for our country, rather than fret over what our country can do for us.  I do not have a long wish list to share with you all, just a few contributions we can all make.

For starters, maybe all of us, and I really mean each and every one of us, make a very conscious decision not to clutter the parks, markets and places we go to, just as much as the effort we put in cleaning our own home!  If Pakistanis can abide by the law outside Pakistan, they can be conscious citizen back here too. I see no reason why not. We may not have implementation of laws in place, but at the end of the day, it is us the citizens who make or break the law too.  So why not start from today and really make an effort to keep our surroundings clean.  Teach our children to pick up the litter after a picnic in the park, tidy up after a birthday party at a public place and definitely not throw anything outside the car window!! Small steps but they bring great changes!! Think Clean. Think Green.

Respect the individual, especially those at the bottom of the food-chain so to speak. Respect the policeman who dares to stop your car because you do not have your seat belt on.  He has been standing in the heat all day long, but it is the gentleman sitting in the air conditioned car who fumes up with rage because he has been stopped by the policeman! The poor man is only performing his duty.  The least we can do is to comply and to respond with respect.  Respect the cook who stands in the melting heat to cook food for you and your family, while you slouch and chatter away in the living room.  Ask the value of house-help versus self-help to all your family living abroad, most of whom do not have the luxury of affording house help and need to do everything on their own, starting from cooking, to cleaning, to washing to running around and finish their daily chores.  Thank your lucky stars for living in a country that still provides you with the luxury of having more support staff than the number of people living in the house! That’s a royal lifestyle, just in case you are missing the point.

There is no denying the fact that our country is currently in one of its biggest crisis, ever.  It is important for an average citizen like you and me to stand up and be counted.  Being the silent minority of patriotic but indifferent citizens will not help us, will not help raise our concerns over things that are close to our heart and history will definitely not forgive the silence of the educated, enlightened and conscious minority of this country.  Instead of constantly complaining and grumbling over the failure of the state and its machinery, perhaps we should keep doing our bit by enacting the change we wish to see around us.  Perhaps it is time we start justifying our own job descriptions, start delivering at our own micro units because every little drop counts!

And last but not the least, lets us not, for even one second doubt the integrity of Pakistan or the future of Pakistan.  It is heart breaking to see how convenient it is to declare Pakistan’s disintegration in one random rush of moment by average citizens like you and me.  Let us not forget that we are the future! We are the ones who will make or break the country, not the circumstances.  Let us make peace with the past, and on this 62^nd birthday of our country, let us all do our own bit to be able to tell our children in the future what role we played in the current crisis.

Let us finally be worthy of Pakistan.

I am remembering Shakespeare’s Mark Antony as I mourn the loss of true patriotism in our country and only hope for people to rise above all differences and celebrate this Independence truly green from their hearts, not just appearances!

O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,

And men have lost their reason. Bear with me;

My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar,

And I must pause till it come back to me.

Yesterday, I visited an IDP resource center run by a local non-government organization in Rawalpindi. There, I met several Swati women and children who were still living with host families. In Pakistan, many of the people displaced from the offensive have already returned home, but some remain, wary of the tenuous security situation up north. Waqar, a man displaced from his home in Buner and who acted as a translator for me [since I don't speak Pashto], explained to me that many of these women have stayed behind, despite living in poor conditions and having little or no money, because they constantly fear for their safety while at home. At least here, he told me, they don’t have to worry about a militant [or even a soldier], banging on their door late at night.

As a Pakistani woman from a progressive, moderate family, my life is relatively worry-free [mash'Allah]. And yet, 45 minutes away in a small skill-building center in Pirwadhai, women my age and older live such drastically different lives. One mother told me her daughter couldn’t attend school for nearly two years because of the Taliban. Another said they didn’t have enough money to pay their electricity bill, let alone come up with rent for her and her ten family members living in cramped quarters.

It is easy to forget that we are all Pakistan. A politician from an affluent family, a child selling flowers on the street, a prominent fashion designer, a soldier fighting in an ongoing military offensive, a young woman displaced in her own country. Our lives exist as different planets, orbiting around one another without ever touching. We are too often caught up in our differences rather than in what makes us all the same.

Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the father of our country, said on August 15, 1947:

The creation of the new State has placed a tremendous responsibility on the citizens of Pakistan. It gives them an opportunity to demonstrate to the world how can a nation, containing many elements, live in peace and amity and work for the betterment of all its citizens, irrespective of caste or creed. Our object should be peace within and peace without.

August 14th, Pakistan’s Independence Day, should be a time to reflect on such a statement – to consider our mistakes and what still unites us as a nation. In the 62 years since Pakistan’s birth, we have been torn apart by violence, civil strife, political turmoil and intolerance. And yet, in the face of such adversity, we continue to be resilient. Sitting across from those women yesterday, their courage brought tears to my eyes. Their story taught me how important it is to reach outside one’s comfort zone to help fellow citizens in need, regardless of their caste or creed. At the end of the day, we must remember that we are all Pakistan. Hum ek hain, ["We are one."].

I can’t recall whether the country’s always suffered from an image crisis or whether it’s a notion only as new as the day I kind of stumbled upon the realisation that we’re ‘not a particularly loved nation’ across this planet, which was approximately a year ago fyi.

Who’s to blame for this supposed spiral downwards, I wonder? Well for starters it’s an amalgamation of media claptrap, inherent ignorance, the inane or tragic situations we get ourselves into and then we will always have our clever little selves to blame too.

I have been curious for a while as to why even the utterance of the  name ‘Pakistan’ can put non-Pakistanis on edge. OK, the major reason is religion, that’s basically me stating the obvious there, but then there is that ’something’ else there also. From my own observations, I feel Pakistan lacks the cutesy, warm, cuddly, welcoming factor, ”please come to us, we’ll lick your ess” vibe some countries’ nationals manage to give off successfully. But us? No, we are too just too damn ‘real’ to faff about with any of that. Aren’t we?

And does all this image and people’s perception of us truly faze us and deviate us from our objective? I’ll let the reader answer that.

What annoys me, is how quick we are to plonk ourselves into the sheep category (guilty as charged), by doing so we instantly deplete any progress we make intellectually.  Sheep? That is something Pakistanis as a whole can never be. If there ever was a more diverse nation of people, Pakistan is it!

From colouring, we range from the Makran folk who were African settlers to the blonde haired Kalash tribes of northern Pakistan.  Ideologies range from extremes like Zaid Hamid to Nadeem F. Paracha, entertainment tastes run from complete abstinence from music and film (in a religious sense) to full blown headbanging rock gigs and I could just go on.

The kind of dreams we see as a nation are for those kind of populations that can reach a consensus, a common goal, but the fact that we are so diverse a people, it works against us, just as much as it works for us.

But then the amazing thing is, this divided nation still elicits surprise when Pakistanis come together to celebrate the cricket, as they did with this year’s T20 world cup celebrations, or during this year’s Independence Day as was witnessed on Twitter today. Maybe underneath our unique facades, if we scratch under the surface, we are one? And that we share the same anxiety-ridden spirit of ‘Pakistan’.

I highly doubt there is another country such as ours where we feel everything we are doing in all fervor and zeal, little or large impacts heavily on the country as a whole, and where the smallest of our actions by compatriates can make us cringe in embarrassment or preen with pride. We have the utter disasters like– (fill in the blanks) or glimmers of brilliance from Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan to the Badshahi Masjid.

We procrastinate, we whine, we curse, we clumsily stumble, we get hurt easy, we lie, cheat and beg, but all’s well that ends well, as they say, because somehow, somewhere along the line, we do the right thing too and eventually things pan out just fine.  They generally do, and then we laugh, sing, dance and make jokes about it until we make a boo boo again. And that, friends, is the spirit of Pakistan, it doesn’t matter whether you leave the land behind, you never quite leave the spirit behind.  You can’t deny we all have it, call it a curse, or a blessing, as you wish.

Funnily enough, coming back to image factor, there are folk out there who also possess this ’spirit’, this obsession, this strange attachment to Pakistan without actually being Pakistani. There may not be a lot of these people around but they do exist. So, quality vs. quantity? Genuine vs. fake? Anyone? Ha! My philosophy entirely!

Happy 62nd Birthday Pakistan! We rock and we just know it.

Now that honestly isn’t a very easy question to answer. The reason isn’t that its very hard to think of anything admirable about Pakistan, but rather its about choosing the best out of it.

When I saw the teabreaks’s campaign regarding 14th August, in which you have to share something you love about Pakistan, I started wondering what could it be. Several thoughts crossed my mind, and I thought of making a top ten or twenty list, but guess I’ll stick to one and most favorite reason in my eyes for loving Pakistan.

Before stating it, I’d like to add a small personal thing about me first that by the Grace of God, I had the opportunity to visit many developed countries since my childhood, so I’m not a kind of person who hasn’t seen World, or who would be fascinated by observing something ordinary, so when I mean that this thing about Pakistan is out of the box, it means that its something that I’m proud of when I go abroad.

And that thing is none other than the Natural Green Beauty of Pakistan, its forests, rivers, mountains.. you name it. I’ve seen Canada, US, few European places who were renowned because of their gifts from nature, but none was even close to our Northern areas when it comes to the Natural Beauty. Our forests in the mountains of NWFP, the chill refreshing water of Lake Saif-ul-Malook, ice covered peaks of Himaliya series and K2, and I don’t know what else. All I know is that when I watched the scenaries while going uphill to Nathia Gali, or saw several small villages while visiting Tarbela Dam, I observed the stuff, so beautiful, charming and attractive which I haven’t witnessed in other parts of the World. I saw few tourists there too, who were surprised to see how beautiful Pakistan really is, and how opposite is the image of Pakistan in the eyes of World.

A relative of mine who used to live in Switzerland and now in Saudia Arabia visited those places. She said that a major amount of revenue that is generated by that country is in term of tourism, the government promotes it worldwide, and manages to attract several thousands of people each year who love to see the nature in its full bloom, but places like those in Pakistan were nothing in comparison, according to her. She said I’m surprised why Pakistan isn’t earning much from tourism.

And yet thats a point our government should ponder about. Nepal survives because of Mount Everest only, they haven’t got any other source of income, so the several other countries. Our Government has made progress in this regard though, the roads and highways from Islamabad to these places is pretty smooth, facilitated by several hotels and restaurants, but still a need of proper campaign should be felt to advertise these places. This could become a bigger part of our GDP.

I read somewhere that a German tourist said that its really surprising how Pakistan is a poor country despite of owning K2.

Whenever I visit Nathia Gali or Abottabad or Kaghan or any other areas in their vicinity, and when I look at all the massive natural beauty they have got, I really feel proud as a Pakistani, as I feel that all that stuff down there, all the greenery and blue water, I share some pride in it because I was born on this land, in that very country which has been gifted with what others don’t have.

And thats all I wanted to say. I’m sharing some photos (Album 1 , 2) too which I took at those places and would love to share with the readers. Hope you’ll enjoy it. 

Only two days left, and on the night 13 of August, as soon as the clocks will strike past midnight, shifting the date to 14, the independence day of Pakistan Celebrations around the country will begin and I am sure this year too like the last year in Karachi, we will resort to celebratory firing marking the first half hour of the independence day celebrations, of this land of pure with a gesture of violence which will leave several injured, and may be a few others dead just like we did a few months back to celebrate out victory in the twenty20 World Cup cricket.

Has violence become such an integral part of our lives that it has dominated our protests, arguments, jokes, and even celebrations ? Do we not realize how our irresponsible actions are disrupting the peace of our city destroying it’s warmth and sense of security and what a negative image of our country are we painting for the rest of the worlds ?

And please I know many of you will think this post somehow responsible to tell the world what faults we have, But really do you thing shoving the dirt under the carpet will solve any thing? Has it ever, till this date solved anything ? NO, It is about time we take ownership of our faults, accept them, address and confront them and eliminate them from our lives and tell the world what a wonderful nation we are.

I hope, this year midnight, 14 of August, 2009 the sounds which will fill the air would not be of gunshots but of national anthems and songs of peace and love. I hope this year we will celebrate the independence day of Pakistan in it’s true sprite of joy, peace and love.

My mum would tell me off for complaining at Christmas – and seeing as Independence Day is a holiday I don’t see why she’d say any different today.

Fact is, US generals and others were predicting the death of Pakistan just a few months ago. One was as bold to give the country a deadline of two weeks to save itself. But despite bombings, suicide attacks, an insurgency, riots and other disturbances, the state is not the teetering Russian monarchy some imagined it would be, or wanted it to be, in 2009. And there’s plenty to be happy about.

For a start, Pakistani civil society is healthy. There is no way without the pressure of constant protests and the lawyer’s movement would General Pervez Musharraf have been forced out of office. Neither would it have suffered without the media playing irritant. Musharraf may have allowed Pakistan’s television channels to establish themselves, but they did not return the favour with slavish coverage when times got hard and – for a short time – they paid for their independence. Pakistan continues to have a thriving free press with reams and reams of coverage, some of it world class, not to mention a ridiculous number of news channels. There are plenty of eyes and ears watching the government are doing, and although there’s self-censorship there’s a healthy and developing public sphere.

Pressure from civil society manifested itself again into the Long March earlier in the year, holding Zardari to account and forcing the PPP government to bring back Chief Justice Chaudhry. It is difficult to imagine that a neo-Musharraf could retain control now without howls of opposition from the media, the judiciary, lawyers and ordinary members of the public. The quiet coup of 1999 could not take place now without provoking massive opposition – even with the incompetence of Asif Zardari as it is.

The resilience of Pakistanis was shown during the IDP crisis, which prompted mass acts of kindness among ordinary people. Although the figures of cash raised may not have been as high as during the 2005 earthquake, many homes, schools and other buildings opened their doors to the displaced during the Swat action. These provided shelter and food where IDP camps, riven with poor sanitation and a lack of resources, could not. It underlines that the concept of Pakistan is still strong among Pakistanis. Sport is a crude barometer of patriotism but the celebrations following the T20 shows the country still gets behind the flag, as it did in it’s widespread support for the military action against the Taliban in the north.

This deliberately positive article isn’t to decry Pakistan’s problems – of which I have written about many at my blog. Musharraf was of course replaced with a dynastic crook. Chief Justice Chaudhry was never exactly an unbiased party when he ruled the former president’s actions were unconstitutional. The country’s finances are a mess, while the Establishment remains convinced India is it’s biggest enemy and is still willing to make deals with men with guns and sue for peace. Protests can turn brutal, and Gojra showed Pakistan has a lot to reconcile with it’s minorities.

I could go on, but most of these issues are at state level, and I know not everything I listed above is perfect. But among the people there’s a lot to like in Pakistan.

Happy Independence Day.

My very first day in Pakistan was on August 14th. Four days later I was married.

I had no idea when I was on the plane from London that I would be arriving on the nation’s Independence day. All my thoughts were with how I was going to meet my future wife and her family. None of whom I’d ever met.

Nervous excitement could not prepare me for the cacophony of sights, sounds and smells that were about to assault my senses. After passing through passport control, customs and regaining my luggage I walked through in to arrivals. The sheer throng of the crowd being held back by a few hapless guards was extraordinary. So too was the heat.

I knew it was going to be hot but I couldn’t believe how at 3am in the morning it could be nothing short of a sauna. I was momentarily dumbstruck as beads of sweat rolled down me.

Then I saw my wife holding a bunch of flowers looking like a vision of tranquillity in a sea of chaos. As we drove through the streets from Allama Iqbal airport to Lahore Gymkhana where I was to stay for a week I was amazed at how the streets were packed with people. Young boys racing up and down Jail Road on tiny Honda motorbikes doing wheelies and generally creating mayhem. Everyone was in jubilant mood and everywhere there were the national colours of green and white.

Pakistan was going to be like nowhere else I’d been. My heart was racing as adrenalin surged within.

The next few days were taken up with meeting my future relatives and being given a whistle-stop guided tour of Lahore. My camera never stopped clicking. The lush greenery in the sub-tropical surroundings was a world away from the concrete grey of London. I went to Badshahi Masjid, Lahore Museum, The Mall, the Lahore Fort and a host of other sights. The most exhilarating being a trip to the Wagah border to see the flag ceremony at sunset.

This was Pakistan in a microcosm for me. Chaotic, maddening and occasionally the tinge of danger ever present. But the lastingimpression was the magnificent display by the soldiers as they faced-off with each other. The crowds roared and screamed but ultimately were remarkably orderly. Everyone was superbly friendly and pushed me to the front so I could see better. The passion was infectious.

Despite all its troubles over the last 62 years, Pakistan is still here. Its people remain the most hospitable I’ve ever known and have made me feel as if I belong. That’s something I cherish and one-day hope to repay in kind.

On the 18th August I was married in a simple yet intimate ceremony. I had dived into Pakistan and Pakistani culture head first. Overwhelming yet ultimately uplifting and full of promise. That’s how I will think of Pakistan on this Independence Day.

]]> http://independence.teabreak.pk/passion-and-promise-max-robinson/32/feed 4 http://independence.teabreak.pk/green-and-white-by-fazal-e-abbas/25 http://independence.teabreak.pk/green-and-white-by-fazal-e-abbas/25#comments Wed, 12 Aug 2009 06:52:04 +0000 ammar http://independence.teabreak.pk/?p=25

Was going through fb,  felt the independence day spirit in me and changed the profile pic to the Flag of Pakistan and also thought of making an entry in my dormant blog

I just want to share that the flag of Pakistan as we are seeing on the roads sides being sold in different shapes, sizes and colors in not appropriate as in they should be made with the correct ratio and proper colors as defined the Constituent Assembly…

Following is the extract from, “Pakistan Flag specification: Resolution Passed by Constituent Assembly“ defines the flag of Pakistan:

The official design of the national flag was adopted by the Constituent Assembly together with a definition of the features and proportions:

“A dark green rectangular flag in the proportion of length and width 3:2 with a white vertical bar at the mast, the green portion bearing a white crescent in the centre and a five-pointed white heraldic star. The size of the white portion being one-fourth the size of the flag, nearest the mast, the remainder three-fourths being dark green. The dimensions of the crescent and star are obtained as follows:

“Draw the diagonal from the top right hand corner to the bottom left corner of the green portion. On this diagonal establish two points ‘A’ and ‘B’. Point ‘A’ at a distance equidistant from top right and bottom left hand corners of the green portion, i.e. the centre of the green portion. Point ‘B’ at a distance from the top right hand corner equal to 13/20th the width of the flag. With centre point ‘A’ and radius 1.1/4th the width of the flag describe a second arc. The enclosures made by these two arcs form the crescent. The dimensions of the five-pointed white heraldic star are determined by drawing a circle 1/10th the width of the flag. The circle surrounds the five points of the heraldic star. The star lies with one point on the diagonal at a point where the larger arc of the crescent, if completed, cuts the diagonal.”

Furthermore the following extract from, “Pakistan.Gov.pk – The Official Web Gateway to the Government of Pakistan” tell the exact size and shape of OUR flag:

• For ceremonial occasions.
  • 21′ x 14′,
  • 18′ x 12′,
  • 10′ x 6-2/3′,
  • 9′ x 6′ 1/4
• For use over buildings.
  • 6′ x 4′
  • 3′ x 2′
• For cars.
  • 12″ x 8″
• For tables.
  • 6″ 1/4 x 4″ 1/4

The Pakistan Flag

?

Explanation

NM (width of flag) is equal to 2/3rd of NZ (length of flag)
NX (white portion) is equal to 1/4th of NZ (length of flag)
A is the middle point of XY & KZ (diagonals)
YB is equal to 13/20th of YZ (width of flag)
AO (radius of outer arc of Crescent) is equal to 3/10th of YZ.
BT (radius of inner arc) is equal to 11/40th of YZ.
CL (radius of the circle surrounding the star) is equal to 1/10th of YZ. ]]> http://independence.teabreak.pk/green-and-white-by-fazal-e-abbas/25/feed 1