Mountain scenery © Pakistan Embassy
Strategically situated between India, China, Afghanistan and
Iran, Pakistan follows the Indus River down from the spectacular
mountain ranges in the north (which include the world’s
second highest peak, K2) to the Arabian Sea. The river passes
through the fertile provinces of Punjab and Sindh in the east and
south. The southwest of Pakistan consists of the arid plateau of
Baluchistan. The major cities of Karachi, the capital Islamabad,
Lahore and Rawalpindi are all situated in the lowlands of the Indus
valley.
The nation of Pakistan itself may be relatively new, but the
Indus region has hosted civilisation for thousands of years and the
country has a rich culture and fascinating history from Alexander
the Great to the heyday of the Silk Route, with the lucrative trade
between China, India and the Roman empire; and rivalries between
Hindu and Islamic dynasties and later the British Empire.
Life in the bustling southern cities is a mix of ancient
tradition and modern technology, where shoppers haggle in colourful
bazaars and craftsmen ply their trade, while others tuck into hot
and spicy treats at street restaurants, or take their ease at
teahouses. Lahore, in particular, boasts some wonderful historic
architecture with its pink and white marble buildings, and the
beautiful Moghul-style Badshahi Mosque, one of the largest mosques
in the world – almost as magnificent as the Taj
Mahal in India.