Mast Qalandar (MQ)

(Editor’s Note: This was first posted at ATP four years ago on November 27, 2006. It remains one of our favorite ATP posts and we are re-posting it today on its fourth anniversary).

Pakistan is a country of many ethnic groups and cultures. This is apparent not only in the looks of its people and the different languages and dialects they speak, but also in their traditions and dress.

One of the things a first time visitor to Pakistan would notice is the variety of caps and turbans Pakistani men wear, particularly in the rural areas. (Urban Pakistanis, especially the educated class, are mostly bareheaded.) With increased travel and TV exposure, the caps worn in one part of the country have also been adopted by people in other parts, but, still, the cap or turban a Pakistani wears could give away his ethnicity and, at times, even his social status.

Manan Ahmed (Sepoy @ Chapati Mystery)

1. According to the 1998 census, there are slightly more than 2 million Christians (1.59% of total population) distributed roughly equally across urban and rural areas. As a minority the Christian community in Pakistan is predominantly located in the province (state) of Punjab. Although sizable communities are found in the cities of Quetta, Karachi and Peshawar as well.

1a. The Objectives Resolution of 1949 stated that in the Republic of Pakistan “adequate provision shall be made for the minorities freely to profess and practise their religions and develop their cultures;” The Objectives Resolution was made the preamble in the 1973 Constitution. The word “freely” was removed.

2. The Church of Pakistan was amalgamated from Methodist, Presbyterian and Anglican churches in 1970.

3. The earliest recorded attack on Christian communities was in 1952, when a family of 7 were burned alive in the village of Matti. The criminals were caught, prosecuted and hanged.

4. During the first two decades of Pakistan, Christian communities were largely integrated. They had a political party and in the 1951 and 1954 elections, they won four seats (each) in the local Punjab Assembly.

Adil Najam

After the news earlier in the day of Pakistan being kicked out of two semi-finals in which they were the favorites – losing in T20 cricket to Afghanistan and in Kabaddi to Iran – the green shirts redeemed themselves in two other sports are define (or once defined) Pakistan sports: Field Hockey and Squash (team).

In both hockey and team squash Pakistan beat Malaysia to clinch the golds. This takes Pakistan gold haul in the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games to 3, adding to the gold already won by the womens’ cricket team. Pakistan also has 2 silver and 1 bronze to its name (including an unexpected Silver in Wushu), a tally that could still go higher since Pakistan will be playing in the bronze medal playoffs in both Kabaddi and T20 cricket.