Indus Pakistan
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Before we look at the history of Pakistan we have to look at the land of Pakistan. That is the geographic space that Pakistan occupies. A land goes to define the people, the history, culture, religion and even economy of countries.
If in 1947 only East Bengal had voted for Pakistan then today that Pakistan would have followed an entirely differant trajectory. The conomy, the peoples , the culture, post 1947 history, the problems and the strengths would be entirely differant. In fact most of you would not be able to recognize this 'Pakistan' with Dhaka as it's capital.
It is safe to say that without land there can be no state and that the land will go a long way in defining that country including it's history. So let us look at the 'tandoor' that made us who we are today. Whether we are native or we are a mix of outside influences our geography has played it's role in the making of Pakistan.
So let us begin by looking at the making of the Indus Basin. Long time ago, about 55 million years the Indian Plate collided with the Eurasian plate. The point where it collided pushed up the mountain rim around South Asia including the Himalalyas. That movement continues even today which explains the earthquakes we still get in Pakistan. The point where both the Indian plate and Eurasian plate scrape against each other are known as the fault line.
Map 2. The fault line running through Pakistan adjacent to which most earhquakes are centred as both the Indian plate Eurasian plates grind.
As a interesting observation you the tectonic fault line between Eurasia and India mirrors something else. The line runs proximate with Khyber Pak, Balochistan borders with Punjab, Sindh. The line roughly defines the split between Iranian language group of Pashto, Baloch and the Indic languages Punjabi, Sindhi. This also happens to define the plains of Punjab, Sindh and the hilly or high plateaux of the westerly Baloch highlands and hills of Khyber Pak. A coincidence but nevertheless interesting overlap of plate tectonics, geography, languages and peoples. In a sense this Pakistan sits bang on the meeeting point of South and Central Asia. In fact it bridges both worlds in geography, ethnic groups, languages and as we will see history as it's central position would mean it would recieving tow differant sets of influences.
Map 3 Physical Map of Pakistan. Please compare with above map.
Map 4 Language Map. With the Iranic and Indic divide running along the sale fault line.
I am sure you can see the coincidence of Maps 2, 3 and 4. Eurasian or Central Asian meet the Indic world around the middle of Pakistan. Pakistan sits on between both worlds Central and South Asian. This location would have profound effect on our history over the centuries as in between being independant we would fall victim to either invaders from the west [ Persia/Greeks/Central Asia ] which was very often or occasionally from the east [ India/British] from begining of our recorded history. The final product of this dance played out in Indus Basin over countless millenia is todays Pakistan. This is how you became who you are today.
Now let us look exactly at what Indus Basin is. To begin with we have to define 'basin' which in geographic terms means "A river drainage basin is an area drained by a river and all of its tributaries". So when we say Indus Basin we mean all the area within which rainfall collects in drains into one river. So Indus Basin is the area where all rainfall eventually flows into Indus River and finally drains into the Arabian Sea.
Map 5 Indus Basin
Map 6 Indus Basin Map 7
Maps 5 and 6 show clearly the extent of the Indus Basin. Map 7 is a satelite image of Pakistan. The green of the irrigated area feeding off the Indus irrigation system is clearly visible. Indus Basin in Pakistan is clearly divided from India by the huge Thar Desert on the right of the green strip of the indus irrigated zone.
It is however important to note that small strip of Indus Basin extends into Afganistan ( Map 5 ) and in fact Kabul falls within Indus basin as that part of Afghanistan drains into Kabul River which flows into Pakistan and meets Indus River near Attock.
Furthermore part of Tibet in China also falls within the indus Basin, so does Indian Occupied Kashmir and Indian Punjab. Small portion of Rajasthan also are within the basin. However Pakistan is central to the basin. 95% of Pakistan's population live within the Indus Basin whereas it is nominal in Afganistan, China, India.
I will finish this off this in next post but can people not post anything as it will cause a break in my presentation. I am sure you can wait a bit. Thank you.
If in 1947 only East Bengal had voted for Pakistan then today that Pakistan would have followed an entirely differant trajectory. The conomy, the peoples , the culture, post 1947 history, the problems and the strengths would be entirely differant. In fact most of you would not be able to recognize this 'Pakistan' with Dhaka as it's capital.
It is safe to say that without land there can be no state and that the land will go a long way in defining that country including it's history. So let us look at the 'tandoor' that made us who we are today. Whether we are native or we are a mix of outside influences our geography has played it's role in the making of Pakistan.
So let us begin by looking at the making of the Indus Basin. Long time ago, about 55 million years the Indian Plate collided with the Eurasian plate. The point where it collided pushed up the mountain rim around South Asia including the Himalalyas. That movement continues even today which explains the earthquakes we still get in Pakistan. The point where both the Indian plate and Eurasian plate scrape against each other are known as the fault line.
Map 2. The fault line running through Pakistan adjacent to which most earhquakes are centred as both the Indian plate Eurasian plates grind.
As a interesting observation you the tectonic fault line between Eurasia and India mirrors something else. The line runs proximate with Khyber Pak, Balochistan borders with Punjab, Sindh. The line roughly defines the split between Iranian language group of Pashto, Baloch and the Indic languages Punjabi, Sindhi. This also happens to define the plains of Punjab, Sindh and the hilly or high plateaux of the westerly Baloch highlands and hills of Khyber Pak. A coincidence but nevertheless interesting overlap of plate tectonics, geography, languages and peoples. In a sense this Pakistan sits bang on the meeeting point of South and Central Asia. In fact it bridges both worlds in geography, ethnic groups, languages and as we will see history as it's central position would mean it would recieving tow differant sets of influences.
Map 3 Physical Map of Pakistan. Please compare with above map.
Map 4 Language Map. With the Iranic and Indic divide running along the sale fault line.
I am sure you can see the coincidence of Maps 2, 3 and 4. Eurasian or Central Asian meet the Indic world around the middle of Pakistan. Pakistan sits on between both worlds Central and South Asian. This location would have profound effect on our history over the centuries as in between being independant we would fall victim to either invaders from the west [ Persia/Greeks/Central Asia ] which was very often or occasionally from the east [ India/British] from begining of our recorded history. The final product of this dance played out in Indus Basin over countless millenia is todays Pakistan. This is how you became who you are today.
Now let us look exactly at what Indus Basin is. To begin with we have to define 'basin' which in geographic terms means "A river drainage basin is an area drained by a river and all of its tributaries". So when we say Indus Basin we mean all the area within which rainfall collects in drains into one river. So Indus Basin is the area where all rainfall eventually flows into Indus River and finally drains into the Arabian Sea.
Map 5 Indus Basin
Map 6 Indus Basin Map 7
Maps 5 and 6 show clearly the extent of the Indus Basin. Map 7 is a satelite image of Pakistan. The green of the irrigated area feeding off the Indus irrigation system is clearly visible. Indus Basin in Pakistan is clearly divided from India by the huge Thar Desert on the right of the green strip of the indus irrigated zone.
It is however important to note that small strip of Indus Basin extends into Afganistan ( Map 5 ) and in fact Kabul falls within Indus basin as that part of Afghanistan drains into Kabul River which flows into Pakistan and meets Indus River near Attock.
Furthermore part of Tibet in China also falls within the indus Basin, so does Indian Occupied Kashmir and Indian Punjab. Small portion of Rajasthan also are within the basin. However Pakistan is central to the basin. 95% of Pakistan's population live within the Indus Basin whereas it is nominal in Afganistan, China, India.
I will finish this off this in next post but can people not post anything as it will cause a break in my presentation. I am sure you can wait a bit. Thank you.
