Religious practices of various faiths are an integral part of everyday life in society. Education is highly regarded by members of every socio-economic stratum. The traditional family values are highly respected and considered sacred, although urban families have grown into a nuclear family system, owing to the socio-economic constraints imposed by the traditional joint family system. The past few decades have seen emergence of a middle class in cities such as Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Hyderabad, Quetta, Faisalabad, Sukkur, Peshawar, Abbottabad and Multan. The North-western part of Pakistan bordering with Afghanistan is being dominated by regional tribal customs dating back hundreds of years.
Cultural History
Pakistan has a very rich cultural and traditional background going back to Indus Valley Civilization, 2800 BC–1800 BC. The region of Pakistan has been invaded in the past, occupied and settled by many different people, including Dravidians, Aryans, Greeks, White Huns, Persians, Arabs, Turks, Mongols and various Eurasian groups. There are differences in culture among the different ethnic groups in matters such as dress, food, and religion, especially where pre-Islamic customs differ from Islamic practices. The basic origin of Pakistanis however comes from the civilizations of North India and eastern Afghanistan, with significant influences from Persia, Turkestan and Hellenistic Greece.
Literature
Pakistani literature, that is, the literature of Pakistan, as a distinct literature came into being when Pakistan gained its nationhood as a sovereign state in 1947. The common and shared tradition of Urdu literature and English literature of the South Asia was inherited by the new state. Over a period of time, a body of literature unique to Pakistan has emerged in nearly all major Pakistani languages, including Urdu, English, Punjabi, Pushto and Sindhi.
Poetry
The Urdu language has a rich tradition of poetry boasting such renowned poets as Mirza Ghalib, Allama Iqbal who is the national poet of Pakistan) and Faiz Ahmad Faiz. Pakistani poetry also has many blends of other languages not just Urdu poetry. Persian poetry, English poetry, Punjabi poetry and Kashmiri poetry have all incorporated and have influenced the different kinds of poetry in the region.
Music
Pakistani music is represented by a wide variety of forms. It ranges from traditional styles (such as Qawwali) to more modern forms that try to fuse traditional Pakistani music with western music. A famous Pakistani musician, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was internationally renowned for creating a form of music which synchronized Qawwali with western music. Popular forms of music also prevail, the most notable being Film music and Urdu Pop music. In addition to this are the diverse traditions of folk music.
Drama and Theatre
These are very similar to stage plays in theatres. They are performed by many well-known actors and actresses in the Lollywood industry. They are many types of themes that are brought across with lots of humor; the themes that are bought across ranges from a huge range of events that taken place in ones life.
Cuisine
Pakistani food is similar that of northern India, with a dollop of Persian, Turkish and Middle Eastern influences thrown in for good measure. This means menus peppered with baked and deep-fried breads (roti, chapattis, puri, halwa and nan), vegetables, meat curries, lentils (dhal), spicy spinach, cabbage, peas and rice, and of course that staple of hippies, the sturdy Hunza pie. Street snacks are popular in cities — samosas and tikkas (spiced and barbecued beef, mutton or chicken) — are delicious, while a range of desserts will satisfy any sweet tooth. The most common sweet is barfi (it pays to overlook the name), which is made of dried milk solids and comes in a variety of flavours. Though Pakistan is officially ‘dry’ (alcohol-free), it does brew its own beer and spirits which can be bought (as well as imported alcohol) from designated bars and hotels.
Festivals
Chand Raat After an Islamic month of fasting, Ramadan, just the night before Eid comes, everyone gets ready for Eid. Girls put henna on their hands. Most people have parties at their house. People go out for the last minute shopping for gifts and sweets that will be given to friends and families. Even outside at the malls and the plazas, there are many colourful lights. There are large crowds in the city center to celebrate the beginning of Eid.
Eid Celebrations
The two Eids, Eid- ul- Fitr and Eid ul-Adha commemorate the passing of the month of fasting, Ramadan, and the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Prophet Ishmael for Allah. During these days there are national holidays and many festivals and events take place to celebrate Eid.
Dress
One of the most familiar sights in Pakistan is that traditionally Pakistani men wear Shalwar Qameez. They come in many different styles, fabrics, colours and patterns that make them look really stylish. Pakistani women also wear Shalwar Qameez but the designs differ.
Languages
Urdu is the only official language of Pakistan. English is the lingua franca of the Pakistani elite and most of the government ministries. Urdu is closely related to Hindi but is written in an extended Arabic alphabet rather than in Devanagari. Many other languages are spoken in Pakistan, including Punjabi, Siraiki, Sindhi, Pashto, Balochi, Hindko, Brahui, Burushaski, Balti, Khawar, Gujrati and other languages with smaller numbers of speakers. Arabic and Persian are still taught as classical languages albeit to a small number of students.
Even after so many years, Shalwar kameez remains to be the traditional clothing in Pakistani dresses.
It is true that our clothing has gone through various innovations and Pakistani dresses today are much different from what they used to be, but fashion only adds a little spice here and a little there to givePakistani dresses a new look every year.
As you move from one province to another, you get to see a new flavour added into the Pakistani dresses. Every province’s traditional clothing has its own beauty and has a novelty into it. Today, when Pakistani dresses have evolved so much, people love to have possession of cultural Pakistani dresses because they have become such a novelty.
Balochis have maintained their traditional clothing till the present day. If you look into history, you will not find a lot of difference in Balochi Pakistani dresses of today and earlier times. Balochi men wear shalwar kameez with long and loose sleeves and loose shalwar which are usually in white colour. Balochi men also tend to wear a turban on their head which is perceived as respectable. This dress code has a special significance for the Balochi people and they find any other dress as in-appropriate.
The Pakistani dresses for Balochi women are truly exquisite. Pakistani dresses for Baluchi women have beautiful needlework done on the front and a large pocket at the front of the dress is also a cultural part of the dress. The needlework is done by the women themselves and the Balochi women are well-known for it.
Pakistani dresses show a new colour as you cross the boundaries of Sindh. Although, the people of Sindh have not preserved their traditional clothing the way Balochi’s have, but you still get to see the traditional “Ajrak and Sindhi Topi” in rural areas of Sindh. Ajrak is a piece of cloth with a unique print on it with specific colors (Brown and maroon mainly) and Sindhi Topi is hat which is a significant part of sindhi Culture. The needle and mirror work done on Sindhi topi is popular all over Pakistan and people of all cultures like to possess it is not a part of National Pakistani dresses.
Punjab has evolved the most in term of Pakistani dresses. The traditional clothing of Punjab used to be Lacha (Lower part of the dress, without any partition for legs), and Paranda (a colourful piece of accessory which women used to weave into their hair). Today, we see these only in some formal demonstration of cultural Pakistani dresses.
Apart from the Balochi dresses, Pakistani dresses have become similar irrespective of geographical location. With an increasing number of designers, we get to see a new fashion in every season and people follow it irrespective of their province. In a way, this elimination of provincial difference is good, but the beauty of Balochi dresses, Sindhi dresses andPunjabi dresses is something which cannot be found anywhere else in the world and should be preserved.