Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan (), is a country located in South Asia that overlaps with the Greater Middle East. It has a thousand-kilometre coastline along the Arabian Sea in the south and borders Afghanistan and Iran to the west, India to the east and the People's Republic of China in the far northeast.The Kashmir region is claimed by India and Pakistan. Both countries and China separately administer parts of the region with the Indian- and Pakistani-held areas defined by the Line of Control. The Pakistan–China border is not recognized by India.

Pakistan is the sixth most populous country in the world and the second most populous Muslim country. It was established as a modern state in 1947, as one of the two parts of the partitioned British India, but the region has a long history of settlement and civilisation including the Indus Valley Civilisation. The region was invaded by Afghans, Greeks, Persians, Arabs, and was incorporated into British Raj in the nineteenth century. Since independence, Pakistan has experienced times of significant military and economic growth, and times of instability, with the loss of East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh). Pakistan has the seventh largest armed forces in the world and is a declared nuclear weapons state.

Etymology

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The name "Pakistan" (IPA: ) means "Land of the Pure" in Urdu and Persian and was coined in 1933 by Choudhary Rahmat Ali, who published it in the pamphlet Now or NeverText of the Now or Never pamphlet, issued on January 28, 1933 as an acronym of the names of the "Muslim homelands" of western India — P for Punjab, A for Afghania (the Afghan areas), K for Kashmir, S for Sindh and tan for Balochistan. An i was later added to the English rendition of the name to ease pronunciation.

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Pakistan News

Canadian diplomats investigate report 2 Canadians killed in...
Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:50:52 -0000
Canadian diplomats in Pakistan are investigating a report two Canadians were killed by a missile attack in a remote area of the country, a Foreign Affairs spokesman said Wednesday.
Pakistani Taliban say they will not kill Chinese and Pakistani hostages
Thu, 04 Sep 2008 12:14:54 -0000
ISLAMABAD : Pakistani Taliban said on Wednesday they would not kill two Chinese engineers and two Pakistanis they have been holding since last week, but they would not release them unless unspecified demands ...
Pakistan Begins Inquiry Into Deaths of 5 Women
Thu, 04 Sep 2008 07:37:08 -0000
The Pakistani government's inquiry into the deaths of five women buried alive in so-called honor killings in the southwestern Baluchistan Province is taking place against a backdrop of widespread protests and a ...
Gunmen make attempt on life of Pakistan PM
Thu, 04 Sep 2008 03:01:17 -0000
Gunmen have attacked the motorcade of Pakistan Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani at Rawalpindi.
American diplomat at UN defends Pakistan dealings
Wed, 03 Sep 2008 22:19:23 -0000
UNITED NATIONS : The top American diplomat to the United Nations defended his dealings with Pakistani officials Wednesday, saying he never acted as adviser to a candidate for Pakistan's presidency.
Pakistani prime minister escapes attempt on life
Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:55:30 -0000
Pakistani officials say snipers fired on the prime minister's motorcade as it drove to the airport to pick him up.

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