|
'''''Tristan und Isolde''''' is an [[opera]] in three acts by [[Richard Wagner]]. It was composed between [[1857]] and [[1859]], and received its first production in [[Munich]] on [[June 10]], [[1865]].
{| border=1 align=right cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 width=300 style="margin: 0 0 1em 1em; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;"
|+<big>'''اسلامی جمہوریۂ پاکستان<br>islāmī jamhūriya-i-pākistān'''<big>
|-
| style="background:#efefef;" align="center" colspan=2 |
{| border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"
| align="center" width="140px" | [[Image:Flag of Pakistan.svg|125px|]]
| align="center" width="140px" | [[Image:Pakistan emblem.jpg|111px]]
|-
| align="center" width="140px" | ([[Flag of Pakistan|In Detail]])
| align="center" width="140px" | ([[National Emblem of Pakistan|In Detail]])
|}
|-
| align=center style="vertical-align: top;" colspan=2 | <small>''[[National motto]]: īmān, ittihād, nazm<br>([[Urdu]]: Faith, unity, discipline)''</small>
|-
| align=center colspan=2 style="background:#f9f9f9;" | [[image:LocationPakistan.png|Location of Pakistan]]
| align=center colspan=2 style="background: #ffffff;" |
|-
| '''[[Official language]]s'''
| [[Urdu_language|Urdu]], [[English_language|English]]
|-
| '''[[Capital]]'''
| [[Islamabad, Pakistan|Islamabad]]
|-
| '''Largest city'''
| [[Karachi]]
|-
| '''[[President of Pakistan|President]]'''
| General [[Pervez Musharraf]]
|-
| '''[[Prime Minister of Pakistan|Prime Minister]]'''
| [[Shaukat Aziz]]
|-
| '''[[Area]]'''<br> - Total<br> - % water
| [[List of countries by area|Ranked 34th]]<br>803,940 [[square kilometre|km²]]<br> 3.1%
|-
| '''[[Population]]'''<br> - Total ([[2005]] est.)<br> - [[Population_density|Density]]
| [[List of countries by population|Ranked 6th]]<br> 162,419,946<br> 188/km²
|-
| '''[[List of countries by GDP (PPP)|GDP]]''' ([[Purchasing power parity|PPP]])<br> - Total<br> - Per capita
| [[2004]] estimate<br> $347.3 billion([[List of countries by GDP (PPP)|26th]])<br> $2,567 ([[List of countries by GDP (PPP) per capita|135th]])
|-
| '''[[Independence]]'''
| [[14 August]] [[1947]] (from the [[United Kingdom|UK]]'s [[British India]])
|-
| '''[[Republic]]'''
| [[March 23]], [[1956]]
|-
| '''[[Religion]]'''
| [[Islam]]
|-
| '''[[Currency]]'''
| [[Pakistani Rupee|Rupee]]
|-
| '''[[ISO_4217|Currency Code]]'''
| PKR
|-
| '''[[Time zone]]'''
| [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]] +5
|-
| '''[[National anthem]]'''
| [[Pak sarzamin shad bad]]<br>(Blessed Be The Sacred Land)
|-
| '''[[Top-level ___domain|Internet TLD]]'''
| [[.pk]]
|-
| '''[[List of country calling codes|Calling Code]]'''
| 92
|-
| '''National game'''
| [[Field Hockey|Field Hockey]]
|}The '''Islamic Republic of Pakistan''' ([[Urdu]]: اسلامی جمہوریۂ پاکستان, ''islāmī jamhūriya i pākistān''), or '''Pakistan''' (Urdu: پاکستان, ''pākistān'') is a country located in [[South Asia]] and overlaps onto the Greater [[Middle East]] and [[Central Asia]]. The country borders [[India]], [[Afghanistan]], [[Iran]] (Persia), [[People's Republic of China|China]] and the [[Arabian Sea]]. With around 163 million inhabitants, it is the [[List of countries by population|sixth most populous country]] and the second most populous [[Muslim]]-majority nation. It is a member of the [[Commonwealth of Nations]] and the [[Organization_of_the_Islamic_Conference|OIC]]. It was formerly a major part of the [[British Empire]] as western [[British India]] before gaining independence in [[1947]] through the [[Partition of India]]. The name of the country "Pakistan" means ''Land of the Pure''.
== HistorySources ==
''Main article: '''[[History of Pakistan]]''' (Including pre-history, civilizations of the region, and modern events to date)''
In the principal parts of this opera Wagner followed the romance of [[Gottfried von Strassburg]], which in turn is based on the story of [[Tristan]] and [[Isolde]] from [[King Arthur|Arthur]]ian legend.
''Other articles:[[History of India]], [[History of Afghanistan]], [[History of Iran]], [[History of South Asia]]''.
== Critical reception ==
Pakistan exists in a region whose history has overlapped that of [[India]], [[Afghanistan]] and [[Persian Empire|Persia]] ([[Iran]]). As one of the cradles of human civilization, the Pakistani region has long been at the crossroads of history. Pakistan was the site of the [[Indus Valley civilization]] and was subsequently conquered by many groups, including [[Aryans]], [[Achaemenid|Persian]]s, [[Greeks]], [[Greco-Bactrian]]s, [[Kushan]]s, [[White Hun]]s, and [[Scythian]]s, and various other more obscure groups. This period saw the country advance in trade and culture to a level where the [[Gandhara]] region and the great city of [[Taxila]] became a great center of learning and development.
[[Image:BSarnath.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Buddha's First Sermon at Sarnath, [[Kushan]] Period, ca. 3rd century Pakistan (ancient region of [[Gandhara]])]] Later settlers included [[Arabs]], [[Turks]] and [[Mongols]]. The arrival of the Arab Muslim in the provinces of [[Sindh]] and [[Punjab]] set the stage for the geographic boundries of the modern state of Pakistan and formed the foundation for Islamic rule which was destined to spread across much of South Asia. This region was ruled by the [[Mughals]] from [[1526]] until [[1739]] and from 1739 until the early [[19th century]] the entire region was ruled by the [[Afghans]] while the [[Baluchis]] and [[Sikhs]] controlled the south and east. After that, it was annexed by the British Empire and stayed part of British India until 1947, with much civil unrest, especially in the regions which were predominantly Afghan. The British divided up the Indian empire into 3 parts, the central part, with a [[Hindu]] majority, became modern-day [[India]]. The western part along with parts of Punjab became the western part of Pakistan while [[East Bengal (province)|East Bengal]], the Muslim majority part of [[Bengal]], became the eastern half of Pakistan. However, economic and political discontent coupled with violent political repression escalated into a [[civil war]] (see [[Bangladesh Liberation War]]) in [[East Pakistan]] and the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]], resulting in the violent secession of [[East Pakistan]], which formed the independent state of [[Bangladesh]].
Many Wagnerian critics of the time claimed that the musical portion of the opera attained the highest summit of all music; on the other hand, an equally influential group of critics, centered around [[Eduard Hanslick]], condemned the work as being incomprehensible.
==Politics==
===Domestic politics===
''Main article: [[Politics of Pakistan]]'' [[Image:ParliamentHouse.jpg|thumb|250px|left|Parliament house in [[Islamabad]].]]
====Form of government====
Officially a [[federal]] [[republic]], Pakistan has had a long history of alternating periods of electoral democracy and [[authoritarian]] military government. The most recent general elections were held in October [[2002]]. After monitoring the October 2002 elections, the Commonwealth Observer Group stated in its report, "We believe that on election day this was a credible election: the will of the people was expressed and the results reflected their wishes." [http://www.thecommonwealth.org/shared_asp_files/uploadedfiles/%7BB8E19A5C-0810-4AAF-AD3A-F0AFCEE0E814%7D_Pakistan%202002.pdf]
On [[22 May]] [[2004]], the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group re-admitted Pakistan into the [[Commonwealth_of_Nations|Commonwealth]], formally acknowledging "the progress made in restoring democracy and rebuilding democratic institutions in Pakistan." [http://www.thecommonwealth.org/Templates/Internal.asp?NodeID=37863]
[[Image:PM_Lodges.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Parliament lodges in [[Islamabad]].]]
== Significance in the development of classical music ==
====Political parties====
Before and during the creation of Pakistan in 1947, the [[secular]] and [[centrist]] [[Pakistan Muslim league]] supported the creation of Pakistan while the far-right [[Jamaat-e-Islami|Islamic conservative party]] opposed the creation of Pakistan and supported a united India. The far-right parties have never enjoyed popular support among a majority of Pakistanis. The [[liberal]], [[leftist]] [[Pakistan Peoples Party]] (PPP) emerged as a major political player during the [[1970s]].
The very first chord in the piece is the so-called ''[[Tristan chord]]'', often taken to be of great significance in the move away from traditional [[tonality|tonal]] [[harmony]]:
Currently, the largest party in Parliament is the [[Pakistan Muslim League (Q)]] (PML-Q) and the second largest is the Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians (PPPP). The PML-Q obtained a [[plurality]] in the October [[2002]] elections.
[[Image:Wagner Tristan opening.png]]
'''Sound samples'''
====Most recent national election results====
* [[Image:Audiobutton.png]] [[Media:Wagner Tristan opening.midi|Sound sample of these bars]] ([[MIDI]] file)
* [[Image:Audiobutton.png]] [[Media:Tristan und Isolde beginning clip.ogg|Recording of these bars]] ([[Ogg Vorbis]] file)
== Characters ==
{|cellpadding="2" width=90%
|- align="top"
|
<table border=1 width="90%">
|+'''Senate after February 2003 elections'''
! style="background:#efefef;" | Party
! style="background:#efefef;" | Seats
|-
| PML/Q || 40
|-
| PPPP || 11
|-
| MMA || 21
|-
| MQM/A || 6
|-
| PML/N || 4
|-
| NAP || 3
|-
| PML/F || 1
|-
| PkMAP || 2
|-
| ANP || 2
|-
| PPP/S || 2
|-
| JWP || 1
|-
| BNP-Awami || 1
|-
| BNP-Mengal || 1
|-
| BNM/H || 1
|-
| Independents || 4
|-
| ||
|-
| ||
|-
</table>
</td>
<td align=top>
<table border=1 width="90%">
|+ '''National Assembly elections, October 2002'''
! style="background:#efefef;" | Party
! style="background:#efefef;" | Seats
|-
| PML/Q || 126
|-
| PPPP || 81
|-
| MMA || 63
|-
| PML/N || 19
|-
| MQM/A || 17
|-
| NAP || 16
|-
| PML/F || 5
|-
| PML/J || 3
|-
| PPP/S || 2
|-
| BNP || 1
|-
| JWP || 1
|-
| PAT || 1
|-
| PML/Z || 1
|-
| PTI || 1
|-
| MQM/H || 1
|-
| PkMAP || 1
|-
| Independents || 3
</table>
</td>
|}
*Tristan ([[Tenor]])
==== Political history ====
*Isolde ([[Soprano]])
Politically, Pakistan has been ruled by both democratic and military governments. General [[Ayub Khan]] was the president from [[1958]] to [[1969]], and General [[Yahya Khan]] from [[1969]] to [[1971]]. Civilian rule continued from [[1971]] to [[1977]] under [[Zulfikar Ali Bhutto]], but he was deposed by General Zia-Ul-Haq. [[General Zia]] was killed in a plane crash in 1988, after which [[Benazir Bhutto]], daughter of [[Zulfikar Ali Bhutto]], was elected as the [[Prime Minister of Pakistan]]. She was the youngest woman to ever be elected the [[Head of Government]] and the first woman to be elected as the Head of Government of a Muslim country. Her government was followed by that of [[Nawaz Sharif]], and the two leaders alternated until the military coup by General [[Pervez Musharraf]] in [[1999]]. Since the resignation of [[President of Pakistan|President]] [[Rafiq Tarar]] in 2001, Musharraf has been the President of Pakistan.
*King Marke ([[Bass (musical term)|Bass]])
*Kurwenal ([[Baritone]])
*Brangaene ([[Mezzo-soprano]])
*Melot (Tenor)
*A shepherd (Tenor)
*Helmsman (Bass)
*Voice of a young sailor (Tenor)
*Male and Female Chorus
== Story ==
Nation-wide parliamentary elections were held in October 2002, with the [[PML-Q]] winning a [[plurality]] of seats in the [[National Assembly of Pakistan]], and [[Zafarullah Khan Jamali]] of that party emerging as [[Prime Minister of Pakistan|Prime Minister]].
Jamali resigned on [[June 26]], [[2004]]. [[Pakistan Muslim League|PML]]-Q leader [[Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain]] became interim PM, and was succeeded by [[Finance Minister of Pakistan|Finance Minister]] and former [[Citibank]] Vice President [[Shaukat Aziz]], who was elected Prime Minister on August 27, 2004 by a National Assembly vote of 191 to 151.
{{spoiler}}
=== Foreign relations ===
''Main article: [[Foreign relations of Pakistan]]''
[[Image:Tunnel.jpg|thumb|250px|right|The [[Indus highway]] passes through the Pakistan-Japan Friendship Tunnel, formerly known as the [[Kohat]] Tunnel.]]
Pakistan was an ally of the [[United States]] for much of its early history as a modern nation-state, from the [[1950s]] and as a member of [[CENTO]] and [[SEATO]]. However, it all changed from 1965 when Pakistan went to [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965|war with India]] during the height of the [[Cold War]] with India. The US placed heavy military sanctions on Pakistan during the war forcing Pakistan to agree to the cease fire and pulling out of the war that was heading for a stalemate.
===Act I===
After the 1965 war Pakistan had moved away from the US and its relations with China became stronger and soon both nations declared their alliance. Their relations have gone so far that it concerns the Western Super Powers. Pakistan dropped out of CENTO and SEATO for Chinese and supported their induction as permanent member of United Nations Security Council with Veto authority. Pakistan did this against the United States' will.
Isolde and her handmaid, Brangaene are quartered aboard Tristan’s ship, being transported to King Marke’s lands in Cornwall where Isolde is to be married to the King. The opera opens with the voice of a young sailor singing of a “wild Irish maid”, which Isolde takes to be a mocking reference to herself. In a furious outburst she wishes the seas to rise up and sink the ship, killing all on board. Her scorn and rage are directed particularly at Tristan, the knight who is taking her to Marke. She sends Brangaene to command Tristan to appear before her, but Tristan refuses Brangaene's request, saying that his place is at the helm. His henchman, Kurwenal, answers more brusqely, saying that Isolde is in no position to command Tristan, and reminding Brangaene that Isolde’s previous husband, Morold was killed by Tristan.
United States did not return to Pakistan as a friend until the 1971 war. In November 1971 Pakistan was involved in a bloody civil war which led to Indian intervention and the breaking away of East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. [[Peoples Republic of China|China]] supported Pakistan and did not accept the new nation of Bangladesh for over 3 years, even though in [[1973]] Pakistan itself had. The US also did not accept Bangladesh in favor of Pakistan until after the [[Simla Treaty]].
Brangaene returns to Isolde to relate these events, and Isolde sadly tells her of how, following the death of Morold, a stranger called Tantris had been brought to her, found mortally wounded in a boat, and that she had used her healing powers to restore him to health. However she discovered that Tantris was actually Tristan, the murderer of her husband, and had tried to kill him with his sword as he lay helpless before her. However Tristan had looked not at the sword that would kill him, but into her eyes, and this had pierced her heart. Tristan had been allowed to leave, but had returned with the intention of marrying Isolde to his uncle, King Marke. Isolde, in her fury at Tristan’s betrayal, insists that he drink atonement to her, and from her medicine-chest produces the vial which will make this drink. Brangaene is shocked to see that it is a lethal poison.
This time US had returned as friend with sympathy to Pakistan just because of Soviet involvement in the war and Chinese influence on Pakistan. They wanted to regain the lost ally but the alliance will not be formed until Afghan war. In the 1980s US returned as ally to Pakistan and supplied the needed arms to Pakistan which was training supporting anti-Soviet militia in Afghanistan. US will also provide Pakistan with F-16s which were enough for enemies not to take their fighters to skies against PAF. China how ever stood away from this and only morally supported Pakistan. China said it will not intervene into Pakistan-US relations which in fact had always bothered them. China has never liked United State's political and diplomatic games with Pakistan and had warned Pakistan against US on many occasions.
At this point Kurwenal appears in the women’s quarters saying that Tristan has agreed after all to see Isolde. When he arrives, Isolde tells him that she now knows that he was Tantris, and that he owes her his life. Tristan agrees to drink the potion, now prepared by Brangaene, even though he knows it may kill him. As he drinks, Isolde tears the remainder of the potion from him and drinks it herself. At this moment, each believing that their life is about to end, they declare their love for each other. Their rapture is interrupted by Kurwenal, who announces the imminent arrival on board of King Marke. Isolde asks Brangaene which potion she prepared and is told that it was no poison, but a love-potion. Outside, the sailors hail the arrival of King Marke.
After the Afghan war which ended in favor of Anti-Soviet Alliance, US left Pakistan alliance and imposed sanctions on Pakistan on the basis of Pakistan's nuclear program. All military equipment were again barred. It was China which came back to Pakistan's aid and helped Pakistan establish military industry of its own along with aviation industry.
===Act II===
Since then, Pakistan, not relying on the United States but on China, has produced its own tanks, fighter jets, guns and other military equipment and is also exporting them.
A nocturnal hunting party leaves King Marke’s castle empty except for Isolde and Brangaene, who stand beside a burning brazier. Isolde several times believes that the hunting horns are far enough away to allow her to extinguish the flames, giving the signal for Tristan to join her. Brangaene warns Isolde that one of King Marke’s knights, Melot, has seen the looks exchanged between Tristan and Isolde, and suspects their passion. Isolde, however, believes Melot to be Tristan’s most loyal friend, and in a frenzy of desire extinguishes the flames. Brangaene retires to the ramparts to keep watch as Tristan arrives.
Both Pakistan and China enjoy free trade with each other as well. China has also establish the biggest port in region in Pakistan's port town of Gwadar.
The lovers, alone at last and freed from the constraints of courtly life, declare their passion for each other. Tristan decries the realm of daylight which is false, unreal, and keeps them apart. It is only in night that they can truly be together, and only in the long night of death that they can be eternally united. Brangaene is heard several times throughout their long tryst calling a warning that the night is ending, but the lovers ignore her. Finally the day breaks in on the lovers, Melot leads Marke and his men to find Tristan and Isolde in each others arms. Marke is heart-broken, not only because of his betrayal by his adopted son, Tristan, but because he, too, has come to love Isolde.
The US has returned as Pakistan's ally but it has been too late for them to stop the Chinese influence in Pakistan, which is said to be concrete.
Tristan now asks Isolde if she will follow him again into the realm of night, and she agrees. Melot and Tristan fight, but at the crucial moment, Tristan throws his sword aside and is mortally wounded by Melot.
Another strong long term ally of Pakistan used to be Iran under the Shah. But after the fall of Shah relations have not been that of an ally and Iran no longer is referred to as ally.
===Act III===
Besides the US and China, Pakistan enjoys alliance with some Middle Eastern countries like [[Saudi Arabia]] and the [[United Arab Emirates]]. [[Pakistan Air Force|PAF]] pilots fly fighters for these two countries. [[Libya]] and [[Syria]] are the only two middle eastern countries with whom Pakistan enjoys great relations even though they were Soviet allies.
Kurwenal has brought Tristan home to his castle at Kareol in Brittany. A shepherd pipes a mournful tune and asks if Tristan is awake. Kurwenal says that only Isolde’s arrival can save Tristan. The shepherd says he will keep watch and pipe a happy tune to mark the arrival of any ship. Tristan now wakes and mourns that he is again in the false realm of daylight, once more driven by unceasing unquenchable yearning, until Kurwenal tells him that Isolde is coming. Tristan is overjoyed and asks if her ship is in sight, but only the shepherd’s sorrowful tune is heard.
Pakistan is also an important member of the [[Organization of the Islamic Conference|OIC]], which brings it closer to every Muslim country. Besides OIC, Pakistan is a member of South Asian union of [[SAARC]].
Tristan relapses and recalls that the shepherd’s tune is the one he heard when his father and then his mother died. Once again he rails against his desires and against the fateful love-potion until he collapses in delirium. At this point the shepherd is heard piping the arrival of Isolde’s ship, and as Kurwenal rushes to meet her, Tristan in his excitement tears the bandages from his wounds. As Isolde arrives at his side, Tristan dies with her name on his lips.
Pakistan is the second largest Muslim country in terms of population and its status as [[Declared nuclear states|declared nuclear power]]—the only Islamic nation—also plays into its role on the international scene.
Isolde collapses beside him as the appearance of another ship is announced. Kurwenal sees Melot, Marke and Brangaene arrive and furiously attacks Melot to avenge Tristan. In the fight both Melot and Kurwenal are killed. Marke and Brangaene finally reach Isolde and Marke, grieving over the body of his “truest friend” explains that he has learnt of the love-potion from Brangaene and had come, not to part the lovers, but to unite them. Isolde appears to wake but, in a final aria describing her vision of Tristan risen again (the “Liebestod”), dies of grief.
==Geography==
[[Image:K2-big.jpg|thumb|250px|right|[[K2]] — the second tallest mountain in the world]]
[[Image:Lake Saif-Ul-Maluk - Naran, Pa by makhna.jpg|thumb|250px|left|Lake Saiful-Muluk — a lake in the mountainous [[Mansehra (district)|Mansehra district]] north of the [[Galyat]] region.]]
== Influence of Schopenhauer on ''Tristan und Isolde'' ==
''Main article: [[Geography of Pakistan]]''
Pakistan has a total area of 803,940 square kilometers, over three times the size of the [[United Kingdom]]. It has a land area of 778,720, slightly less than the combined land areas of [[France]] and the [[United Kingdom]] put together.
Wagner was introduced to the work of the philosopher [[Arthur Schopenhauer]] by his friend [[Georg Herwegh]] in late 1854. The composer was immediately struck by the philosophical ideas to be found in “Die Welt als Wille und Vorstellung” ([[The World as Will and Idea]]), and it is clear that the composer and the philosopher had a very similar world-view. By the end of that year, he had sketched out all three acts of an opera on the theme of Tristan and Isolde, although it was not until 1857 that he began working full-time on the opera, putting aside the composition of [[Der Ring des Nibelungen]] to do so.
To the south is the [[Arabian Sea]], with 1,046 km (650 mile) of Pakistani coastline. To Pakistan's east is [[India]], which has a 2,912 km (1,809 mile) border with Pakistan. To its west is [[Iran]], which has a 909 km (565 mile) border with Pakistan. To Pakistan's northwest lies [[Afghanistan]], with a shared border of 2,430 km (1,510 miles.) [[China]] is towards the northeast and has a 523 km (325 mile) border with Pakistan.
Wagner said in a letter to [[Liszt]] (December 1854): “Never in my life having enjoyed the true happiness of love I shall erect a memorial to this loveliest of all dreams in which, from the first to the last, love shall, for once, find utter repletion. I have devised in my mind a ''Tristan und Isolde'', the simplest, yet most full-blooded musical conception imaginable, and with the ‘black flag’ that waves at the end I shall cover myself over – to die.”
By 1857 Wagner was living as the guest of the wealthy silk merchant [[Otto von Wesendonck]], and during the composition of ''Tristan und Isolde'' was involved with Wesendonck’s wife, Mathilde, although it remains uncertain as to whether or not this relationship was platonic.
Nevertheless, the twin influences of Schopenhauer and Mathilde inspired Wagner during the composition of ''Tristan und Isolde''. Schopenhauer’s influence is felt most directly in the second and third acts. The first act is relatively straightforward, consisting mostly of an exposition of how Tristan and Isolde come to be in their current state. However the second act, where the lovers meet, and the third act, in which Tristan longs for release from the passions that torment him, have often proved puzzling to opera-goers unfamiliar with Schopenhauer’s work.
The northern and western areas of Pakistan are mountainous. Pakistani administered areas of Kashmir contain some of the highest mountains in the world, including the second tallest — [[K2]] — and has some areas of preserved moist temperate forest. In the southeast, Pakistan's border with India passes through a flat desert, called the Cholistan or [[Thar Desert]]. West-central Balochistan has a high desert plateau, bordered by low mountain ranges. Most areas of the Punjab, and parts of Sindh, are fertile plains where agriculture is of great importance.
Wagner uses the metaphor of day and night in the second act to designate the realms inhabited by Tristan and Isolde. The world of Day is one where the lovers must deny their love and pretend they do not care for each other, where they are bound by the dictates of King Marke’s court: it is a realm of falsehood and unreality. Tristan declares in Act 2 that under the dictates of the realm of Day he was forced to remove Isolde from Ireland and to marry her to his Uncle Marke. The realm of Night, in contrast, is the representation of intrinsic reality, where the lovers can be together, where their desires reach fulfillment: it is the realm of oneness, truth and reality. Wagner here equates the realm of Day with Schopenhauer’s concept of [[Phenomenon]], and the realm of Night with Schopenhauer’s concept of [[Noumenon]]. This is not explicitly stated in the libretto, however Tristan’s comments on Day and Night in Act 2 and 3 make it very clear that this is Wagner’s intention.
In Schopenhauer’s philosophy, the world as we experience it is a representation of an unknowable reality. Our representation of the world (which is false) is [[Phenomenon]], while the unknowable reality is [[Noumenon]]: these concepts are developments of ideas originally posited by [[Kant]]. Importantly for Tristan and Isolde, Schopenhauer’s concept of Noumenon is one where all things are indivisible and one: and it is this very idea of one-ness that Tristan yearns for in Acts 2 and 3 of Tristan und Isolde. Tristan is also aware that this realm of Night, or Noumenon can only be shared by the lovers in its fullest sense when they die. The realm of Night therefore also becomes the realm of death: the only world in which Tristan and Isolde can be united forever, and it is this realm that Tristan speaks of at the end of Act two (“Dem Land das Tristan meint, der Sonne Lich nicht Scheint”).
Pakistan is also the home of world's most ancient civilisations. Places like [[Mohenjodaro]], Kot Diji, Thatta, Bhambore, [[Gandhara]], Dir are sites that were lit up by the dawn of civilization centuries before the birth of [[Christ]].
Tristan rages against the daylight in Act 3 and frequently cries out for release from his desires (Sehnen): it is also part of Schopenhauer’s philosophy that man is driven by continued, unachievable desires, and that the gulf between our desires and the possibility of achieving them leads to misery. The only way for man to achieve inner peace is to renounce his desires: a theme that Wagner explores fully in his last opera, [[Parsifal]].
Much of Pakistan still remains unexplored by tourists, researchers, scholars, and geologists. Pakistan has also a lot of potential in tourism industry if Govt. of Pakistan gives attention to its tourism industry.
== Recordings of Tristan und Isolde ==
==Economy==
''Main article: [[Economy of Pakistan]]''
===Overview===
Pakistan, a [[developing country]], is the [[List of countries by population|sixth most populous in the world]] and is faced with a number of challenges on the political and economic fronts. At the time of its independence in 1947 it was poor, but in [[1960s]] was seen as as a model of economic development around the world. In each of its first four decades, Pakistan's economic growth rate was better than the global average, but imprudent policies led to a slowdown in the 1990s. Since then, the Pakistani government has instituted wide-ranging reforms, and economic growth has accelerated in the current century. Pakistan's economic outlook has brightened and its [[manufacturing]] and [[financial services]] [[sector]]s have experienced rapid expansion. [[Image:KarachiChundrigar5.jpg|thumb|400px|right|[[Karachi]], Pakistan's largest city, is its financial capital and the home of the [[Karachi Stock Exchange]], the largest of its stock exchanges.]] The growth of the non-agricultural sectors has changed the structure of the economy, and agriculture now only accounts for roughly one-fifth of the GDP. There has been a great improvement in its [[foreign exchange]] position and a rapid growth in [[hard currency]] reserves as a result of its [[current account]] surplus.
Tristan und Isolde has always been acknowledged as one of the greatest operas, and has a long recorded history. In the years before the [[Second World War]], [[Kirsten Flagstad]] and [[Lauritz Melchior]] were considered to be the prime interpreters of the lead roles, and mono recordings exist of a number of live performances with this pair directed by conductors such as [[Thomas Beecham]], [[Fritz Reiner]], [[Artur Bodanzky]] and [[Erich Leinsdorf]] . Flagstad recorded the part for EMI near the end of her career under [[Wilhelm Furtwangler]], producing a set which is considered a classic recording. Following the war the performances at [[Bayreuth Festival|Bayreuth]] with [[Martha Modl]] and [[Ramon Vinay]] under [[Herbert von Karajan]] (1952) were highly regarded, and these performances are now available as a live recording. In the 1960s the soprano [[Birgit Nilsson]] was considered the major Isolde interpreter, and she was often partnered by the Tristan of [[Wolfgang Windgassen]]. Their performances at Bayreuth in 1966 were captured by Deutsche Grammophon, although some collectors prefer the pairing of Nilsson with the Canadian tenor [[Jon Vickers]], available in “unofficial” recordings from performances in Vienna or Orange. Karajan did not record the opera commercially until 1971, and his set is still controversial for the use of a lighter soprano voice as Isolde, paired with an extremely intense Vickers, and for the unusual balance between orchestra and singers favoured at that time by Karajan. By the 1980s recorded sets by conductors such as [[Carlos Kleiber]], [[Reginald Goodall]] and [[Leonard Bernstein]] were mostly considered to be important for the interpretation of the conductor, rather than that of the lead performers. The set by Kleiber is notable since Isolde is sung by [[Margaret Price]], who never sang the role on stage.
In 2004 Pakistan's GDP growth rate was 8.4% which is (after China) the second-highest among the ten most populous countries in the world.
There are many recordings of the opera, some of the most popular being listed below:
===Macroeconomic reform and prospects===
According to the [[CIA World Factbook]], the government has made substantial inroads in macroeconomic reform since 2000, and medium-term prospects for job creation and poverty reduction are the best in nearly a decade. Islamabad has raised development spending from about 2% of GDP in the [[1990s]] to 4% in 2003, a necessary step towards reversing the broad underdevelopment of its social sector. Reduced tensions with India and the ongoing peace process raise new hopes for a prosperous and stable [[South Asia]].
* [[Karl Elmendorff]] conducting the Bayreuther Festspiele Orchester with Gunnar Graarud as Tristan and Nanny Larsen-Todsen as Isolde, 1928 (Columbia Records, mono, rereleased in 2003 on CD by Naxos)
In 2005, the [[World Bank]] reported that
:''Pakistan was the top reformer in the region and the number 10 reformer globally — making it easier to start a business, reducing the cost to register property, increasing penalties for violating corporate governance rules, and replacing a requirement to license every shipment with two-year duration licenses for traders.
* Thomas Beecham/Fritz Reiner conducting the London Philharmonic Orchestra with Kirsten Flagstad and Lauritz Melchior, 1936 – 1937 (EMI, mono)
===Middle class===
Measured by purchasing power, Pakistan has a 30 million strong middle class enjoying per capita incomes more than $8000-$10,000, according to Dr. Ishrat Husain, Governor of the [[State Bank of Pakistan]] [http://www.pabe.org/us-chamber-press-article/PressArticlesOctober18_2004.doc]. In addition, Pakistan has a growing upper class with relatively high per capita incomes. However, Pakistan has no individuals with as much as a billion [[US dollar]]s, according to Forbes magazine, and has the distinction of being the most populous nation to have no [[billionaire]]s.
* Wilhelm Furtwangler conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra with Kirsten Flagstad and Ludwig Suthaus, 1953 (EMI, mono)
===Economic history===
====First five decades====
Pakistan was a very poor and predominantly agricultural country at the time of its independence in 1947 from British India. Agriculture accounted for 53% of its [[Gross Domestic Product|GDP]]. In each of its first four decades, Pakistan's economic growth rate was better than the global average. Industrial-sector growth, including manufacturing, was also above average. In the early 1960s, Pakistan was seen as a model of economic development around the world, and there was much praise for the way its economy was progressing. Many countries sought to emulate Pakistan's economic planning strategy and one of them, South Korea, copied its Second Five Year Plan, 1960-65. Not just that But World financial center in Seoul was modeled after Karachi. Later, economic mismanagement in general, and fiscally imprudent economic policies in particular, caused a large increase in the country's public debt and led to slower growth in the 1990s.
* Karl Bohm conducting the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra with Birgit Nilsson and Wolfgang Windgassen, 1966 (Deutsche Grammophon, stereo)
====Economic resilience====
Historically, Pakistan's overall economic output ([[Gross domestic product|GDP]]) has grown every year since a 1951 [[recession]]. Despite this record of sustained growth, Pakistan's economy had, until a few years ago, been characterized as unstable and highly vulnerable to external and internal [[shock (economics)|shocks]]. However, the economy proved to be unexpectedly resilient in the face of multiple adverse events concentrated into a four-year period —
* the [[Asian financial crisis]];
* [[economic sanctions]] — according to [[Colin Powell]], Pakistan was "sanctioned to the eyeballs";
* global [[recession]];
* a severe [[drought]] — the worst in Pakistan's history, lasting four years;
* heightened perceptions of risk as a result of military tensions with India — with as many as a million troops on the border, and predictions of impending (potentially nuclear) war; and
* the [[War on Terrorism|post-9/11 military action]] in neighboring Afghanistan, with a massive influx of refugees from that country.
Despite these adverse events, Pakistan's economy kept growing, and economic growth accelerated towards the end of this period. This resilience has led to a change in perceptions of the economy, with leading international institutions such as the IMF, World Bank, and the ADB praising Pakistan's performance in the face of adversity.
* Herbert von Karajan conducting the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra with Helga Dernesch and Jon Vickers, 1972 (EMI, stereo)
====Recent history====
Since about the turn of the century, the Pakistani government has instituted wide-ranging reforms, and economic growth has accelerated in the current century. Pakistan's economic outlook has brightened and its [[manufacturing]] and [[financial services]] [[sector]]s have experienced rapid expansion. The growth of the non-agricultural sectors has changed the structure of the economy, and agriculture now only accounts for roughly one-fifth of the GDP. There has been a great improvement in its [[foreign exchange]] position and a rapid growth in [[hard currency]] reserves as a result of its [[current account]] surplus.
* Carlos Kleiber conducting the Dresden Staatskapelle with Margaret Price and Rene Kollo, 1982 (Deutsche Grammophon, stereo)
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2005, Pakistan's GDP growth rate was 8.4% which is (after China) the second-highest among the ten most populous countries in the world. Its exports grew by as much as 17% and the country also saw increasing foreign investments in the IT sector, thanks to cheap labor, a low tax rate and a large pool of English speakers.
===Stock market===
In the first three years of the current century, Pakistan's [[KSE-100]] [[stock market index]] ([[Karachi Stock Exchange]]) was the best-performing [[List of stock market indices|major market index]] in the world, driven in part by profit growth, high [[dividend yield]]s and greater [[Transparency (humanities)|transparency]] in [[publicly traded]] companies as a result of reforms enacted by the [[Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan]].
===Currency Video ===
* ''Tristan und Isolde'' [[Conductor]]: Karl Bohm. ORTF orchestra. Soloists: Brigitte Nilsson, Jon Vickers; 1973, at the Theatre Antique, Orange, France. Despite some technical problems and limited commercial distribution, it is still the finest video recording for its powerful performance (as of 2005-11-21).
The basic unit of currency is the [[Pakistani Rupee|Rupee]], which is divided into 100 paisas. Since the turn of the century, a strengthening economy and large current-account surplus has caused the rupee's exchange rate to rise in value. In response, Pakistan's [[State Bank of Pakistan|central bank]] has prevented the rupee from rising too much, by lowering interest rates and buying dollars, in order to preserve the country's export competitiveness. [[As of 2005]], one US dollar is approximately equal to 60 rupees.
* ''Tristan und Isolde'' [[Conductor]]: [[Daniel Barenboim]], Orchester der Bayreuther Festspiele, Staged and Directed by: [[Jean-Pierre Ponnelle]], Soloists: René Kollo, Johanna Meier, Matti Salminen, Hermann Becht, Hanna Schwarz, Unitel 1983, [[Laserdisc]] Philips 070-509-1
===Manufacturing and finance===
Pakistan's manufacturing sector has experienced double-digit growth in recent years, with large-scale manufacturing growing by 18% in 2003. A reduction in the [[fiscal]] [[deficit]] has resulted in less government borrowing in the domestic [[money market]], lower [[interest rates]], and an expansion in [[private sector]] lending to businesses and consumers. Foreign exchange reserves continued to reach new levels in 2003, supported by robust [[export]] growth and steady worker remittances.
==External links==
===Tax incentives for IT industry===
*[http://www.tip.net.au/~jgbrown/Tristan/discography/ Discography of ''Tristan und Isolde]
The [[Government of Pakistan]] has, over the last few years, granted numerous incentives to technology companies wishing to do business in Pakistan. A combination of decade-plus [[tax holiday]]s, zero [[Tariff|duties]] on computer imports, government incentives for [[venture capital]] and a variety of programs for subsidizing technical education, are intended to give impetus to the nascent [[Information Technology]] industry.
*[http://www.scarp.plus.com/TristanundIsolde.html ''Tristan und Isolde'' libretto] from the Wagner Libretto Page
* [http://www.richard-wagner-postkarten.de/postkarten/tri.php Richard Wagner - Tristan und Isolde]. A gallery of historic postcards with motives from Richard Wagner's operas.
[[Category:Operas by Richard Wagner]]
=== Technology and the Internet ===
[[Category:German-language operas]]
[[Paging (telecommunications)|Paging]] and mobile (cellular) telephony were adopted early and freely. [[Cellular phone]]s and the [[Internet]] were adopted through a rather [[laissez-faire]] policy with a proliferation of private service providers that led to fast adoption. Both have taken off and in the last few years of the [[1990s]] and first few years of the [[2000s]]. With a rapid increase in the number of internet users and [[Internet service provider |ISP]]s, and a large English-speaking population, Pakistani society has seen major changes.
[[Category:Romantic tragedy]]
[[Category:Arthurian legend]]
*Pakistan has more than 10 million Internet users as of 2005. The country is said to have a potential to absorb up to 50 million mobile phone Internet users in the next 5 years thus a potential of nearly 1 million connections per month.
[[Category:Operas]]
[[da:Tristan og Isolde]]
*Almost all of the main government departments, organizations and institutions have their own websites.
[[de:Tristan und Isolde]]
[[es:Tristán e Isolda]]
*The use of [[search engine]]s and [[Instant messaging|messenger]] services is also booming. Pakistanis are some of the most ardent [[chatting|chatters]] on the Internet, communicating with users all over the world. Recent years have seen a huge increase in the use of online marriage services, for example, leading to a major re-alignment of the tradition of [[arranged marriage]]s.
[[fr:Tristan et Isolde]]
[[ja:トリスタンとイゾルデ (楽劇)]]
*As of 2005 there were 6 cell phone companies operating in the country with nearly 10.5 million mobile phone users in the country.
[[pl:Tristan i Izolda (opera)]]
*[[Wireless local loop]] and the [[Landline|landline]] telephony sector has also been liberalized and private sector has entered thus increasing the [[teledensity]] from less than 3% to more than 10% in span of two years.
===Agriculture, energy, and natural resources===
Pakistan's principal natural resources are arable land, water, and extensive [[natural gas]] and [[petroleum]] reserves.
====Agriculture====
About 28% of Pakistan's total land area is under cultivation and is watered by the largest [[irrigation]] systems in the world. Water resources include several major rivers, fed by meltwater from snow and [[glaciers]] in some of the highest mountains ranges of the world — the [[Karakoram]]s, [[Himalaya]]s, and the Hindukush . Other important sources are [[tube-well]]s tapping into large [[aquifer]]s. The most important crops are [[cotton]], [[wheat]], and [[rice]]. Other important crops are [[sugarcane]], [[maize]], [[sorghum]], [[millet]]s, [[pulse]]s, [[oil seed]]s, [[barley]], [[fish]], [[fruit]]s and vegetables.
Pakistan is a net exporter of foodgrains.
====Energy====
Pakistan has extensive energy resources, including fairly sizable natural gas reserves, oil reserves and coal. It also has a large potential for the further development of [[hydroelectric]] power. Domestic petroleum production totals only about half the country's oil needs. Pakistan is operating, constructing or planning to construct several [[nuclear reactor]]s to meet its rapidly growing electricity requirements.
====Minerals====
Other important minerals are [[gypsum]], [[limestone]], [[chromite]]s, [[iron ore]], rock salt, [[silver]], [[gold]], precious stones, [[gem]]s, marble, [[copper]], [[sulphur]], fire clay, [[silica]]. The [[Salt range]] in Punjab Province has large deposits of pure salt.
===Trade===
====Exports====
Pakistan exports [[rice]], [[cotton]] [[fiber]], [[cement]], [[tile]]s, [[marble]], [[textile]]s, [[leather]] goods, sports goods, [[surgical instrument]]s, electrical [[appliance]]s, [[carpet]]s, and [[rug]]s, and many other items.
====Imports====
Pakistan's single largest import category is [[petroleum]]. Other imports include trucks, automobiles, and industrial machinery.
== Demographics ==
''Main article: [[Demographics of Pakistan]]''
===Population statistics===
Pakistan has the world's sixth largest population, more than [[Russia]], but less than [[Brazil]]. Because of Pakistan's high growth rate, it is expected to overtake [[Brazil]] in population before [[2025]]. Based on the high fertility rates of the 1980s, demographers had projected that Pakistan would be the third most populous nation by [[2050]]. However, from [[1988]] onward, Pakistan's fertility rate has fallen faster than that of any other country except China [http://www.gfeeney.com/pubs/2003-pakistan-fertility-2/2003-pakistan-fertility-2.pdf (Feeney and Alam, 2003, PDF)]. It is now projected that its population will stabilize at a more sustainable level.
===Religion===
The majority of the people of Pakistan are [[Muslim]], professing Islam to be their faith. Most muslims in Pakistan are [[Sunni]] (>75%) [[Shia]] (20%), although a number of smaller sects exist.
[[Image:Shah_fai.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Shah [[Faisal Mosque]], the largest mosque in the world]]
[[Image:nathia_church_01.jpg|thumb|175px|left|Wooden Church in [[Nathiagali]]]] Pakistan has a small non-Muslim population, mostly consisting of [[Christian]]s 2.5%, [[Hindu]]s, [[Buddhist]]s, [[Zoroastrian]]s, [[Sikh|Sikhs]], [[Jew]]s, and [[Animist]]s in Chitral 1.2%. Pakistan's religious demographics were altered by partition which led to a higher Muslim majority than had previously existed.
Pakistan is also the birthplace of two major world religions, [[Sikhism]] and [[Mahayana Buddhism]]. Although today there are few Sikhs in Pakistan, Pakistani Punjab was the birthplace of [[Guru Nanak]], the founder of Sikhism as well the Sikh conqueror [[Ranjit Singh]]. In addition, Pakistan is also the birthplace of [[Mahayana Buddhism]], the form of [[Buddhism]] practiced by most Buddhists today, including those in [[China]], [[India]], [[Japan]], [[Vietnam]], and [[Korea]]. It is also the birthplace of Vajrayana (Tantric) Buddhism.
===Languages===
[[Urdu_language|Urdu]] and [[English_language|English]] are both recognized as the [[Official_language|official languages]] of Pakistan. English is used in government and corporate business and by the educated urban elite. Public universities use English as the medium of instruction. Urdu is the [[lingua franca]] of the people, being widely spoken as a second language, although it is the mother tongue of only 8% of the population — mainly [[Muhajir]]s (Indian Refugees) and educated [[Punjabi]]s, and mostly in [[Karachi]]. [[Image:Pakistan ethnic 80.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Major Ethnic Groups in Pakistan and surrounding areas, 1980]]
Besides these, nearly all Pakistanis speak mutually related provincial [[Indo-European languages]], of which the most widely spoken is [[Punjabi_language|Punjabi]], followed by [[Pashto_language|Pashto]], [[Sindhi_language|Sindhi]], and [[Balochi_language|Balochi]]. Other Indo-European languages spoken in Pakistan include [[Siraiki_language|Seraiki]], [[Dari]], [[Hindko]], [[Shina]], [[Wakhi]], [[Kashmiri]], Khowar and many others. In addition, small groups of non-Indo-European languages are also spoken including [[Brahui_language|Brahui]] which is a [[Dravidian_languages|Dravidian]] language and [[Burushaski]] which is a language isolate.
===Ethnic groups===
Punjabis comprise the largest ethnic group in the country. Other important ethnic groups include: [[Pashtun]]/[[Afghan]]s, [[Sindhi]]s, [[Balochi]]s, [[Muhajir]]s and [[Seraikis]]. Numerous other ethnic groups are mainly found in the northern parts of the country such as Turwalis, Kafiristanis, Hindko, Brahui, Kashmiris, Khowar, Shina and so forth. There are also sizeable numbers of refugees from neighboring Afghanistan, who are found mainly in the [[NWFP]] and Baluchistan - in the 1980s, Pakistan accommodated over three million Afghan refugees - the largest refugee population in the world, which includes [[Pashtuns]], [[Tajiks]], and [[Hazara]]s among others. A sizeable number of [[Bengali]] immigrants are mainly concentrated in [[Karachi]]. Some Pathans consider themselves descendants of [[Bene Israel]] tribe and are settled sporadically in parts of Pakistan. People of sephardic Jewish background are also settled.
==Subdivisions==
''Main article: [[Subdivisions of Pakistan]]'', ''[[Districts of Pakistan]]''.
Pakistan has 4 provinces, 2 territories, and also administers parts of [[Kashmir]]. The provinces are further subdivided into a total of 105 districts.
'''Provinces''':
* [[Balochistan]]
* [[North West Frontier Province, Pakistan|North-West Frontier Province]]
* [[Punjab, Pakistan|Punjab]]
* [[Sindh]]
'''Territories''':
* [[Islamabad Capital Territory]]
* [[Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Pakistan|Federally Administered Tribal Areas]]
* Two provinces, NWFP and Balochistan, also have PATA ([[Provincially Administered Tribal Areas]].) It is expected that these will be developed into regular districts.
'''Pakistani-administered portions of [[Jammu and Kashmir]] region''':
* [[Azad Kashmir]] (''Azad'' means "free" or "independent" in [[Urdu]])
* [[Northern Areas, Pakistan|Northern Areas]]
==Society and culture==
''Main article: [[Culture of Pakistan]]''
Because of Pakistan's geography, it inherits a rich and unique culture, and has actively preserved its established traditions throughout history. Prior to the Islamic invasion many Punjabis and Sindhis were Hindu and Buddhist, but all that changed during the Islamic conquest of what is today Pakistan by the Syrian general [[Muhammad bin Qasim]] and later Mahmud of [[Ghazni]]. Many cultural practices and monuments, shrines, have been inherited from the rule of Muslim [[Mughal]] and [[Afghan]] emperors. The Pakistani national dress, Shalwar Kameez.
Pakistani society is largely multilingual and multicultural. 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. 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, Pakistan|Hyderabad]], [[Faisalabad]], [[Sukkur]], [[Peshawar]], [[Gujrat]], [[Abbottabad]], [[Multan]], etc. The Northwestern part of Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan, is highly conservative and dominated by centuries-old regional [[Tribal Areas of Pakistan|tribal]] customs.
=== Roots ===
The modern nation of Pakistan has inherited a very rich cultural and traditional background going back to the [[Indus Valley Civilization]], 2800 BC–1800 BC. The region that is now Pakistan has in the past been invaded and occupied by many different peoples, including [[Elamo-Dravidian]]s, [[Aryans]], [[Greeks]], [[White Huns]], [[Persians]], [[Arabs]], [[Turks]], [[Afghans]], [[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. pre-Islamic practices are being eroded as time goes by.
=== Film and television ===
Traditionally, the government-owned [[Pakistan Television Corporation]] (PTV) has been the dominant media player in Pakistan. However the past decade has seen the emergence of several private TV channels (news , entertainment) such as the GEO TV, ARY channels..etc. Traditionally the bulk of TV shows have been plays or soap operas---some of them critically acclaimed. Various American, European, Asian TV channels and movies are available to a majority of the population via Cable TV.
[[Image:Noor in Anarkali.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Actress and singer [[Noor Jehan]] in a 1950s film, ''Anarkali'']]
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 [[Music of Pakistan|Pakistani music]] with western music. The Qawwali maestro, [[Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan]], whos family hailed from [[Afghanistan]], is 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. In addition to this are the diverse traditions of folk music. The emergence of [[Afghan]] refugees in the frontier provinces has also rekindled [[Pashto]] & Persian music in Pakistan. Peshawar has become a hub of Afghan musicians, and a distribution center for Afghan Music abroad. Afghan singers have become famous throughout the Frontier and some have even married within the local population strengthening the ethnic kinship of the Afghans on both sides of the [[Durand line]].
An indigenous movie industry exists in Pakistan, and is known as '''[[Lollywood]]''' as it is based in [[Lahore]], currently producing over 40 feature-length films a year. There was a time when Lollywood was churning out as many as 120 films a year. The [[Pashto]] film industry based in Peshawar still produces over 50 films a year.
=== Globalization ===
Increasing [[globalization]] has increased the influence of "Western culture" in Pakistan. Pakistan ranks 46th in the world on the [http://www.foreignpolicy.com/issue_marapr_2004/countrydetail.php Kearney/FP Globalization index]. Many Western [[restaurant_chain|restaurant chains]] have established themselves in Pakistan, and are found in the major cities. [[Image:Malam_Jabba_P1010215.jpg|thumb|250px|right|PTDC Motel at Malam Jabba Ski Resort, [[Swat_(Pakistan)|Swat]], [[NWFP]], [[Pakistan]].]]
A large Pakistani [[diaspora]] exists in the West. Whereas Pakistanis in the United States, [[Canada]] and [[Australia]] tend to be professionals, the majority of them in the [[United Kingdom]], [[Germany]] and the [[Scandinavia]]n nations comes from a rural background and belongs to the working class. Pakistan has more expatriates than any other Muslim country, with a large number of expatriates living in the [[Middle East]]. Pakistani emigrants and their children influence Pakistan culturally and economically, keeping close ties with their roots by travelling to Pakistan and especially by returning or investing there.
=== Sports ===
The most popular sport in Pakistan is [[cricket]]. Pakistan has produced several of the best batsmen and bowlers in the world, including [[Imran Khan]], [[Wasim Akram]], [[Waqar Younis]], [[Javed Miandad]], [[Inzamam-ul-Haq]], and [[Shoaib Akhtar]]. Almost every district and neighborhood in Pakistan has its cricket team and most people start playing from a young age. Pakistan has won several international cricket events, including the [[Cricket World Cup|World Cup]] in [[1992]].
Other popular participatory and spectator sports in Pakistan include:
*[[Field Hockey|Field Hockey]]. Pakistan has won three gold medals at the [[Olympics]] and the Hockey World Cup four times. It has also won the the most number number of Asian gold medals and has been consistently ranked as the top 5 teams in the world.
*[[Polo]], which is believed to have originated in Central Asia, and continues to be an important sport there with several large annual competitions. The [[Shandur]] Polo Tournament, played at the world's highest pologround, is one of the biggest tourist draws to [[Chitral]] and [[Gilgit]] in Northern Pakistan.
*[[Squash (sport)|Squash]]. [[Jahangir Khan]] and [[Jansher Khan]] are considered to be two of the greatest squash players of all time.
*[[Soccer|Football]] (Soccer) is played mostly on a local level, primarily in Baluchistan and Afghan Frontier Provinces. Those areas provide most of the players on the national team.
*[[Tennis]]. Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi recently defeated Paradorn Srichapan of [[Thailand]] to win the Asia-Oceana Zone 1 section of the [[Davis Cup]].
*[[Formula One]] motor racing, [[National Basketball Association|NBA]] [[basketball]], [[rugby football|rugby]], [[table tennis]], [[chess]], [[Kabaddi]] and [[badminton]].
=== Mercantile culture ===
Pakistan's [[service]] sector accounts for 53% of the country's [[Gross domestic product|GDP]]. [[Wholesale]] and [[retail]] trade is 30% of this sector. Shopping is a popular pastime for many Pakistanis, especially among the well-to-do and the thirty-million strong middle class. [[Karachi]] city is especially known for the great contrast in shopping experiences - from burgeoning [[bazaar]]s to modern multi-story [[shopping mall]]s.
==See also==
* [[Supreme Court of Pakistan]]
* [[Holidays in Pakistan]]
* [[List of universities in Pakistan]]
* [[List of cities in Pakistan]]
* [[List of hospitals in Pakistan]]
* [[List of political parties in Pakistan]]
* [[List of motorways and highways of Pakistan]]
* [[List of people on stamps of Pakistan]]
* [[List of Pakistanis]]
* [[Languages of Pakistan]]
* [[Music of Pakistan]]
* [[Pakistani cuisine]]
* [[Pakistani literature]]
* [[Military of Pakistan]]
** [[Pakistan Air Force]]
** [[Inter-Services Intelligence]]
* [[Timeline of Pakistani popular culture]]
* [[Transportation in Pakistan]]
* [[2004 in Pakistan]]
* [[:Category:Pakistani people]]
* [[:Category:Government of Pakistan]]
* [[Communications in Pakistan]]
* [[Foreign relations of Pakistan]]
* [[Gurdwaras in Pakistan]] - Pakistan has some of the most important [[Sikh]] historical temples on its soil.
* [[Indo-Pakistani Wars]]
* [[Islam in Pakistan]]
* [[Kashmir]]
* [[Karachi]]
* [[Islamabad]]
== External links ==
{{Commons|Category:Pakistan}}
===Economic and demographic data===
* [http://devdata.worldbank.org/external/CPProfile.asp?SelectedCountry=PAK&CCODE=PAK&CNAME=Pakistan&PTYPE=CP World Bank Facts and Figures]
* [http://www.pakistanibusiness.com Pakistani Business]
=== Pakistani Government Links ===
* [http://www.pakistan.gov.pk/ The Official Web Gateway to the Government of Pakistan]
* [http://www.embassyofpakistan.org/ Embassy of Pakistan in Washington, DC]
* [http://www.infopak.gov.pk/ Government of Pakistan]
* [http://www.presidentofpakistan.gov.pk/ Official Website of the President of Pakistan] ([[Pervez Musharraf]])
* [http://www.tourism.gov.pk/ Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation]
=== Pakistani IT industry===
* [http://www.pasha.org.pk/ Pakistan Software Houses Association]
* [http://www.fossfp.org/ FOSSFP: Free and Open Source Software Foundation of Pakistan]
* [http://www.pseb.org.pk/ Pakistan Software Export Board]
* [http://www.osrc.org.pk/ Open Source Resource Centre]
===Pakistani Film Festivals===
* [http://www.karafilmfest.com/ KaraFilm Festival - Karachi International Film Festival]
=== Pakistani Publications & News ===
====English-language====
* [http://www.brecorder.com/ ''Business Recorder: Financial Daily'']
* [http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/ ''Daily Times'']
* [http://www.dawn.com/ ''Dawn'' Newspaper]
* [http://www.dawn.com/herald/ ''Herald'' Monthly Magazine]
* [http://www.frontierpost.com.pk/ ''Frontier Post'' Newspaper]
* [http://www.newsline.com.pk/ ''Newsline'' Monthly Magazine]
* [http://www.gwadarnews.com/ 'Gwadar News']
* [http://www.paktribune.com/ Pak Tribune]
* [http://www.pakistanlink.com/ Pakistan Link]
* [http://www.apakistannews.com/ Pakistan News]
* [http://www.pakistantimes.net/ Pakistan Times]
* [http://www.pakpositive.com/ ''Pakpositive'' Daily Pakistani News]
* [http://www.thefridaytimes.com/ ''The Friday Times'' Weekly Newspaper]
* [http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/ ''The News International'']
* [http://www.spider.tm Spider - Pakistan's Internet Magazine]
====Urdu-language====
* [http://www.glosci.net/ ''Global Science: Pakistan's Leading Science magazine'']
=== Pakistani TV channels ===
* [http://www.aag.tv/ AAG TV - Music Channel:: Coming Soon]
* [http://www.aaj.tv/ AAJ TV - Infotainment Television]
* [http://www.apna.tv/ APNA - Infotainment channel of Punjabi Language]
* [http://www.aryoneworld.tv/ ARY ONE World - News Channel]
* [http://www.arydigital.tv/ ARY Digital Network ]
* [http://www.atv.com.pk/ ATV Ik Dunya Nayee]
* [http://www.ptv.com.pk/ AJK TV - Kashmir channel]
* [http://www.avtkhyber.com/index.htm AVT Khyber - Pushto Language Channel ]
* [http://www.businessplus.tv/ BUSINESS Plus - Business News Channel]
* [http://www.indus.tv/ Channel G - Punjabi music channel]
* [http://www.filmazia.com/ FILMAZIA - Pakistani Movie Channel]
* [http://www.geo.tv/ GEO TV - News, Infotainment & etc]
* [http://www.hum.tv/ HUM TV - Entertainment & Information]
* [http://www.indusmusic.tv/ INDUS Music]
* [http://www.indus.tv/ INDUS Vision]
* [http://www.indus.tv/ INDUS News/Plus]
* [http://www.lyngsat.com/freetv/Pakistan.html/ KTN - Sindhi language channel]
* [http://www.mashriq.tv/ Mashriq TV - Urdu language channel]
* [http://www.ptv.com.pk/ PTV Bolan - Balochi language channel]
* [http://www.ptv.com.pk/ PTV 1 - Urdu language National channel]
* [http://ptv-prime.tv/ PTV Prime Europe]
* [http://www.ptvprimeusa.tv/ PTV Prime USA]
* [http://www.ptv.com.pk/ PTV World - News Channel]
* [http://www.ptv.com.pk/ PTV National - Multi language channel]
* [http://www.arydigital.tv/ QTV - Islamic Channel]
* [http://www.rung.tv/ Rung tv]
* [http://www.sunbiztv.com/ Sun Biz]
* [http://www.thesindh.tv/ Sind TV - Sindhi language channel]
* [http://www.themusik.tv/ The Musik - Music Channel]
* [http://http://www.tv1online.tv/ TV One]
* [http://www.arydigital.tv/ The City Channel - Local]
* [http://www.lyngsat.com/freetv/Pakistan.html/ UNI Plus -Urdu language channel]
* [http://www.vu.edu.pk/ Virtual TV 1 & TV 2 - Educational Channels]
* [http://www.lyngsat.com/freetv/Pakistan.html/ nVIBE - Music Channel]
* [http://www.vectone.tv/ Vectone - UK Based]
===Radio===
* [http://www.radio.gov.pk/ Radio Pakistan]-State Run
* [http://www.cityfm89.com/cityfm89web/home.aspx City FM 89]
* [http://www.fm100pakistan.com/fm/ FM 100 Pakistan]-Private
* [http://www.fm101.com.pk/ FM 101 Karachi]
* [http://bbc.co.uk/urdu BBC Urdu Service]
* [http://www.voanews.com/aapkidunyaa/ Voice of America in Urdu]-Pakistan collaboration.
===Cineplex Chain===
* [http://www.cinepax.com/default.asp Cinepax]
===Maps of major cities===
* [http://www.itspakistan.net/pakistan/maps.aspx Maps on Pakistan]
===History===
* [http://www.brain.net.pk/~wisetech/main.htm History of Pakistan Movement]
* [http://www.geocities.com/pak_history/main.html/ History of Pakistan]
* [http://www.storyofpakistan.com/default.asp Story of Pakistan]
===Collections of images of Pakistan===
* [http://www.flickr.com/groups/pakistan Flikr]. Many images reusable under a [[Creative Commons]] license.
* [http://www.pakistanpics.com/ Pakistan Photos and Picture gallery]
* [http://www.streetphotos.net/pakistan Streetphotos.net: everyday photographs from all around Pakistan, and a weblog focusing on perceptions of Pakistan]
* [http://www.worldisround.com/browse/Asia/TheSubcontinent/Pakistan/ Worldisround]
* [http://maps.unomaha.edu/Peterson/funda/Pictures/Pakistan/Pictures.html Picture Page on Pakistan]
* [http://www.indus.tv/urdumusicvideos.php Urdu Music Videos from IM of Pakistan]
===Other external links===
* [http://www.KarachiDiaries.BlogsPK.com: Musings on the happenings of the largest city Pakistan i.e. Karachi.]
*[http://www.wildlifeofpakistan.com/newpage2.htm Wildlife Of Pakistan]
*[http://forums.DevelopPakistan.org Discuss issues related to development in Pakistan]
*[http://DevelopPakistan.org Association for the Development of Pakistan]
*[http://www.highbeam.com/library/docfree.asp?DOCID=1E1:Pakistan&num=3&ctrlInfo=Round18%3AMode18c%3ASR%3AResult&ao=&FreePremium=BOTH Columbia Encyclopedia (6<sup>th</sup> Edition) - Pakistan Article]
{{Subdivisions_of_Pakistan}}
{{South_Asia}}
[[Category:Members of the Commonwealth of Nations]]
[[Category:South Asian countries]]
[[Category:Pakistan| ]]
[[Category:Geographic portmanteaus]]
[[Category:Commonwealth of Nations]]
[[Category:SAARC members]]
[[ar:باكستان]]
[[an:Pakistán]]
[[ast:Paquistán]]
[[bg:Пакистан]]
[[zh-min-nan:Pakistan]]
[[bn:পাকিস্তান]]
[[ca:Pakistan]]
[[cv:Пакистан]]
[[cs:Pákistán]]
[[cy:Pakistan]]
[[da:Pakistan]]
[[de:Pakistan]]
[[et:Pakistan]]
[[el:Πακιστάν]]
[[es:Pakistán]]
[[eo:Pakistano]]
[[eu:Pakistan]]
[[fa:پاکستان]]
[[fr:Pakistan]]
[[gd:Pacastan]]
[[gl:Paquistán - پاکستان]]
[[gu:પાકિસ્તાન]]
[[ko:파키스탄]]
[[hi:पाकिस्तान]]
[[hr:Pakistan]]
[[io:Pakistan]]
[[id:Pakistan]]
[[is:Pakistan]]
[[it:Pakistan]]
[[he:פקיסטן]]
[[ka:პაკისტანი]]
[[lt:Pakistanas]]
[[li:Pakistan]]
[[hu:Pakisztán]]
[[ms:Pakistan]]
[[nl:Pakistan]]
[[nds:Pakistan]]
[[ja:パキスタン]]
[[no:Pakistan]]
[[nn:Pakistan]]
[[os:Пакистан]]
[[pl:Pakistan]]
[[pt:Paquistão]]
[[ro:Pakistan]]
[[ru:Пакистан]]
[[sq:Pakistani]]
[[scn:Pakistan]]
[[simple:Pakistan]]
[[sk:Pakistan]]
[[sl:Pakistan]]
[[sr:Пакистан]]
[[fi:Pakistan]]
[[sv:Pakistan]]
[[ta:பாகிஸ்தான்]]
[[te:పాకిస్తాన్]]
[[th:ประเทศปากีสถาน]]
[[vi:Pakistan]]
[[tr:Pakistan]]
[[ur:پاکستان]]
[[zh:巴基斯坦]]
| 