Pakistan
/ˌpɑːkɪˈstɑːn
/ /ˌpakɪˈstɑːn/ /ˌpakɪˈstan/
A country in South Asia; population 174,578,600 (est. 2009); languages, Urdu (official), Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto; capital, Islamabad.
Pakistan was created as a separate country in 1947, following the British withdrawal from India. It originally comprised two territories, respectively to the east and west of India, in which the population was predominantly Muslim. Civil war in East Pakistan led to the establishment of the independent state of Bangladesh in 1972. Pakistan withdrew from the Commonwealth in 1972 as a protest against international recognition of Bangladesh, but rejoined in 1989; it was suspended 1999–2004 following a military coup.
Origin
From Punjab, Afghan Frontier, Kashmir, Baluchistan, lands where Muslims predominated.