National flag
Islamic Republic of Pakistan
?????? ??????? ???????
|
|
Parcham-e Sit?rah o Hil?l
(Flag of the
Star and Crescent
)
????? ????? ? ????
|
Use
| National flag
|
---|
Proportion
| 2:3
|
---|
Adopted
| 11 August 1947
; 76 years ago
(
1947-08-11
)
|
---|
Design
| A white star and crescent on a dark green field, with a vertical white stripe at the hoist
|
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Designed by
| Amiruddin Kidwai
|
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|
The national
flag of Pakistan
, also known as the
Flag of the Star and Crescent
(
Urdu
:
????? ????? ? ????
), is made up of a green field with a stylized tilted white
crescent moon and five-pointed star
at its centre, and a vertical white stripe at its hoist-end. Though the specific shade of green on the flag is mandated only as 'dark green',
[1]
its official and most consistent representation is in
Pakistan green
, which is shaded distinctively darker. It was adopted by the
Constituent Assembly of Pakistan
on 11 August 1947, and it became the official flag of the
Dominion of Pakistan
on 14 August 1947, following
independence from the British Empire
.
[2]
[3]
[4]
The flag was subsequently retained as that of the
Islamic Republic of Pakistan
in
1956
and remains in use as the national flag to this day.
Most notably, the flag is referred to in the
third verse of Pakistan's national anthem
, and is widely flown on several important days of the year, including
Republic Day
,
Independence Day
and
Defence Day
. It is also hoisted every morning at schools, offices and government buildings to the playing of the national anthem and lowered again before sunset. A very
elaborate flag-raising and lowering ceremony
is carried out every evening by the
Pakistan Rangers
and their
Indian Border Security Force
counterparts at the
Wagah
?
Attari
border crossing between
India
and
Pakistan
, which is regularly attended by hundreds of spectators. The
Government of Pakistan
has formalized rules and regulations related to the flying of the national flag; it is to be displayed all day at full-mast on 23 March annually to commemorate the adoption of the
Lahore Resolution
in 1940 and the declaration of Pakistan as an independent
Islamic republic
with a
constitution
in 1956, both of which occurred on the same day. The same regulations also apply on 14 August annually, in celebration of Pakistan's
day of independence
; when the country was carved out from erstwhile
British India
as the homeland and
nation-state
for the
Muslims
of the Indian subcontinent.
History
[
edit
]
In 1942, the
Pakistan National Movement
published a pamphlet, "The Millat of Islam and the menace of 'Indianism'", by the founder of the
Pakistan Movement
,
Choudhry Rahmat Ali
, depicting on its cover a flag of a proposed Pakistan with a thin white crescent and five white stars on a green field.
[5]
A graphic illustration of Ali's flag in a critical work from 1946 more clearly portrays the stars in a pentagonal arrangement.
[6]
Each star apparently represented a constituent nation of the proposed state:
Punjab
,
Afghania (NWF)
,
Kashmir
,
Sindh
, and
Balochistan
.
[7]
Ali also apparently designed a flag for an envisioned association of independent Muslim states distributed across South Asia, a 'Pak Commonwealth of Nations'. This flag featured a smaller crescent and ten stars.
[8]
The design eventually adopted as the Flag of Pakistan was based on the flag of the
Muslim League
. In 1937, the
Muslim League
began using a solid green banner charged with white crescent and star. In the early 1920s, during the era of the
Khilafat Movement
, Muslims had begun using a green banner with crescent and star, but as a religious rather than national symbol.
[9]
By the 1930s, Muslims in India had become leery of the acceptance of the tricolor flag of the
Congress Party
as the national flag of India, in significant part because the discourses and rituals of hoisting the flag invoked explicitly Hindu religious themes.
[10]
In 1940,
Muhammad Ali Jinnah
, leader of the
Muslim League
and future founder of the state of Pakistan, declared the
League's
flag the 'national flag of Muslim India'.
[11]
By 1944,
Muhammad Ali Jinnah
was publicly declaring that they intended it to be the flag of Pakistan.
[12]
This would become the flag of Pakistan, albeit charged with a white
heraldic side or flank
at the hoist. The resulting flag bears a striking resemblance to the various iterations of the
Saudi flag
from 1744-1937 which featured a white
heraldic side or flank
at the hoist and a green field charged with white calligraphic text (the
Shahada
).
In 1947, the
Viceroy of India
,
Louis Mountbatten
, proposed a national flag for the state of Pakistan which comprised the flag of the
All-India Muslim League
albeit with a
Union Jack
in the
canton
. This proposal was rejected by
Muhammad Ali Jinnah
on the grounds that a flag featuring both
Saint George's Christian Cross
alongside an
Islamic star and crescent
would not be accepted by the
Pakistani people
.
[13]
[14]
A team led by
Syed Amir-uddin Kedwaii
created the design that would ultimately be approved as the national flag.
[15]
It was officially adopted by the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan on August 11, 1947, a few days before Pakistan gained its independence from British rule.
[16]
Upon independence it became the flag of, first, the
Dominion of Pakistan
and then from
23 March 1956
that of the
Islamic Republic of Pakistan
. The design remains unchanged since its initial adoption.
Symbolism
[
edit
]
The
Islamic green
of the flag represents the
Muslim-majority populace of Pakistan
while the white stripe on the hoist-end represents its various
religious minorities
i.e. Non-Muslims, such as
Hindus
,
Christians
,
Sikhs
,
Zoroastrians
and
others
. The combined
star and crescent
serve as a symbol of
Islam
, with the crescent representing progress and the five-pointed star representing light and knowledge.
[17]
The flag symbolizes Pakistan's commitment to both Islam as well as the rights of religious minorities.
[18]
The Pakistan Flag is based on the original flag of the
Muslim League
, which itself drew inspiration from the
flag
of the
Ottoman Empire
.
Design
[
edit
]
Specifications (technical specifications illustrated in the text on the side)
Construction sheet variant
The official design of the national flag was adopted by the Constituent Assembly together with a definition of the features and proportions.
According to the specifications, it is a dark green rectangular flag in the proportion of length [A] and width [B] as
3:2
with a white vertical bar at the mast, the green portion bearing a white crescent in the centre and a five-pointed white heraldic star. The width of the white portion [C] is one quarter the length of the flag [A], nearest the mast, so the green portion occupies the remaining three quarters [D].
Draw a diagonal L3 from the top right-hand corner to the bottom left corner of the green portion. On this diagonal establish two points P1 and P2. P1 is positioned at the centre of the green portion and P2 at the intersection of the diagonal L3 and an arc C4 created from the top right-hand corner equal to 13/20 the height of the flag [E]. With the centre at point P1 and a radius 3/10 the height of the flag describe the first circle C1 and with the centre at point P2 and a radius 11/40 the height of the flag describe a second circle C2. The enclosures made by these two circles form the crescent. The dimensions of the five-pointed white heraldic star are determined by drawing a circle C3 with a radius 1/10 the height of the flag positioned between P2 and P3 on the diagonal L3. The circle surrounds the five points of the heraldic star and the star lies with one point on the diagonal L3 at point P3 where circle C1 intersects the diagonal L3.
The flag is coloured in
Pakistan green
having standard RGB values (red = 0, green = 64, blue = 26) or with hex triplet #00401A or the HSV value = (h = 144, s = 100, v = 25). The left strip, the star and the crescent are painted in white. The flag is supported from left white side.
Dimensions
[
edit
]
The Interior Ministry of Pakistan provides dimensions for flags in different circumstances:
- For ceremonial occasions: 24′ × 16′, 21′ × 14′, 18′ × 12′, 11′ ×
6
+
2
⁄
3
′ or 9′ ×
6
+
1
⁄
4
′.
- For use over buildings: 6′ × 4′ or 3′ × 2′.
- For cars: 24″ × 16″.
- For tables:
10
+
1
⁄
4
″ ×
8
+
1
⁄
4
″.
National flag protocols
[
edit
]
Pakistan
(variants)
|
|
Use
| Civil ensign
|
---|
Proportion
| 2:3
|
---|
Design
| A red field with the national flag in the canton.
|
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|
|
|
Use
| Naval ensign
|
---|
Proportion
| 1:2
|
---|
Design
| A lengthened version of the
national flag
.
|
---|
|
|
|
Use
| Civil flag
|
---|
Proportion
| 2:3
|
---|
Design
| Azure field charged with dark blue bar fimbriated with white, national flag in canton.
|
---|
|
- No other flag must fly higher (except the United Nations flag at United Nations buildings).
- When displayed or flown alongside other national flags, the National Flag must be displayed or flown at the same height as the other national flags, never lower.
- When displayed alongside provincial, military or corporate flags, the National Flag must be higher.
- When tied to a mast, it must be tied only at the left (at the beginning of the white bar) and left to fly freely without any obstruction.
- Must not touch the ground, shoes or feet or anything unclean.
- Must never be flown in darkness.
- Must be raised at dawn and lowered at dusk (except on the Parliament of Pakistan, which is the only official building on which the flag is never lowered). When flown over the Parliament of Pakistan at night, it must always remain alit with artificial light
- Must not be marked with anything (including words or pictures).
- When raising: (i) must be saluted to by all uniformed personnel, (ii) others must stand in attention.
- Must be raised or lowered ceremoniously.
- Must never be displayed vertically.
- When displayed horizontally, the white strip must always be at the left, with green field on the right.
- Must not fly or be displayed upside down or with the crescent and star facing left.
- Must not be displayed anywhere where it is likely to get dirty.
- Must not be set on fire or trampled upon.
- Must not be buried or lowered into a grave (when burying a flag-bearing casket, the National Flag must be detached from the casket and held above the grave as the casket is lowered or removed from the casket before burial).
[
citation needed
]
Flag flying days
[
edit
]
Use by public officials
[
edit
]
The use of the national flag is regulated by the
Pakistan
Flag Rules, which were introduced in 2002 by Prime Minister
Zafarullah Khan Jamali
. The rules are not available online but there have been instances of misuse such as officials using flags on their vehicles when they are not entitled to do so.
[20]
[21]
The national flag is flown on the official residences and vehicles (cars, boats, planes) of the following public officials:
[19]
Milestones
[
edit
]
- 2019
? The largest balloon mosaic (flag) is 180.172 m
2
(1939 ft² 37 in²) achieved by Pakistan Hindu Council (Pakistan) in Islamabad, Pakistan, on 5 August 2019. It is a
Guinness World Record
.
[23]
- 2017
? On 14 August, People of Balochistan hoisted a 2-mile-long flag of Pakistan in Quetta.
- 2014
? On 15 February, 29,040 people gathered in a stadium in
Lahore
to form the flag of Pakistan and set a new world record for forming the world's largest national flag comprising humans, which was certified by
Guinness World Records
.
[24]
[25]
- 2012
? On 22 October, 24,200 people gathered in a stadium in
Lahore
to form the flag of Pakistan and set a new world record for forming the world's largest national flag comprising humans, which was certified by
Guinness World Records
.
[26]
- 2004
? In August, a 340 × 510 ft (173,400 square foot) flag of Pakistan was unfurled at the
National Stadium
Karachi, setting the world record for the largest flag.
[27]
[28]
- 1947
? On the night of 14 August 1947, a group of
Indian
Boy Scouts were in France when the news reached them that their country had become independent. Mohammad Iqbal Qureshi was one of the
Muslim
boy scouts who with the help of his friends turned a green turban into a Pakistani flag and unfurled it. 15 August 1947 was the first time when the Pakistani flag flew on foreign soil.
[
citation needed
]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"Government of Pakistan: Flag description"
. Pakistan.gov.pk. Archived from
the original
on 17 January 2008
. Retrieved
11 December
2007
.
- ^
"Pakistan Flag specification: Resolution Passed by Constituent Assembly"
. Pakistan.org. Archived from
the original
on 12 November 2007
. Retrieved
11 December
2007
.
- ^
"Parliamentary History"
. National Assembly of Pakistan. Archived from
the original
on 24 October 2007
. Retrieved
11 December
2007
.
- ^
"Parliamentary History of Pakistan"
(PDF)
. Parliamentary Division, Government of Pakistan. Archived from
the original
(PDF)
on 16 February 2008
. Retrieved
11 December
2007
.
- ^
Ali, C. Rahmat (1942).
The Millat of Islam and the menace of 'Indianism'
. Cambridge: Pakistan National Movement
. Retrieved
15 April
2024
.
- ^
Gauba, K. L. (1946).
The Consequences Of Pakistan
. Lahore: Lion Press. p. Plate III.
- ^
Ali, C. Rahmat (1942).
The Millat of Islam and the menace of 'Indianism'
. Cambridge: Pakistan National Movement
. Retrieved
15 April
2024
.
- ^
Ahmed, Akbar S. (1997).
Jinnah, Pakistan and Islamic Identity: The Search for Saladin
. London and New York: Routledge. p. xxviii
. Retrieved
15 April
2024
.
- ^
Virmani, Arundhati (2008).
A National Flag for India: Rituals, Nationalism, and the Politics of Sentiment
. Ranikhet: Permanent Black. p. 74.
- ^
Virmani, Arundhati (2008).
A National Flag for India: Rituals, Nationalism, and the Politics of Sentiment
. Ranikhet: Permanent Black. p. 41.
- ^
Virmani, Arundhati (2008).
A National Flag for India: Rituals, Nationalism, and the Politics of Sentiment
. Ranikhet: Permanent Black. p. 152.
- ^
Ahmed, Akbar S. (1997).
Jinnah, Pakistan and Islamic Identity: The Search for Saladin
. London and New York: Routledge. p. 83
. Retrieved
15 April
2024
.
- ^
Dipesh Navsaria (27 July 1996).
"Indian Flag Proposals"
.
Flags of the World
. Retrieved
14 March
2020
.
- ^
"Facts about the Pakistan flag"
.
Dawn
. 12 August 2011.
- ^
Farooqi, Arslan.
"National Flag of Pakistan ? Its background and design"
.
Popular in Pakistan
. Retrieved
19 April
2024
.
- ^
"Fact File Pakistans national flag"
.
Dawn.com
. Retrieved
19 April
2024
.
- ^
"Pakistan flag"
. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of Pakistan. Archived from
the original
on 5 March 2009
. Retrieved
11 December
2007
.
- ^
"Basic Facts"
. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of Pakistan. Archived from
the original
on 10 April 2012
. Retrieved
11 December
2007
.
- ^
a
b
"Pakistan Flag"
. Ministry of the Interior, Government of Pakistan. Archived from
the original
on 14 November 2007
. Retrieved
11 December
2007
.
- ^
"Secs and advisers can't fly flags on cars, homes"
. Daily Times of Pakistan. 21 October 2005
. Retrieved
11 December
2007
.
- ^
"National flag 'not being misused'
"
. Dawn Group of Newspapers. 13 January 2005
. Retrieved
11 December
2007
.
- ^
a
b
Note:- The President and the Prime Minister may fly a personal flag in addition to the National Flag.
- ^
"Largest balloon mosaic (flag)"
.
Guinness World Records
. Retrieved
11 August
2021
.
- ^
"Pakistan breaks world record for largest human flag"
. 15 February 2014.
- ^
"- ePaper - DAWN.COM"
.
epaper.dawn.com
. 16 February 2014.
- ^
"Pakistan sets another record for world's largest flag"
.
Tribune
. 22 October 2012
. Retrieved
18 December
2013
.
- ^
"Flag superlatives"
.
www.crwflags.com
.
- ^
sanadeel (8 March 2008).
"Worlds Largest Flag"
.
Archived
from the original on 21 December 2021 – via YouTube.
Further reading
[
edit
]
External links
[
edit
]
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