2. ABOUT PAKISTAN
• World's fifth-most populous country (243 million population)
• 2nd largest country in South Asia, spanning 881,913 square
kilometres
• South: 1,046-kilometre (650-mile) coastline along the Arabian
Sea and Gulf of Oman, East: India, West: Afghanistan, Southwest:
Iran, North: Afghanistan's Wakhan Corridor and maritime border
with Oman, Northeast: China
3. Pakistan – A Cradle of Civilizations
Apart from the physical environment of Pakistan’s territory, we
are heirs to a two million years old socio-political background
going back to the old Stone Age.
Civilization in Pakistan started with the seventh millennium BCE
at Mehrgarh in Balochistan and blossomed for well over
thousand years into the great Indus civilization, which embraced
the entire territory of Pakistan, from the mountain ranges of the
north to the Arabian Sea.
This makes Pakistan take its place as one of the most ancient
homes of human culture in this part of the world.
9. Constitutional Provisions
about Culture
• The Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
guarantees “fundamental rights, including equality of status,
of opportunity…and freedom of…belief, faith, worship and
association…
• There is protection for groups and individuals with a distinct
language, script or culture (Article 28)
• Discouragement of parochial, racial, tribal, sectarian and
provincial prejudices (Article 33)
10. Jinnah’s Idea of Culture
Founder of the nation, Quaid e Azam visualized a culture
for Pakistan where identity of the citizens will not be judged
through sectarian, religious and ethnic appellations, but as
members of an independent nation.
His speech of 11th August 1947 delivered before the
Constituent Assembly of Pakistan points clearly at culture
policy: “you are free: you are free to go to your temples, you
are free to go to your mosques or to any other place of
worship in this state of Pakistan. You may belong to any
religion or caste or creed – that has nothing to do with the
business of the state.”
11. Recent Curriculum Reforms
• In the recent curriculum reforms in the country, the target of
SGD-4.7 has been especially focused.
• This target asks to ensure that all learners acquire knowledge
and skills needed to promote sustainable development,
through education for sustainable lifestyles, human rights,
gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-
violence, global citizenship, and appreciation of cultural
diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable
development.
• Through the recent curriculum reforms, all these aspects have
been focused.
12. Civic Sense through Education
• Gender equality and child safety have been academically
addressed in the new curriculum and model textbooks. This
has been ensured by showing females in different roles such
as leadership, academics, politics, and other domains.
• The themes included in the curriculum will not only nurture
ethical or social attitude but also create an awareness,
tolerance and understanding of global citizenship and
gender equality. In curriculum for all subjects, it has been
focused that the chosen material should demonstrate gender
equality and cultural neutrality and should not contain any
biased or prejudiced material.
13. Respect for Religions
• It is a matter of pride for Pakistan, that a separate
curriculum for seven minority faiths: Christianity,
Hinduism, Sikhism, Baha’i, Kalasha, Zoroastrianism
and Buddhism has been developed.
• These curricula are developed and approved by the
academics from the concerned religions.
14. Respect for Religions
• It is a matter of pride
for Pakistan, that a
separate curriculum
for seven minority
faiths: Christianity,
Hinduism, Sikhism,
Baha’i, Kalasha,
Zoroastrianism and
Buddhism has been
developed.
15. Requirements for Textbook Authors
Conformity with Social, ethical, religious, national and democratic
values and free from all biases
1 The content (text and illustrations) is inclusive and is free from religious, sectarian, ethnic,
regional, cultural, sexual, occupational, socio-economic biases and all sorts of hate material.
2 The content (text and illustrations) is free from gender bias and promotes positive images of girls
and women
3 Texts promote harmony and peaceful co-existence through respect for diversity and tolerance
4 Content reflects democratic values, ethics and values of all segments of society and other
societies
5 Content does not contain any offensive material about the Islamic Ideology and pious personalities
of Islam
6 Content does not contain any derogatory remarks or misleading information with respect to
Ideology, important features, culture, history, heroes of Pakistan and Islam
7 Content does not contain any indecent or derogatory remarks and hate material against minorities
and any sect
16. Heritage Education
Heritage education in Pakistan is facilitated
through innovative and interactive educational
approaches and meaningful curriculum.
It enables teachers and youth to develop:
• An understanding of one’s identity, history and
life paths.
• To take pride in our heritage which belongs to
the oldest civilization, and it is the most
outstanding tangible and intangible heritage.
17. WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD?
• The future of this world depends upon understanding each
other and appreciating the diversity.
• This can only be achieved through educating our new
generation.
• Let’s hold hands to work together to make this world a better
place for our generations to come.
