Flag of Pakistan

Quick Facts: Who was Flag of Pakistan?

Subject:

Flag of Pakistan

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The national flag of Pakistan, featuring a green field with a white crescent and star.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The national flag of Pakistan, also known as the Flag of the Star and Crescent (Parcham-e-Sitāra-o-Hilāl; پرچمِ ستارہ و ہلال), is made up of a green field with a stylized tilted white descending 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', its official and most consistent representation is in Pakistan green, which is shaded distinctively darker and is represented by the Pantone color 19-5917 TCX. 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. 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.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

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. 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.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

A graphic illustration of Ali's flag in a critical work from 1946 more clearly portrays the stars in a pentagonal arrangement. Each star apparently represented a constituent nation of the proposed state: Punjab, Afghania (NWF), Kashmir, Sindh, and Balochistan. 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. The design eventually adopted as the Flag of Pakistan was based on the flag of the Muslim League.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1940: 1940 Milestone — 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.
2. 1942: 1942 Milestone — 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.
3. 1946: 1946 Milestone — A graphic illustration of Ali's flag in a critical work from 1946 more clearly portrays the stars in a pentagonal arrangement.
4. 1947: 1947 Milestone — 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.
5. 1956: 1956 Milestone — 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.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Flag of Pakistan

True or False: “The initial design proposed by the Viceroy of India included the Union Jack in the canton.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): Muhammad Ali Jinnah rejected this proposal because featuring both Saint George's Christian Cross alongside an Islamic star and crescent would not be accepted by the Pakistani people.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Al Capone — Historical peer (Died in 1947) (1947): Notorious American gangster and businessman during the Prohibition era.
• Alan Guth — Historical peer (Born in 1947) (1947): Pioneering cosmologist known for developing the theory of cosmic inflation.
• A. A. Milne — Historical peer (Died in 1956) (1956): Celebrated English author, famed for Winnie-the-Pooh and children's literature.
• Aileen Wuornos — Historical peer (Born in 1956) (1956): American serial killer known for murdering seven male clients in Florida.
• Abbas Kiarostami — Historical peer (Born in 1940) (1940): Master Iranian filmmaker known for blending fiction and documentary styles.
• Abdurrahman Wahid — Historical peer (Born in 1940) (1940): Influential Indonesian politician, Islamic leader, and fourth President known for pluralism.
• Abdulsalami Abubakar — Historical peer (Born in 1942) (1942): Retired Nigerian Army General who oversaw the transition to democracy in 1999.
• Alexander Belyaev — Historical peer (Died in 1942) (1942): Pioneering Soviet science fiction writer, known as 'Russia's Jules Verne'
• Adam Michnik — Historical peer (Born in 1946) (1946): Prominent Polish intellectual, dissident, and journalist advocating for democracy.
• Ahmad Zahir — Historical peer (Born in 1946) (1946): Iconic Afghan singer, songwriter, and composer, dubbed the "Elvis of Afghanistan".

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