culture of Pakistan

The society and culture of Pakistan (Urdu: ثقافتِ پاکستان‎ S̱aqāfat-e Pākistān) comprises numerous ethnic groups: the Punjabis,Kashmiris, Sindhis in east, Muhajirs, Makrani in the south; Baloch and Pashtun in the west; and the ancient Dardic, Wakhi, Baltistaniand Burusho communities in the north. The culture of these Pakistani ethnic groups have been greatly influenced by many of its neighbors, such as the other South Asians, Turkic peoples as well as the peoples of Central Asia and the Middle East.

The origins of the current Pakistani culture can be traced back to the Indus Valley civilization, which was contemporaneous with the ancient Egyptian and Sumerian civilizations, around 5500 years ago.The region has formed a distinct unit within the main geographical complex of South Asia, the Middle East and Central Asia from the earliest times, and is analogous to the position of Afghanistan.There are differences among the ethnic groups in cultural aspects such as dress, food, and religion, especially where pre-Islamic customs differ from Islamic practices. Their cultural origins also reveal influences from far afield, including China, Indiaand Afghanistan. Pakistan was the first region of South Asia to be fully impacted by Islam and has thus developed a distinct Islamic identity, historically different from areas further east.