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Pakistani Culture
Family Life
Most Pakistani families are big, because we consider children to be gifts from Allah. Traditionally, parents, children, and extended family members live together in one house. This has changed in recent years as Pakistan has become more urbanized. Pakistani families love to have big parties to celebrate important events in their children’s lives. The father is usually the head of the household. Children have to obey and respect their older family members. In most families, the parents arrange marriages for the children. The children can refuse if they do not like the match, but it is very unusual for this to happen because Pakistani children believe that their parents have their best interests at heart. In the United States, it is often difficult to maintain these traditional family ties. Just like in many cultures, there is sometimes a communication gap between the older and younger generations.
Beliefs
Pakistan’s official religion is Islam. More than 97% of Pakistan's population is Muslim. However, the constitution says that all religions are to be treated equally. Islam was the force that united Pakistanis in their fight for independence, but Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan, made it clear that Pakistan was to be a secular state. Similar to many countries, Pakistan today feels the conflict between secularism and fundamentalism. Islam is an important part of every day life. Five times a day activities stop as Muslims are called to prayer. Pakistani Muslims give money to the poor and travel to Mecca if they are able. On Friday, Muslims pray together at the mosque.
Language
Pakistan is an ethnically diverse country, and there are over 80 languages spoken there. Each language is written in a different way. Urdu is the official language, and it is the language of instruction in schools. Many school children in Pakistan actually speak Urdu as a second or third language. Many people use English in business or professional settings. Approximately 48% of the people speak Punjabi as a first language. Other languages include Sindhi, Pashto, and Balochi. Many Pakistanis also learn to read Arabic when they are studying the Qur’an.
Dress
Pakistanis wear a very comfortable outfit called shalwar kameez. Shalwar kameez consists of a long loose fitting shirt and pants. They are usually made of cool fabrics like cotton and linen. They can be plain or brightly colored and decorated. Men, women, and children all wear shalwar kameez. Many Pakistani women choose to wear hijab, the Muslim head scarf. This is because the Qur’an teaches that women should cover their hair so that they are not being immodest. Although many women wear hijab, others do not. There is no government law about wearing hijab; it often comes down to cultural and family values, not religion.
Food
Pakistani food is very spicy. Because Pakistan and India used to be one country their food shares a lot of similarities. Pakistanis eat flat breads called roti and chapatti. We use these breads to scoop up of our food instead of using a fork. It’s much more convenient! Bread, rice, meat, and vegetables are eaten at most meals. Chai, Pakistani tea, is probably the most popular beverage. We drink it plain or with milk and spices. At special occasions like weddings, we put pistachios in the chai. Of course, Pakistani Muslims do not drink alcohol or eat pork because both of these things are forbidden by the Qur’an. We have to eat halal meat, which means meat that is butchered in a specific way.
Recreation
Cricket is the most popular sport in Pakistan. Pakistan has won a lot of world cups in cricket. Soccer is also popular, as is kabaddi, which is kind of a mix between wrestling and tag. Pakistanis are very passionate about their sports. We also like to fly kites, watch movies, and listen to music. Pakistan makes its own movies and music, but Indian entertainers are also popular. Pakistani teenagers also enjoy going to parties, dancing, and just hanging out with their friends.
