Men and women do not show physical contact in public or even maintain eye contact in conversation. However, when they are with someone of the same gender they often hug and stand close together. Women often kiss each other on the cheek when they meet. Men usually shake hands. Just as in the U.S. burping is considered rude. Pointing at someone or something is also thought of as impolite.
Pakistanis must treat their elders with respect. They don't question their elders or look them in the eye when talking to them. Younger people are expected to answer only with a yes or no when talking to their elders. All family members have responsibilities for each other. The older relatives take care of the children, and when the children turn 18 they often stay with the family to help support them.
In general, Pakistani society is separated by gender. This separation is closely related to our interpretation of Islam. As children grow up, the restrictions on interactions between males and females increase. The status of women depends a lot on the specific family situation and whether the women live in an urban or rural area. Some women have a lot of freedom, while others, especially poor women who live in the countryside, have less. Contrary to popular belief, there are no restrictions on how women must dress or what jobs they can have. In fact, Pakistanis twice elected Benazir Bhutto, a woman, as prime minister. Many, but not all, Pakistani women choose to wear hijab, the Islamic head dress. In the past, women did not have equal rights under the law; however, this changed in 2006 when the government abolished the old unfair laws. Now, at least in principle, women and men are supposed to be treated equally.
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Age structure:
0-14 years: 36.9%
15-64 years: 58.8%
65 years and over: 4.3%