The National Flag of Pakistan (Urdu: پاکستان کا قومی پرچم) was adopted in its present form during a meeting of the Constituent Assembly on August 11, 1947, just three days before the country's independence, when it became the official flag of the Dominion of Pakistan. It was afterwards retained by the current-day Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The flag is a green field with a white crescent moon and five-rayed star at its centre, and a vertical white stripe at the hoist side. Though the green colour is mandated only as 'dark green', its official and most consistent representation is Pakistan green, which is shaded distinctively darker. The flag was designed by Amiruddin Kidwai, and is based on the All-India Muslim League flag.The flag is referred to in the national anthem as Parcham-e-Sitāra-o-Hilāl in Persian (lit. flag of the crescent and star). It is flown on several important days of the year including Republic Dayand Independence Day. A designer named Amiruddin Kidwai studied the League’s flag, as he tried to design a flag for a new, independent nation. Finally he arrived at a design, and he presented it to the men who would run the new Pakistan government. The Pakistan government adopted his design on August 11, 1947. The Pakistan government has pronounced rules about the flying of the Pakistan flag. The government has called for display of the flag at full mast on March 23 of each year. That display recognizes both the adoption of the Lahore Resolution in 1940 and the Declaration of the Republic of Pakistan in 1956. Flag raisers in Pakistan also make a point of hoisting the flag each year on the fourteenth day of August. That is considered to be Pakistan’s Independence Day. Pakistan became free of British control on August 14, 1947.
History and symbolism |
Before the Second World War, Muslims and Hindus lived together under the British Raj. A number of the Muslims formed the All India Muslim League. After the Second World War, when the partition of India led to the creation of Dominion of Pakistan, the flag of the Muslim League served as the basis for the flag of Pakistan.
The green represents the majority Muslim community in Pakistan, whereas the white stripe represents religious minorities. In the centre, the crescent and star symbolize progress and light respectively. The flag symbolizes Pakistan's commitment to Islam, the Islamic world, and the rights of religious minorities. It is based on the original flag of the Muslim League, which itself drew inspiration from the flag of theSultanate of Delhi and the Mughal Empire in India.
[edit]Design
The official design of the national flag was adopted by the Constituent Assembly together with a definition of the features and proportions.
According to the specifications it is a dark green rectangular flag in the proportion of length [A] and width [B] as 3:2 with a white vertical bar at the mast, the green portion bearing a white crescent in the centre and a five-pointed white heraldic star. The size of the white portion being one-fourth the size of the flag [C], nearest the mast, the remainder three-fourths being dark green [D].
Construction
Draw a diagonal L3 from the top right hand corner to the bottom left corner of the green portion. On this diagonal establish two points P1 and P2. P1 is positioned at the centre of the green portion and P2 at the intersection of the diagonal L3 and an arc C4 created from the top right hand corner equal to 13/20th the height of the flag [E]. With the centre at point P1 and a radius 3/10th the height of the flag describe the first circle C1 and with centre at point P2 and a radius 11/40th the height of the flag describe a second circle C2. The enclosures made by these two circles form the crescent. The dimensions of the five-pointed white heraldic star are determined by drawing a circle C3 with a radius 1/10th the height of the flag positioned between P2 and P3 on the diagonal L3. The circle surrounds the five points of the heraldic star and star lies with one point on the diagonal L3 at point P3 where the circle C1 intersects the diagonal L3.
]Dimensions
The Interior Ministry of Pakistan provides dimensions for flags in different circumstances:
- For ceremonial occasions. 21' x 14', 18' x 12', 10' x 6-2/3' or 9' x 6 1/4.
- For use over buildings. 6' x 4' or 3' x 2'.
- For cars 12" x 8".
- For tables 10 1/4" x 8 1/4".
Flag protocols
 | |
| Use | Civil ensign  |
|---|---|
| Proportion | 2:3 |
| Design | A red field with the national flag in the canton. |
 | |
| Variant flag of Pakistan (variants) | |
| Use | Naval ensign  |
| Proportion | 1:2 |
| Design | A lengthened version of the national flag. |
- No other flag must fly higher
- When displayed alongside provincial or corporate flags, the national flag must be higher
- When tied to a mast, it must be tied only at the left (at the beginning of the white bar) and left to fly freely without any obstruction
- Must not touch the ground or feet or anything unclean
- Must be raised at dawn and lowered at dusk (except on the Parliament of Pakistan, which is the only official building on which the flag is never lowered)
- Must not be marked with anything
- When raising: (i) must be saluted to by all uniformed personnel, (ii) others must stand in attention
- When displayed horizontally, the white strip must always be at the left, with green field on the right
- When displayed vertically, the white strip must always be at the top, with green field at the bottom
- Must not fly or be displayed upside down or with the crescent and star facing left
- Must not be displayed anywhere where it is likely to get dirty
Flag flying days
| Date | Position | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| March 23 | Full-mast | Pakistan Day: Adoption of the Lahore Resolution (1940) and declaration of the Islamic Republic (1956) |
| April 21 | Half-mast | Death Anniversary of the National Poet, Muhammad Iqbal (1938) |
| August 14 | Full-mast | Independence Day (1947) |
| September 11 | Half-mast | Death Anniversary of the Father of the Nation, Muhammad Ali Jinnah (1948) |
| December 25 | Full-mast | Birthday of Muhammad Ali Jinnah (1876) |
Use by public officials
The use of the national flag is regulated by the Pakistan Flag Rules, which were introduced in 2002 by Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali. The Rules are not available online but there have been instances of misuse such as officials using flags on their vehicles when they are not entitled to do so. The national flag is flown on the official residences and vehicles (cars, boats, planes) of the following public officials:
| Office | Flag on Official Residence | Flag on Vehicles |
|---|---|---|
| The President of Pakistan |  | |
| The Prime Minister of Pakistan | | |
| The Chairman of the Senate | | |
| The Speaker of the National Assembly | | |
| The Chief Justice of Pakistan | | |
| The Governors of the Provinces | | |
| Federal Ministers (and officials entitled to the privileges of Federal Ministers) | | |
| The Chief Ministers of the Provinces | | |
| The Ministers of the Provinces | | |
| The Chief Election Commissioner | | |
| The Deputy Chairman of the Senate | | |
| The Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly | | |
| The Speakers of the Provincial Assemblies | | |
| The Chief Justices of the High Courts | | |
| Ambassadors and High Commissioners of Pakistan | | |
| Commissioners of Divisions, Deputy Commissioners and Political Agents | |
Awards and recognitions
- In August 2004, Pakistan unfurled a 340x510 (173,400 square foot) foot National flag. The country held the record for producing the world's largest flag. It was rolled out in National Stadium Karachi in 2004.
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