Few Westerners know much about Pakistan beyond media impressions of Islamic fundamentalism, communal violence and martial law, but it contains some of Asia's most mind-blowing landscapes, extraordinary trekking, a multitude of cultures and a long tradition of hospitality.

　　It's the site of some of the earliest human settlements, home to an ancient civilization rivaling those of Egypt and Mesopotamia, and the crucible of two of the world's major religions, Hinduism and Buddhism. You'll surely get more than what you expected there. .

　　History

　　Pakistan traces its history back to 2,500 years B.C., when a highly developed civilization flourished in Indus Valley. Excavations at Harappa,Menjodaro,Kot Diji and Mehrgarh have brought t light, the evidence of an advanced civilization existing even in more ancient times, Around 1,500 B.C., the Aryans overwhelmed this region and influenced the Hindu civilization, whose center moved to the Ganges Valley, further east. Later, the Persians occupied the northern region in 5th century B.C. up to the 2nd century AD. The Greeks came in 327B.C. under Alexander of Macedonia, and passed through like a meteor. In 711 AD, the Arabs, led by Muhammad Bin Qasim, landed at Debal near modern Banbhore and ruled the lower half of Pakistan for 200 years,. During this time, Islam took roots in the soil and influenced the life, culture and traditions of the people.

　　In the 10th century AD, began the systematic conquest of South Asia by the Muslims from Central Asia, who ruled here up to the 18th century, Then the British came and ruled for nearly a century over what is Pakistan now. The Muslim revival began towards the end of the 19th century when Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, a renowned Muslim leader and educationist, launched a movement for intellectual renaissance of the Muslims of South Asia. In 1930, the well-known poet-philosopher, Allama Muhammad Iqbal, conceived the idea of a separate state for the Muslims of South Asia. In 1940, a resolution was passed by the All-India Muslim League, demanding a separate independent homeland for the Muslims. After seven years of un-tiring struggle under the brilliant leadership of Quaide-Azam (the great leader) Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Pakistan emerged on the world map as a sovereign state, on 14th August, 1947.

　　Tourism attractions

　　Pakistan is a destination of special interest for travelers and tourists. Iss main attractions include adventure tourism in the Northern Areas, cultural and archaeological tourism as found at Taxila, Meonjodaro, Harappa, Swat, along the Karakoram Highway and early Muslim and Mughal heritage of Multan, Lahore, Thatta, and Peshwar. From the mighty Karakoram in the North to the wast alluvial delta of the Indus River in the South, Pakistan remains a land of high adventure and nature. Trekking, mountaineering, white water rafting, wild boar hunting, mountain and desert jeep, Camel and Yak safaris, trout fishing and bird watching, are among the few activities that entice the adventure an nature lovers to Pakistan.

　　Culture

　　The pleasures of Pakistan are ancient: Buddhist monuments, Hindu temples, Islamic palaces, tombs, pleasure grounds and Anglo-Mogul mansions - some in a state of dereliction which makes their former grandeur more emphatic. Scuplture is dominated by Graeco-Buddhist friezes, and crafts by ceramics, jewellery, silk goods and engraved woodwork and metalwork.

　　Pakistan's flotillas of mirror-buffed and chrome-sequinned vintage Bedford buses and trucks are dazzling works of art. Traditional dances are lusty and vigorous; music is either classical, folk or devotional; and the most patronised literature is a mix of the scholastic and poetic. Cricket is Pakistan's greatest sports obsession and national players are afforded hero status - unless, of course, they proselytise young and wealthy English women, then marry them.

　　Nearly all Pakistanis are Muslim, and Islam is the state religion. Christians are the largest minority, followed by Hindus and Parsees, descendants of Persian Zoroastrians. Note that dress codes are strictly enforced: to avoid offence invest in a shalwar qamiz - a long, loose, non-revealing garment worn by both men and women.

　　Pakistani food is similar to that of northern India, with a dollop of Middle Eastern influence thrown in for good measure. This means menus peppered with baked and deep-fried breads, meat curries, lentil mush, spicy spinach, cabbage, peas and rice, and of course that staple of hippies, the sturdy Hunza pie. Street snacks - samosas and tikkas (spiced and barbecued beef, mutton or chicken) - are delicious, while a range of desserts will satisfy any sweet tooth. Though Pakistan is officially 'dry', it does brew its own beer and spirits which can be bought (as well as imported alcohol) from specially designated bars and top-end hotels.

　　Challenges

　　Created to provide a homeland for the Muslims of the Indian subcontinent, Pakistan was heir to a government structure and a political tradition that were essentially Western and secular. From its inception, Pakistan has worked to synthesize Islamic principles with the needs of a modern state.

　　The young nation was immediately challenged by a host of other factors affecting national development, including ethnic and provincial tensions, political rivalries, and security considerations. The country subsequently survived civil war and the resultant loss of its East Wing, or East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh in December 1971, and has accommodated an influx of refugees resulting from the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan (December 1979-February 1989), which over the course of the conflict exceeded 3.2 million people.

　　India's relations with Pakistan are influenced by the centuries-old rivalry between Hindus and Muslims which led to partition of India in 1947. The principal source of contention has been Kashmir, whose Hindu Maharaja chose in 1947 to join India, although a majority of his subjects were Muslim. India maintains that his decision and the subsequent elections in Kashmir have made it an integral part of India. Pakistan asserts Kashmiris' rights to self-determination through a plebiscite in accordance with an earlier Indian pledge and a UN resolution. This dispute triggered wars between the two countries in 1947 and 1965.

　　In December 1971, following a political crisis in what was then East Pakistan and the flight of millions of Bengali refugees to India, Pakistan and India again went to war. The brief conflict left the situation largely unchanged in the west, where the two armies reached an impasse, but a decisive Indian victory in the east resulted in the

　　Chinaweek: What do you comment on the current relations of China and Pakistan?

　　Ambassador: China and Pakistan have been close neighbors for half a century. It is often described as a model of good neighbor relationship.

　　Chinaweek: How is Pakistan's economy now?

　　Ambassador: Pakistan's economy has been greatly strengthened in the last several years. The GDP growth is about 6 per cent per year. The export would be touching 12 billion dollars, foreign currency reserve is about US$11 billion. Our currency has become stronger and stronger compared with US dollars. The foreign direct investment last year is about 10 billion US dollars. Pakistan had suffered a lot because of the wars in Afghanistan which lasted for almost twenty years. Now the situation is changing, Pakistan is settling down, the political environment and the regional situation become better.

　　Chinaweek: Pakistan is also a nation with long history, but Pakistan has gone through a lot of wars and military conflicts in the past, how about its tourism nowadays?

　　Ambassador: As the macro-environment of the entire region is becoming better, Pakistan's tourism is getting better, too. Actually, Pakistan's tourism industry was very prosperous before the Afghanistan War, but the war influenced Pakistan's economy as well as its tourism. It's encouraging that nowadays we see more and more tourist, hackers and mountaineers coming back to Pakistan. The mountains in Pakistan are very unique, which can rarely be seen in other regions of the world. People come to climb mountains and see the beautiful sceneries. About 100,000 tourists come abroad every year. If we count those overseas Pakistan people, that would be millions.

　　Chinaweek: If you are asked to recommend three tourist destinations to those who haven't been to Pakistan before, which would like to recommend?

　　Ambassador: It's hard to recommend only three. From geographic point of view, the areas adjoin China, the modern Pakistan, are very beautiful. The sceneries along the Karakoram highway linking China and Pakistan are very unique.

　　The other area worth visiting is Lahore city. There are a lot of old architectures built during Mughal times. Culture life is very rich in Lahore.

　　The last I'd like to recommend is Islamabad area, the center of Buddhist culture about two thousand years ago. And Buddhism was spread to China from this area.

　　There is also another area I'd like to recommend as an addition. That is the areas close to Karachi, the biggest city in Pakistan. There had been flourishing industry about five thousand years ago.

　　Chinaweek: Since Pakistan is an Islamic country, and there are plenty of strict religion disciplines. Does this have any influence on Pakistan's tourism and foreign investment?

　　Ambassador: The are quite a number of Islamic countries in the world, such as Egypt, Morocco, Syria, Turkey, Malaysia, Indonesia and so on. The Pakistan Muslims welcome tourists from every part of the world to see their architectural buildings, mosques. They can go anywhere they want so far, people from China are mostly for business, but two travel agencies in Pakistan are trying to bring more Chinese tourists to Pakistan. It's very easy for any Chinese to apply tourism visa. We have six flights going between Pakistan and China every week.

　　Chinaweek: Are there any barriers that barricade China and Pakistan's cultural and technical exchanges?

　　Ambassador: There is no barrier in political sense. But of cause, as regard to economic or trade relationship, I would not say barriers, but we have to make efforts all the time to expand relationship in this field. Similarly, people to people contacts, you have to make efforts all the time, too.

　　Chinaweek: Were there any big events happened in recent years between the two countries that improved the bilateral relationship?

　　Ambassador: Yes, there were. Last year, our prime minister came to visit China, who was the first foreign dignity to be received by China's new leadership. Then in November, our president Musharaf met with President Hu after the Boao Forum. In December, the Excellency Jia Qinglin, the Chairmen of Chinese People's Consultive Congress paid a visit to Pakistan. During these visits, there were very important agreements reached particularly in economic field. Musharaf and President Hu Jintao also signed very important declarations for future directions of our relationship.