A Great Poem by Dr. Allama Iqbal

National Anthem of Pakistan (قومی ترانہ)

Saemaul Movement 새마을 운동 (Korea)

Korea had maintained a unique its culture that was not influenced by any incidents like war. However, the Japanese occupied at the end of the 19th century took away all that. Until the late 1960’s, the Korean society was uprooted by differences in ideas and ravished by poverty. The per capita GNP at that time was 85 dollars. The majority of Korean people did not have enough to eat their daily meals.

Situations were worst in the rural area. Farming houses accounted for 70% of the national population, but most of them couldn’t afford to buy food. Young children had to give hands for farming instead of going to school, and yet, they did not have enough to eat. The gap between urban and rural areas kept broadening, so many people swarmed in cities, and it made the urban area very unstable.

Korea couldn’t expect any progress of the nation. But national resources were not abundant and the government couldn’t take the responsibility of supporting rural communities. The only possible breakthrough was the awakening and participation of people.

But farmers were tired and exhausted of poverty and alienation and hardly had any will of reformation. In fact, they didn’t have any hope that their life could be better.

Thus, the government proposed Saemaul Undong  Movement 새마을운동 in rural communities to inspire the people and lead them into the progress of rural communities.

The Saemaeul(New Village 새마을) Movement (Rural community development program) also known as New Village Movement, was a political initiative launched on April 22, 1970 by South Korean president Park Chung Hee 박정희.

The objectives of this movement were:

¢ To improve income and living condition

¢ To modernize the rural South Korean economy.

History of Islamic Republic of Pakistan

The Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a parliamentary republic and sovereign state in South Asia. It has a 1,046-kilometer (650 mi) coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. Tajikistan also lies very close to Pakistan but is separated by the narrow Wakhan Corridor. Strategically it is located in a position between the important regions of South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East.

The region forming modern Pakistan was the site of several ancient cultures including the Neolithic Mehrgarh and the bronze era Indus Valley Civilization. Subsequently it was the recipient of Vedic, Persian, Indo-Greek, Islamic, Turco-Mongol, and Sikh cultures through several invasions and/or settlements. As a result the area has remained a part of numerous empires and dynasties including the Persian empires, Islamic caliphates and the Mauryan, Mongol, Mughal, Sikh and British Empires. 
Pakistan gained independence from the British Empire in 1947 after a struggle for independence, led by Mohammad Ali Jinnah that sought independent states for the Muslim majority populations of the eastern and western regions of British India. With the adoption of its constitution in 1956, Pakistan became an Islamic republic. In 1971, an armed conflict in East Pakistan resulted in the creation of Bangladesh.

Pakistan is a federal parliamentary republic consisting of four provinces and four federal territories. With over 170 million people, it is the sixth most populous country in the world and has the second largest Muslim population after Indonesia. It is an ethnically and linguistically diverse country with a similar variation in its geography and wildlife. It is a country with a semi-industrialized economy. Since gaining independence, Pakistan's history has been characterized by periods of military rule, political instability and conflicts with neighboring India. The country faces challenging problems including poverty, illiteracy, corruption and terrorism.

Pakistan has the seventh largest standing armed force with volunteers to the army available for military service numbering 70 million and is the only Muslim-majority nation to possess nuclear weapons. It is designated as a major non-NATO ally of the United States. It is a founding member of the Organization of the Islamic Conference and a member of the United Nations, Commonwealth of Nations, Next Eleven economies and the G20 developing nations.

History of South Korea

The History of South Korea formally begins with the establishment of South Korea on 15 August 1948, although Syngman Rhee had declared the establishment in Seoul on 13 August.

In the aftermath of the Japanese occupation of Korea which ended with Japan's defeat in World War II in 1945, Korea was divided at the 38^th Parallel North in accordance with a United Nations arrangement, to be administered by the Soviet Union in the north and the United States in the south. The Soviets and Americans were unable to agree on the implementation of Joint Trusteeship over Korea. This led in 1948 to the establishment of two separate governments, each claiming to be the legitimate government of all of Korea. Eventually, following the Korean War, the two separate governments stabilized into the existing political entities of North and South Korea.

South Korea's subsequent history is marked by alternating periods of democratic and autocratic rule. Civilian governments are conventionally numbered from the First of Syngman Rhee to the contemporary Sixth Republic. The First Republic, arguably democratic at its inception, became increasingly autocratic until its collapse in 1960. The Second Republic was strongly democratic, but was overthrown in less than a year and replaced by an autocratic military regime. The Third, Fourth, and Fifth Republics were nominally democratic, but are widely regarded as the continuation of military rule. With the Sixth Republic, the country has gradually stabilized into a liberal democracy.

Since its inception, South Korea has seen substantial development in education, economy, and culture. Since the 1960s, the country has developed from one of Asia's poorest to one of the world's wealthiest nations. Education, particularly at the tertiary level, has expanded dramatically. It is said to be one of the "Four Tigers" of rising Asian states along with Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Enriched Culture

Culture has numerous meanings of itself. It has arrived from the Latin word cultura which means to cultivate. It generally comprises of ideational, intangible and symbolic characteristics of different human societies around the world. It also includes common human pattern of interactions and behavior, emotional understanding, experiences, and trust on each other that is built through a learning process of socialization. These kinds of patterns classify and distinguish one group or culture from the other one.

The culture of Pakistan has a very diverse and detailed culture. It has its influence from the cultures of its surrounding countries namely the cultures of Indians, Afghans, Persians, Turkish and also middle and central Asia. It has also been influenced from many different communities such as the Arabs, Greeks, Mongols, Aryans, Greeks and Eurasians.

It has the influence of culture way back from 2800 BC. It is an Islamic nation and more than 90% of the population living are Muslims. Their architecture and food are the highlights presenting the glimpse of their rich culture. One can easily notice the variety and differences in different ethnic groups in aspects like food, religion, dress and even the customs and practices.

Thus Pakistan’s culture is quite fascinating and gives a glance of its rich and diverse heritage and culture.

The culture of Korea is one of the oldest cultures and is 5000 years old. It has grown with various events and traditions that influenced the culture. Primitive tribes and Mongolians inhabited Korea first. Korean culture is represented through their music, dance, art, paintings and different crafts style. Their culture possesses numerous distinctive characteristics and has their own exclusive style. They deeply and emotionally feel about the nature and respect it thoroughly. Their always value their ancestors and their customs and culture. Korean culture has a great influence on their homes, cuisine, dresses and even the festivals as they have a distinctive style.