Flag of Pakistan
The National Flag of Pakistan (Urdu: پاکستان کا قومی پرچم) is based on the original flag of the Muslim League, which itself drew inspiration from the flag of the Sultanate of Delhi and the Mughal Empire in India. It was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on August 11, 1947, just three days before the independence of Pakistan on August 14, 1947. The flag is referred to in the national anthem as Parcham-e-Sitāra-o-Hilāl in Persian (lit. Flag of the Crescent and the Star). The flag comprises a dark green field, representing the Muslim majority of Pakistan, with a vertical white stripe in the hoist, representing religious minorities. In the centre is a white crescent moon and a five-pointed star, which symbolize progress and light respectively. The flag symbolizes Pakistan's commitment to Islam, the Islamic world, and the rights of religious minorities. The flag is flown on several important days of the year including Republic Day and Independence Day.

Before the Second World War, Muslims and Hindus lived together under the control of the United Kingdom. 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.

A designer named Amir-Din Khidwai 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 flag has a dark green background, emblematic of the large Muslim population in that country. Still, the Muslims of Pakistan wanted people of all faiths to feel welcome in their country. For that reason, the flag of Pakistan has a wide white bar along the side that touches the flag pole. That bar signals a welcome to all religious minorities.

On the dark green background of the Pakistan flag, one finds a white crescent moon and white, five-pointed star. The moon is meant to represent progress; the star designates the importance of light and knowledge. The Pakistan flag indicated the readiness of Pakistani citizens to look to light and knowledge and to encourage progress within Pakistan. 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 eighth day of August. That is considered to be Pakistan’s Independence Day. Authorities in Pakistan became free of British control on August 8, 1947. A look at the map of Pakistan shows where government officials expect to see the dark green flag with the white symbols. The Pakistan flag flies at the various crossing points along each of Pakistan’s borders. Citizens of India, the country to the east of Pakistan can thus see the Pakistan flag from India’s western border.

Citizens of Iran and Afghanistan can view the flag of Pakistan from points to the west of Pakistan. A section of Afghanistan and a section of China are found north of Pakistan. The green flag of Pakistan flies from points along that northern border. The waters that come from the Persian Gulf flow past southern Pakistan. Ships in that waterway can expect to see the green flag of Pakistan. One section in the north of Pakistan has required the placement of a special footnote on the map of Pakistan. That is the region of land known as Kashmir. One portion of the land in Kashmir is administered by authorities from Pakistan, but is does not have provincial status in Pakistan. A second portion of Kashmir is administered by Indian authorities. Contents
* 1 Design
* 2 Flag protocals

Design
The official design of the national flag was adopted by the Constituent Assembly together with a definition of the features and proportions:

"A dark green rectangular flag in the proportion of length and width 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, nearest the mast, the remainder three-fourths being dark green. The dimensions of the crescent and star are obtained as follows:

"Draw the diagonal from the top right hand corner to the bottom left corner of the green portion. On this diagonal establish two points 'A' and 'B'. Point 'A' at a distance equidistant from top right and bottom left hand corners of the green portion, i.e. the centre of the green portion. Point 'B' at a distance from the top right hand corner equal to 13/20th the width of the flag. With centre point 'A' and radius 1.1/4th the width of the flag describe a second arc. The enclosures made by these two arcs form the crescent. The dimensions of the five-pointed white heraldic star are determined by drawing a circle 1/10th the width of the flag. The circle surrounds the five points of the heraldic star. The star lies with one point on the diagonal at a point where the larger arc of the crescent, if completed, cuts the diagonal."

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 protocals
* 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 were it is likely to get dirty

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