Five facts, each worth a story on its own. These are the 5 amazing facts about Pakistan we’d stake our reputation on — verified, sourced and told properly. Part of our definitive Pakistan facts guide.
Quick answer: Five verified amazing facts: (1) K2 (8,611 m) is the world’s second-highest mountain. (2) Mohenjo-daro was a planned city 4,500 years ago. (3) Khewra is the world’s second-largest salt mine. (4) Sialkot makes ~70% of the world’s hand-stitched footballs. (5) The Edhi Foundation runs one of the world’s largest volunteer ambulance networks.
In this guide
1. K2 — the Savage Mountain
At 8,611 metres, K2 is the world’s second-highest mountain — and by common consent the hardest of the great peaks to climb. It rises on the Pakistan–China border in the Karakoram, first summited in 1954 by Italians Achille Compagnoni and Lino Lacedelli. For decades it resisted winter ascent entirely; a Nepali team finally climbed it in January 2021. Pakistan holds five of the world’s fourteen 8,000-metre peaks — no country packs more high mountains into its borders.
2. Mohenjo-daro — the 4,500-year-old city
Long before Rome or Athens, Mohenjo-daro in Sindh had straight streets laid out on a grid, covered drains, and the Great Bath — a watertight brick pool that still holds water after 4,500 years. It was among the largest cities of the Indus Valley Civilisation, home to tens of thousands. Its name means “Mound of the Dead Men” — but its urban planning was centuries ahead of its time, and it is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
3. Khewra — the salt mine that feeds the world
The world’s second-largest salt mine, in Punjab’s Salt Range, produces the famous pink Himalayan salt found in kitchens worldwide. Alexander the Great’s troops reportedly discovered it in 326 BCE when their horses licked the rocks. Today the mine is part working industry, part tourist attraction — with tunnels, a salt mosque, and sculptures all carved from glowing pink salt.
4. Sialkot — the city that stitches the world’s game
About 70% of the world’s hand-stitched footballs come from Sialkot — including the official match balls of multiple FIFA World Cups, sewn by thousands of skilled workers. The same city is a global hub for surgical instruments. Few cities of its size have touched as many lives through craft.
5. Edhi — the ambulance network built on charity
Abdul Sattar Edhi started with one van in Karachi in 1951. The Edhi Foundation he built became one of the world’s largest volunteer ambulance networks — alongside orphanages, shelters and hospitals — funded almost entirely by public donations. Edhi lived in near-poverty himself, owning two sets of clothes. Pakistan’s most beloved humanitarian proved that one person’s compassion can scale to a nation. Want more? See 15 amazing facts that will surprise you.
Frequently asked questions
How tall is K2?
8,611 metres (28,251 feet) — the world’s second-highest mountain after Mount Everest (8,849 m).
How old is Mohenjo-daro?
About 4,500 years — built around 2500 BCE as one of the great cities of the Indus Valley Civilisation.
Where does pink Himalayan salt come from?
The Khewra Salt Mine in Punjab, Pakistan — the world’s second-largest salt mine.
What did Abdul Sattar Edhi do?
He founded the Edhi Foundation, one of the world’s largest volunteer ambulance and welfare networks, serving Pakistan’s poorest for over six decades.
