9 things Pakistanis get wrong about Pakistan

The country where bombs are the norm; where all men have beards; where Osama Bin Laden was found; where people don’t drink Coca-Cola.  The West’s perception of Pakistan is based on whatever fact or fable is fed to them by the media. But what about us? Is everything we think we know about Pakistan, in fact, correct? Let us find out.

Here are 9 things we think we know about ourselves but evidently don't:

We have the best mangoes in the world

PHOTO: mango.org

We take immense pride in the flavor and quality of our mangoes and why wouldn’t we? But perhaps our objectivity when it comes to mangoes is overshadowed by our love for the fruit. Considering that there aren't many foreign mangoes available in the country, there is really no way to compare. Regardless, Pakistani mangoes Sindhri and Chaunsa are among the top rated mangoes in the world alongside the Indian Kesar and Alphonso and some Californian mangoes.

We are very patriotic



We are very verbose when it comes to expressing our love for our country but we endlessly moan about holding the green passport. We speak Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto and Brahui, Siraiki and English more fluently than Urdu. If you remember all the words of the national anthem I’ll be surprised, never mind what it means. Case in point: The fiasco of Pakistan’s national anthem rendered by Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan at the T20 world cup in Kolkata. Shafqat not only forgot the lyrics, he was also accused of lacking any passion during his performance.

We are very friendly, hospitable 



If staring were the way to make someone feel welcome then we would surely take top honours as the world's friendliest country. However, in 2013, based on the ‘attitude of population toward foreign visitors’ scale, Pakistan was listed among the most unfriendly countries in the world for tourists.

We have the best military in the world

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With a budget of $7 billion and 617,000 active frontline personnel, the Pakistani military is not one to be messed with. But when it comes to world rankings, a Business Insider report published last year named Pakistan’s military as the 11^th strongest in the world -- behind South Korea, Turkey, Japan and yes, India.

Punjab is the biggest province of Pakistan



Sorry Punjabis, it ain’t so. Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan but with an area of 347,190 km square, Balochistan is the biggest province of Pakistan.

With the exception of Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, Pakistan is mostly a village



If you’re a resident of one of the cities mentioned, you might think so. However, according to data projections by The City Mayors Foundation -- an international think tank dedicated to urban affairs -- Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar and Multan are among the 50 fastest growing cities in the world.

PIA is the worst airline in the world

PHOTO: Reuters

Once the pride of Pakistan, PIA sure isn’t a five-star airline these days. However, according to airline reviews and rating website SKYTRAX, it is definitely not among the worst either.  If it’s any consolation, PIA still ranks as a 3-star airline. For now, let's just say we aren't the absolute worst.

We are the most cricket obsessed nation in the world

PHOTO: Youtube/Rodney Spark

Undoubtedly, Pakistan is among the countries that have a supreme love for the sport but our neighbours definitely have a larger fan base and viewership for the sport. So much so that to demonstrate India’s obsession with cricket, journalist Paul Coupar once said, "it is a place where Sachin Tendulkar bats and an audience the size of Europe watches.”

We are exceptionally philanthropic

PHOTO: pakemoney

We may be generous; however, we don’t make the list of top 10 'most giving' countries in the world. According to the World Giving Index 2015 -- based on research carried out by data platform Gallup and Charities Aid Foundation – we rank 94 among 145 countries. The Index measures the average percentage of people in each country who donate money, volunteer or help a stranger. One Edhi will only take us so far.