Pakistan is a country in South Asia.It is the sixth most populous country in the world.
The Postage stamps of Pakistan are those postage stamps issued since Pakistan's independence in 1947. Pakistan Post has issued more than 600 sets and singles totalling more than 1300 stamps. The postal history of the country dates back centuries, to before it was formed
At the time of independence in August 1947, the country inherited a divided (east and west) postal system established by the British rulers. The new system started operating under the modified Post Office Act no VI of 1898. The post office was part of the joint Department of Posts and Telegraph of the Ministry of Communications. Though the Office of the Postmaster General became operational at Lahore from 15 August 1947, the newly formed government was too preoccupied with establishing itself, therefore British Indian stamps continued to be used without an overprint as was the practice in other countries
On October 1, 1947, the government released its first stamps, being from the 1940s British India series of King George VI stamps overprinted with the word Pakistan. Known as the Nasik Overprints, this set consists of 19 stamps.
In November 1947, Pakistan joined the Universal Postal Union as its 89th member. Nine months later on 9 July 1948, the government released its first commemorative set for the country's first anniversary which consisted of 4 stamps. The stamps were inscribed “15th August 1947” because of the prevailing confusing as to which date was Pakistan’s actual date of independence. It wasn't until early 1949, that this confusion was cleared by declaring 14 August as independence day. The first day cancellation for this issue was the country's first special pictorial postmark.
14 August 1948 saw the released of the first definitive set consisting of 20 stamps. These were withdrawn from sale on 1 January 1961
The centenary of Scinde Dawks was commemorated in 1952 with the release of a set of two stamps (SG 63, 64). These depicted the actual stamps plus advances in transportation since their release |
