Pakistan

Pakistan emerged as an independent dominion in 1947 following the partition of British India, creating a new Muslim-majority state composed of two geographically separate regions—West Pakistan and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). In the early months after independence, Pakistan initially used existing British Indian postage stamps overprinted with the word “Pakistan” while new definitive issues were being prepared. Over time, the country developed its own philatelic identity, with stamps reflecting national symbols, historical figures, architecture, and important events in the young state’s history.Pakistan’s stamps were produced both by international security printers and by the Pakistan Security Printing Corporation in Karachi, which later became responsible for most of the country’s stamp production. Early definitive series often featured motifs such as the crescent and star, landmarks, and themes of national development.Pakistan adopted the Indian rupee-based currency system, where 1 Rupee = 16 Annas = 64 Pice = 192 Pies, until decimalization in 1961 introduced the system of Rupees and Paisa.

1947 Independence Overprints

1947 Pakistan - 4 Annas - Independence Overprint

First issued: 15 May 1941Overprinted in 19474 Pakistani AnnaKing George VI Independence OverprintNasik Security Printing Press, Designed by T. I. ArcherSG PK 9These are British Indian stamps featuring the portrait of King George VI weaing the imperial crown of India overprinted between August and october 1947 for use by Pakistan. They represent the very first postage stamps used by independant Pakistan.Interstingly, the stamps were printed at the Security Printing Press in nasik, India. Due to the "Standstill Agreement" between India and Pakistan, the press at Nasik continued to supply overprinted stamps to Pakistan after independence until communal violence and political friction halted the arrangement. The 4-anna denomination was a standard rate for domestic airmail, vital for maintaining communication between the physically separated wings of East and West Pakistan.The image of King George VI is based on a specific 1937 photograph by Bertram Park. This portrait was chosen because the King was famously self-conscious about his appearance (particularly his speech and public image); this profile was considered his most "resolute" and "approachable" angle. It was the first time an Indian stamp moved away from the stiff, idealized engravings of George V to a more photorealistic, humanized monarch. The Overprint came in 2 fonts: a Type I overprint with thicker and more widely spaced leterring, and the Type II overprint with thinner more compact lettering. Circular Date Stamp (CDS) dated 25 MAY 48 with location marked as Laksam, a Railway Junction town in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).Notably the first Pakistani postal stamps came out only in July 1948

1947 Pakistan - 1 Anna - Independence Overprint

First issued: 1 April 1943Overprinted in 19471 Pakistani AnnaKing George VI Independence OverprintNasik Security Printing Press, Designed by T. I. ArcherSG PK 4

1947 Pakistan - 1/2 Anna - Independence Overprint

First issued: 1 Oct 1941Overprinted in 19471/2 Pakistani AnnaKing George VI Independence OverprintNasik Security Printing Press, Designed by T. I. ArcherSG PK 2This low-denomination stamp was used primarily for postcards

1947 Pakistan - 1 1/2 Anna - Independence Overprint

First issued: 1 Sep 1942Overprinted in 19471 1/2 Pakistani AnnaKing George VI Independence OverprintNasik Security Printing Press, Designed by T. I. Archer
This is a "Service" stamp, used exclusively for official government correspondence. The overprint features the Type II oveprint which is thinner and more compact that most other stamps - and also more rare.The frame was designed by Harold Nelson, a famous British bookplate artist and illustrator. Unlike previous "medallion" styles that looked like coins, Nelson used a "Stele" or architectural block style. The heavy, square-set frame was a deliberate move to make the stamp look like a monument or a piece of state masonry, projecting the idea of an "unshakable" British presence in India.

1947 Pakistan - 3 Pice- Independence Overprint

First issued: 1 Dec 1941Overprinted in 19473 Pakistani PaisaKing George VI Independence OverprintNasik Security Printing Press, Designed by T. I. ArcherSG PK 1This was the first stamp to be used by Independant Pakistan

1947 Pakistan - 1 1/2 Anna - Independence Overprint

First issued: 1943Overprinted in 19471 1/2 Pakistani AnnaKing George VI Independence OverprintNasik Security Printing Press, Designed by T. I. ArcherSG PK 5

1947 Pakistan - 3 Annas- Independence Overprint

First issued: 05 Jan 1941Overprinted in 19473 Pakistani AnnaKing George VI Independence OverprintNasik Security Printing Press, Designed by T. I. ArcherSG PK 7

1947 Pakistan - 9 Pice - Independence Overprint

First issued: 16 Aug 1941Overprinted in 19479 Pakistani PiceKing George VI Independence OverprintNasik Security Printing Press, Designed by T. I. ArcherSG PK 3

1950s

1951 Pakistan - 3 Anna - Aircraft & Hourglass

First issued: 14 Aug 19513 Pakistani Anna4th Independence Anniversary 1954 SeriesDe la Rue Ltd, London, Designed by Abdul Rahman ChughtaiSG PK 56 Colnect Link
The stamp is part of the 1951 “Chughtai Art” independence series designed by Abdur Rahman Chughtai.The stamp design is filled with symbols.The Crescent and star was Pakistan's national emblem, while cutting across it was a stylized airplane which symbolized modernity, progress, and connectivity; early Pakistan leaned heavily on aviation symbolism because air routes were critical between West and East PakistanThe hourglass symbolized time, continuity, and the passage from past to future - which was a pretty common symbolic device in Chughtai’s work.Floral / arabesque patterns depicted a cultural identity rooted in Indo-Islamic artistic tradition rather than political imagery.

1951 Pakistan - 4 Anna - Acanthus Ornament

First issued: 14 Aug 19514 Pakistani Anna4th Independence Anniversary 1951 SeriesDe la Rue Ltd, London, Designed by Abdul Rahman ChughtaiSG PK 58 Colnect Link
This stamp is part of a deliberately non-pictorial independence issue at a time when most newly independent countries were doing the opposite—filling their stamps with leaders, flags, or overt national symbols. Pakistan commissioned the set from Abdur Rahman Chughtai, whose design approach drew heavily on Indo-Persian and Islamic decorative traditions. The acanthus-style motif is essentially a stylized, hybridized ornament rather than a literal botanical depiction. This was one of first times Pakistan moved away from inherited colonial visual language and toward an indigenous aesthetic vocabulary, and did so using cultural ornament rather than imagery.

1954 Pakistan - 1 1/2 Anna - Jehangir Mausoleum Service Overprint

First issued: 14 Aug 19541 1/2 Pakistani Anna7th Independence Anniversary 1954 SeriesPakistan Security Printing CorporationSG PK o48 Colnect Link
This stamp featured Jehangir's Mausoleum in Lahore in an effort to anchor Pakistani identity in its Mughal era architectural heritage rather than in modern political figures or symbols. Although this stamp was part of an independence anniversary issue, it was nevertheless printed in large quantities and were kept in circulation for years - functioning more like definitives than commemoratives.

1954 Pakistan - 1 Anna - Badshahi Mosque Service Overprint

First issued: 14 Aug 19541 1/2 Pakistani Anna7th Independence Anniversary 1954 SeriesPakistan Security Printing CorporationSG PK o47 Colnect Link
This 1954 stamp features 12.5mm long service overprint. In 1957, another similar stamp was issued (SG PK o55) with a longer service overprint that was 13mm long.

1952 Scinde Dawk Centenary

1952 Pakistan - 3 Anna - Olive Green Scinde Dawk Stamp Centenary

First issued: 14 Aug 19523 Pakistani AnnaScinde Dawk 1st Postage Stamp Centenary De La Rue Ltd. SG PK 63 Colnect Link
The 1952 “Sindh / Scinde Dawk” stamp (from the 5th Anniversary of Independence issue) is unusual because it commemorates something that predates Pakistan by a century — the Scinde Dawk of 1852, which was the first postage stamp issued in Asia.What makes this stamp notable is that it explicitly connects modern Pakistan to that earlier postal milestone, even though the original stamp was a very local issue confined to Sindh.Another interesting detail is the subject itself: the original Scinde Dawk stamps were embossed rather than printed, sometimes even made on red sealing wax wafers, which cracked easily and had to be replaced with paper versions. The original stamps were used to seal the envelope, and were torn to open the letter which is why so few survive today. These round stamps featured the East India Company emblem - which also features in the upper left hand of the 1952 stamp.The art work features camels laden with packs walking across a desert landscape - signifying the historical overland postal route - while 2 passenger aircrafts - signifying modern airmail - are seen in the sky.

1952 Pakistan - 12 Anna - Dark Brown Scinde Dawk Stamp Centenary

First issued: 14 Aug 195212 Pakistani AnnaScinde Dawk 1st Postage Stamp Centenary De La Rue Ltd. SG PK 64 Colnect Link

1950s Map Series

1952 Pakistan - Map of West Pakistan

First issued: 7 Dec 19551 1/2; 2; 12 Pakistani AnnaUnification of West Pakistan Pakistan Security Printing CorporationSG PK 79, 80, 81 Colnect Link
The stamps were issued on 7 December 1955 to mark the creation on 14 October 1955 of the “One Unit”, where Pakistan's four western provinces were merged into a single administrative unit called West Pakistan.What’s interesting about the design itself is how tightly controlled and symbolic it is. The stamps all show a single, unified map of West Pakistan, not individual regions — this was intentional, visually reinforcing the idea that internal boundaries no longer existed. The two flags at the top corners are mirrored, creating a symmetrical frame — this gives the stamp a poster-like, almost propaganda-style layout. Under the map, sits the slogan "Faith, Unity, Discipline" in Urdu.While the English label refers to it as a 'Province', the Urdu label uses 'Wahdat' which translates to 'Union'.The One Unit Scheme was opposed by the local governments of all the 4 provinces involved. Many saw the proposal as a ploy by Pakistan's Punjabi elite to dominate politics. In 1958 The National Awami Party sponsored a Bill in the National Assembly to dissolve the One Unit Scheme, resulting in a military coup where the Assembly was dissolved and martial law was imposed under General Yahya Khan. The One Unit Scheme stayed on until 1970.

1956 Pakistan - 2 Anna - Dark Brown Map of East Pakistan

First issued: 15 Aug 19562 Pakistani AnnaMap of East Pakistan Pakistan Security Printing CorporationSG PK 85 Colnect Link
This stamp is unusual because it shows only East Pakistan as a separate map, even though it was part of a country divided into two geographically distant wings. Instead, the design isolates the eastern region and gives it its own visual identity. The map itself is presented in a clean, simplified form with minimal internal detail, making the outline immediately recognizable. A notable feature is the use of three languages—Bengali, Urdu, and English—which appear together on the stamp, something not commonly seen in such a small format. By focusing solely on East Pakistan and labelling it clearly, the design treats it as a distinct geographic entity, rather than simply an extension of a larger whole. It was issued during a period when East Pakistan was increasingly asserting its distinct identity, particularly in the years following the Language Movement of 1952, where demands for recognition of Bengali led to major protests and eventually to Bengali being accepted as a state language. The fact that this stamp prominently uses Bengali alongside Urdu and English reflects that shift.

1960-61 Pakistan - Disputed Territories Maps

First issued: Jan 1960 - Apr 1961Map of Disputed TerritoriesPakistan Security Printing CorporationRed Brown - 13 Paise SG PK 126 Colnect LinkViolet - 3 Paise SG PK o70 Colnect LinkViolet - 6 Pie SG PK 108 Colnect LinkDark Green - 8 Anna SG PK 110 Colnect LinkGreen - 8 Anna Service Overprint SG PK 065 Colnect LinkBlue - 1 Rupee SG PK 111 Colnect LinkBlue - 1 Rupee Service Overprint SG PK o67 Colnect Link

This stamp features the map of Pakistan as it stood before 1971 - with two territories separated by the Indian landmass. The stamp also shows the territories of Jammu & Kashmir with the caption 'Final Status not Determined Yet' even though the territory as depicted had been de facto divided between India, Pakistan and China. This caption aligns with how Pakistan represented the issue in official material during the 1950s and 60s - especially following the 1948 war with India. The stamp also highlights the territories of Junagarh and Manavadar - both of which were no longer active disputes with India, but which remained as residual Pakistani claims. Note also how the stamps subtly show the Indus river - which runs through and supports Pakistan's most densely populated regions - originating from the Jammu and Kashmir region. In the decade leading up to the Indus Waters Treaty, Pakistani policy and public discourse focused heavily on the vulnerability of having the country's main river's upstream controlled by an enemy nation. Kashmir, here, was not just a territorial issue, but a hydrological issue. Similarly, the stamp show the Ganges - which supported heavily populated areas in East Pakistan - as originating within the heartlands of India. This, again raised the practical question of water security in a state whose economy at the time depended heavily on irrigated agriculture.While this map would itself have been (and continues to be) considered illegal in India, the provisions of the Universal Postal Union required India to accept it for international postage, its controversial political messaging notwithstanding.

1950s Export Industries Series

1958 Pakistan - 8 Anna - Jute Mill Service Overprint

First issued: Jan 19588 Pakistani AnnaExport Industry Series Pakistan Security Printing Corporation, Designed by De la Rue Ltd. SG PK o64 Colnect Link
In the 1950s, Pakistan released a small group of stamps featuring export industries - something that stood out in an era when most stamps were about political symbolism. The original stamp was issued in 1955, while this one was re-issued in 1958 with a service overprint for governmental use. The stamp features a Jute Mill - jute being, at the time, one of Pakistan's main export commodities. Most Jut at the time as produced in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) and formed a major source of foreign exchange for the country. The stamp was designed by De la Rue of London, and featured a distinctly british look in its visual language and engraving style, although the stamp was printed locally within Pakistan.

1955 Pakistan - 6 Anna - Textile Mill

First issued: 14 August 19556 Pakistani AnnaExport Industry Series - 8th Year of Independence Pakistan Security Printing Corporation, Designed by De la Rue Ltd. SG PK 74 Colnect Link
This stamp featured a textile mill - being part of a set of stamps that showcased the pillars of Pakistan's export economy at the time - paper, textiles, jute and natural gas.

1980s

1980 Pakistan - 1 Rupee - Tomb of Ibrahim Khan

First issued: -2 August 19801 Pakistani RupeeUNESCO World Heritage Sites Pictorial Definitives 1978-81Pakistan Security Printing Corporation, Designed by Adil SalahuddinSG PK 475 Colnect Link
The tomb of Ibrahim Khan at Makli (Thatta) belongs to the Tarkhan period of the late 16th century, and sits inside a walled enclosure with a full building at its center, which is unusual for that cemetery—most earlier enclosures just contain graves rather than a constructed mausoleum.This tomb is one piece of the much larger Makli Necropolis — one of the largest funerary sites in the world, with hundreds of thousands of tombs built over roughly 400 years, from the 14th to 18th centuries. This stamp is therefore pointing to a site where you can see architectural evolution across multiple dynasties—Samma, Arghun, Tarkhan, Mughal—all layered in one place.The Ibrahim Khan tomb itself sits right in that transition zone: its structure combines brick construction, tile decoration, and an octagonal domed layout, reflecting the shift from earlier local Sindhi styles toward more standardized Mughal-era forms, representing a moment of change in how elite burials were being built.

1989 Pakistan - 1 & 2 Rupee - Mohammad Ali Jinnah

First issued: 14 August 19891 & 2 Pakistani Rupee42 Years of IndependencePakistan Security Printing Corporation, Designed by Abdul Munir & Adil Salahuddin1 Rupee: SG PK 773 Colnect Link2 Rupee: SG PK 775 Colnect Link
This stamp is part of a full set of definitives all built around Muhammad Ali Jinnah. There were multiple denominations (1 rupee up to 5 rupees), all using variations of the same portrait concept.By this point Pakistan had already depicted Jinnah on stamps for decades, but this issue marked a shift toward standardizing his image as a default national symbol in everyday postage. Earlier issues mixed him with monuments, allegorical designs, or anniversaries, but here the state essentially collapses the idea of independence into a single figure.These stamps were produced using modern multi-colour printing (offset combined with engraving) and carried the crescent-and-star watermark.

1989 Pakistan - 7 Rupee - SAARC Anti Drugs Campaign

First issued: 8 December 19897 Pakistani RupeeSAARC Anti Drugs CampaignPakistan Security Printing Corporation, Designed by Munawar AhmedSG PK 788 Colnect Link
The stamp is linked to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Convention on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (1990). That convention was meant to coordinate how South Asian countries deal with drug trafficking and abuse—standardizing laws, improving cooperation, and sharing enforcement efforts across borders.By the time this stamp was issued, drug control in the region had already become a formalized international obligation, not just a domestic issue. Pakistan, for example, was (and still is) part of multiple UN and regional anti-narcotics frameworks, including SAARC mechanisms specifically set up to coordinate enforcement and monitoring. The stamp was therefore as much about awareness and education as it was about participation in a regional system of cooperation, which was a big deal in the early 1990s when SAARC was still trying to function as a practical bloc.

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