Pakistan Post issued commemorative and definitive stamps on eleven different occasions throughout the year 1984. It was the year when twenty years ago, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), the national flag carrier, became the first airlines outside the then Communist Bloc to fly to China and later to operate a service between Asia and Europe via Moscow. Since then the air link to China is one of the premier routes of PIA. A commemorative stamp was issued to mark the 20th anniversary of the inaugural flight to Peking, now Beijing.
Pakistan is blessed with a very rich trove of natural resources, fauna and fana. And its northern areas house some of the endangered species of animals like the Markhor, the Marco Polo sheep and the Snow Leopard. The year commended w3ith a set of two stamps to highlight the fast disappearing species of Uncia uncia (Snow Leopard):
21 January: Wildlife Series (Fauna) - Uncia uncia (Snow Leopard)
17 March: Squash Champions - Jahangir Khan
Jahangir Khan is a former World No. 1 professional squash player from Pakistan, who is considered to be the greatest player in the history of squash. During his career he won the World Open six times and the British Open a record ten times. From 1981 to 1986, he was unbeaten in competitive play. During that time he won 555 matches consecutively, the longest winning streak by any athlete in top-level professional sports as recorded by Guinness World Records. He retired as a player in 1993, and has served as President of the World Squash Federation from 2002 to 2008, when he became Emeritus President.[Wikipedia]
29 April: The 20th Anniversary of Pakistan International Airways' Service to China (1964-1984)
31 May: Pakistan Handicrafts Series - Glass work in Sheesh Mahal, Lahore Fort
16 June: Definitive Series - Forts of Pakistan
The forts shown are (left to right from top row: 1-Kot Diji, 2-Rohtas Fort, 3-Bala Hisar, 4-Attock Fort, 5-Hyderabad, 6-Lahore Fort, 7-Sibi Fort, 8-Rani Kot Fort
26 June: Aga Khan Award for Architecture - Tomb of Shah Rukn-i-Alam, Multan
1 July: The 20th Anniversary of Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union
31 July: 1984 Olympic Games - Los Angeles, USA
14 August: Independence Day
1 September: Pakistan International Trade Fair, Karachi
7 November: The 25th Anniversary of United Bank Limited
5 November: Pakistan Tourism Convention - Shah Jahan Mosque, Thatta, Sind
24 December: The 20th Anniversary of United Nations Conference on Trade and Development or UNCTAD.
29 December: The 100th Anniversary of Postal Life Insurance
31 December: UNESCO Campaign - "Save Mohenjo-Daro"
Mohenjo-daro, pronounced in local Sindhi language as Moenjodaro, meaning the Mound of the Dead, ruins in Sindh, Pakistan are a prized heritage trove of Pakistan. Thrived as one of the largest settlements of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization, and one of the world's earliest major cities, contemporaneous with the civilizations of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Minoan Crete, and Norte Chico since 2500 BCE, Mohenjo-daro was abandoned in the 19th century BCE as the Indus Valley Civilization declined. The ruins of Mohenjo Daro were discovered in 1922 and significant excavation has since been conducted at the site of the city, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980.
However, lately the ruins are subjected to erosion and have been threatened by an alarming degradation and deterioration. In order to create awareness about the decaying ruins and make arrangements for its restoration, a number of stamps were issued in 1976, labelled as "Save Mohenjo Daro." And thereafter too stamps are being issued to create awareness to save these massive ruins.
