While Pakistan as an Islamic country was created in 1947 it has a rich Hindu and Buddhist past, the region has a long history of settlement and civilisation including the Indus Valley Civilisation. A brief Historical background of the region is an important backdrop to appreciate the non-Muslim religious, cultural and architectural heritage of the region. The Indus Valley civilisation collapsed in the middle of the second millennium BCE and was followed by the Vedic Civilisation, which extended over much of northern India and Eastern Pakistan. The Indus Valley Civilization was a civilization thriving along the Indus River in what is now Pakistan and north-western India. Among other names for this civilization is the Harappan Civilization, in reference to its first excavated city of Harappa.
