Scalloped Hammerhead - Pakistan

The first use of buttons is attributed to the Indus Valley. Buttons were carved from seashells and used primarily as an ornament rather than a fastener. An individual’s social or political status could be determined by the buttons attached to their clothing. Gold buttons obviously ranked higher than those made from seashells.

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Sphyrna lewini - The Sphyrnidae family consists of 11 known hammerhead shark species; “sphyrna” is the Greek word for hammer. The scalloped hammerhead is the most common shark in this family and can be found throughout the world’s tropical and temperate coastal waters. The eyes and the nostrils are set on opposite ends of its elongated head. The unusual design of having the eyes set on the side of the head provides the hammerhead shark the advantage of being able to search for prey with a wider field of vision.

Common Jasmine - Pakistan

Jasminum officinale - Common jasmine is a flowering plant in the Oleaceae family; the same family featuring the olive. It is native to central Asia and distributed from the Caucasus to China. Jasmine is a deciduous climber and grows to heights of 2.5 meters. The fragrant white flowers bloom in summer. It is a hardy plant tolerant of drought conditions and pollution. Jasmine has been cultivated since ancient times. Chinese texts dating from the 3rd century give mention of the plant.

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There are eight countries using the suffix “stan” in their names: Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Armenia is referred to as Hayastan in its native language. The term is of Persian origin and translates as “place of.” The word is also the root used in other languages to convey a similar meaning; “stadt” in German meaning “city,” “stan” in Russian meaning “settlement” and “stand” in English, also meaning “settlement.”