DIB Trade Country Profiles Travelling

Pakistan: Travelling

Entry Requirements

Passport and Visa Service: To obtain information on visa and entry requirements, visit the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan.
List of Pakistani embassies

For Further Information
Contact the Embassy: Contact the Embassy of Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates.

Check IATA Travel Website for visa requirements and health advices.

Organising Your Trip

Transportation From Airport to City Centre:

Airport	Distance	Taxi	Bus	Train	Car Rental
Lahore - Allama Iqbal Intl (LHE)	8km / 5 miles	20 min +	Available	-	Available
Islamabad (ISB)	10 km / 6 miles	300 R / 25 min	RS 6 / 50 min	-	Available

Means of Transport Recommended in the Rest of the Country

Train reservation services: Pakistan Railway

Major airlines

Name	Type	Domestic Flights	International Flights
Pakistan International Airlines	Major	Yes	Yes
Aero Asia	Major	Yes	Yes
Air Blue	Major	Yes	Yes
Princely Jets	Major and Charter services	Yes	Yes

You Can Consult The EU Air Safety List. Look Also at the rating of the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Visiting

Different Forms of Tourism

Historical: Mohenjodaro, a settlement dating back 5,000 years, exist in the Sindh region of Pakistan.

The two excavated sites near Taxila i.e. Jaulian and Sirkap, date back to the Buddhist Gandhara period.
Cultural: The northern parts of Pakistan have many old fortresses, towers and other architecture. The Chitral valley is home to the small pre-Islamic Animist Kalasha community which claims to be descendents of the army of Alexander the Great.

In the Punjab is the site of Alexander's battle on the Jhelum River.

Lahore is the cultural capital of Pakistan with many examples of Mughal architecture such as the Badshahi Masjid, Shalimar Gardens, Tomb of Jahangir and the Lahore Fort.
Nature: The Karakoram Highway, which follows the ancient Silk Road, offers breathtaking beauty of Himalayan mountain range including Hindukush Pamir. The trail runs along the Indus River and to the beautiful Gilgit and Hunza valleys. and Margalla Hills located in Islamabad is an important tourist place. In the midst of these hills lies Daman-e-Koh, a terraced garden with an excellent view over the city.
Religious: Many mosques and Islamic tombs exist across the country. Some of the famous ones are: Badshahi Mosque in Lahore (one of the largest mosques in the world, and an example of Moghul architecture rivaled only by the Taj Mahal), Faisal Mosque in Islamabad, and so on.

The city of Thatta in Sindh region is well known for its mausoleums and mosques.
Thermal: The beautiful area of Chitral in the Hindu Kush Mountains north of Peshawar is noted for its hot springs and trout-filled rivers.
Beach: Clifton beach of Karachi is one of the most beautiful beaches in Asia. However Pakistan has not been able to develop beach tourism because the Western concept of beach luxury somehow is not in consonance with country’s Islamic cultural traditions.
Winter Sports: Pakistan has 5 highest mountain peaks in the world and several large glaciers. The northern areas like Gilgit and Skardu are very popular for trekking. Malam Jabba resort in the Karakoram range has good skiing facilities.
Outdoor Activities: Water rafting and Pakistan canoeing are very popular on the rivers of the Northern part of Rawal Lake, situated at a distance of about 8km
Cricket is the popular game of the country. You could watch cricket matches. Polo is also popular, particularly in the northern towns of Gilgit and Chitral.
Shopping: Shopping in Pakistan is interesting and quite unique. Well-known for exquisite handicrafts, Pakistan is home to gorgeous hand-woven carpets, marble pieces, copper and brassware, woodwork, and embroidered kurtas and khussas. Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad have some excellent traditional market places (called Bazars) as well as modern shopping centers.

Top Highlights in the Main Cities
Shah Faisal Masjid
Daman-e-Koh
Rose and Jasmine Garden
Margalla Hills
Supreme Court of Pakistan
Dams near Islamabad
National Parliament of Pakistan
Rawal Lake
Islamabad Zoo

Top Highlights of the Country
Minar-e-Pakistan (Tower of Pakistan), Lahore.
Badshahi Masjid (Emperor's Mosque), Lahore.
Shalimar Gardens, Lahore.
Heera Mandi, Lahore.
Ancient city of Taxila.
Ancient cities of Harappa and Moenjodaro.
K2, second tallest mountain in the world, Northern Areas.
Nanga Parbat, one of the tallest and hardest mountain in the world to climb, Northern Areas.
Faisal Mosque, Islamabad.
Mausoleum of Quaid, Karachi.

Tourism Organisations: Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation

Living Conditions

Health and Safety

Health Precautions: No specific vaccination is required. However a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required if traveling from an infected area.

         - Foreign travelers should drink only bottled water or other bottled beverages.

         - Milk should be boiled incase unpasteurized or otherwise also.

         - Incase food products like poultry, eggs, meat and dairy products are have been un-refrigerated for more than 2 hours, these should be avoided.

         - Eat meat and fish only if well-cooked.

You should get medical insurance (including against medical repatriation costs) and seek medical advice before traveling to Pakistan.
For Further Information on Sanitary Conditions: The World Health Organization webpages devoted to Pakistan
Travel Health information for Pakistan (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Ministry of Health of Pakistan
Contact Your Embassy: Contact the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Pakistan.

Emergency Numbers

Police	15
Ambulance	115
Fire Brigade Center	16
Telephone enquiry	17
Railway enquiry	117

Time Difference and Climate

Time and Time Difference: It is %T:%M %A In Islamabad (GMT+5)
Summer Time Period: None

Map of the Time Zone

Time zone

Type of Climate: There are normally three seasons in Pakistan:
Winter (November to March): is warm and cooled by sea breezes on the coast;
Summer (April to July): has extreme temperatures,
Monsoon (July to September): has the highest rainfall on the hills.
The maximum temperature in Karachi goes to around 35 degree C in May/June.
The best time to visit Southern part of Pakistan is between November and March, when the days are cool and clear. On the other hand, the best time to visit Northern part of Pakistan is from April to October.
Hotel reservation websites: Pakistan Meteorological Department

Average Annual Temperatures and Rainfall

Climate

Eating

Food Specialties: Pakistani cuisine is based on curry or masala (hot and spicy) sauces accompanying chicken, lamb, prawns and a wide choice of vegetables. Its flavours are drawn from its Afghani, Turkish and Iranian roots.

Some of the national dishes are:

      1. Biryani: seasoned rice with mutton, chicken and yoghurt

      2. Sag gosht: spinach and lamb curry

      3. Dal chawal: brown lentils and rice

      4. Shish kebabs: charcoal-grilled meat on skewers

      5. Patties of chopped meat fried in ghee or butter

      6. Halwa: sweetmeat made with eggs, carrots, maize cream, sooji and nuts
Drinks: Tea (with milk and often very sweet) is the national drink.
There are no bars because of strict Islamic laws concerning alcohol. However alcohol may be bought at large hotels. Wine is expensive and only available in upscale restaurants. However it is illegal to drink in public.
Pakistani-brewed beer is widely available, and so are canned carbonated drinks.
Dietary Restrictions: Islam prohibits the use of pork and meats should be prepared ‘Halal’. Drinking alcohol is forbidden too. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast during daylight hours.

Paying

Domestic Currency: Pakistani Rupee
ISO Code: PKR
To Obtain Domestic Currency: Traveler’s checks can be cashed at various banks and other authorized foreign-exchange outlets across the country. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travelers are advised to take traveler’s checks in US Dollars or Pounds Sterling, though traveler's checks in Pakistan Rupees can be negotiated.
You can also get local currency by using your international credit/debit card at ATMs which operate in all major cities of Pakistan.
Possible Means of Payment: Payment is usually in cash. But credit cards are also accepted. American Express is the most widely accepted card. Moreover traveler checks are also accepted at banks, 4- & 5- star hotels and big shops. ATMs operate in all major cities.

Speaking

Official Language: Urdu, English
Other Languages Spoken: Punjabi (spoken by 48% of country’s population), Sindhi (12%), Siraiki [a Punjabi variant] (10%), Pashtu (8%), Balochi (3%), Hindko (2%), Brahui (1%), Burushaski and Other (8%)
Business Language: Practically all business correspondence is made in English, though Urdu is also sometimes used by local companies.
In Pakistani cities and urban areas, majority of the people can speak and understand English. However in case of rural areas, one may need the services of an interpreter.

Useful Resources

To Find a Job: Jobs in Pakistan
Alahad Group
Mustakbil: Jobs in Pakistan

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