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Pakistan
Even before the Iranian revolution and the Iran-Iraq and Afghan wars throttled Asian overland travel, Pakistan tended to be seen as simply the last hurdle before reaching India. Few Westerners know much about Pakistan beyond media impressions of guns and drugs, communal violence and martial law, but it contains some of Asia's most mind-blowing landscapes, a multitude of cultures and a deeply hospitable people. It's the site of some of the earliest human settlements, home to an ancient civilisation rivalling those of Egypt and Mesopotamia, and the crucible of two of the world's major religions, Hinduism and Buddhism. Facts at a GlanceFull country name: Islamic Republic of
Pakistan People: 56% Punjabi (also Pathans, Baluch, Mohajir, Sindhis) Language: Urdu (also Punjabi, English, Sindhi, and regional dialects) Religion: 97% Muslim, 3% Christian and Hindu Economic ProfileGDP: US$282 billion Facts for the Traveller Visas: Visas are required by nationals from most European
and English-speaking countries. A Pakistan visa allows you to enter
the country up to six months from the date you get it, and stay up
to three months from the date you enter. However, if you stay longer
than 30 days you are required to register at a foreigners'
registration office; these are in the larger towns and
cities. Time: GMT/UTC plus five hours Electricity: 220V, 50 Hz Weights & measures: metric (see the conversion table.) Tourism: 424,000 visitors WarningThe security situation in Pakistan deteriorated through 1997, with areas previously considered safe experiencing the same sort of violence and crime as in the long-troubled Sind region. As well as the danger of being caught up in sectarian skirmishes, travellers have been the specific target of violence in Karachi and Lahore. Sind, the region in the south of Pakistan which includes Karachi, was known as the `Unhappy Valley' or the `Land of Uncertainties' by ancient travellers. Switch to the present day and news of curfews, foreign kidnappings and atrocities between the two main ethnic groups - Sindhis, the province's indigenous inhabitants, and the Mohajir, Muslim refugees from India - suggests its former name is still not out of place. With robbery, smuggling and gun-running amongst Sind's biggest industries, the province remains a highly dangerous place to visit. Travel to Sind as well as to the North-West Frontier Province, Punjab and Baluchistan should be undertaken with caution and only after consulting a national foreign affairs department prior to departure or a consulate in Karachi for current information. Getting There & AwayMost flights from European and Asian centres arrive in Karachi, though a few also go to Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta and Gwadar (Baluchistan). Much more interesting is taking an overland route. A railway links Lahore with the Indian railway system through Amritsar, and another from Quetta crosses briefly into Iran. After the Grand Trunk Road, the most famous road into Pakistan is the Karakoram Highway, over the 4730m (15,514ft) Khunjerab Pass from Kashgar in China; roads also run from India and Iran. A bus service between Delhi and Lahore, operating four times a week, is now up and running. Sea passage is a possibility with cargo ships calling at Karachi from either the Middle East or Bombay. Getting AroundGetting around Pakistan is not always comfortable but it's incredibly cheap. The state-owned Pakistan International Airlines (PIA, sometimes referred to as `Prayers in Air') has regular flights to 35 domestic terminals and daily connections between the major centres. One of the bonuses of flying is that some of the air routes, especially to the northern areas and Chitral, are spectacular. Buses go anywhere (the true meaning of the term Inshallah - God willing - will soon become apparent along some of the treacherous mountain roads), anytime. Vans, wagons, pick-ups and jeeps are also a popular form of road transport. Train travel is slower and easier on the nerves but, unfortunately, there are no routes into the mountains. If you're fit and unafraid of feverish traffic, cycling is a particularly good way to see the country. City transport is dominated by buses, taxis, auto-rickshaws and two-wheeled, horse-drawn tongas. Source:
Destinations Asia |
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