Pakistan

From World travel guide

Pakistan (Urdu: پاکستان) is a populous country in Asia. Located along the Arabian Sea, it is surrounded by Afghanistan to the west and northwest, Iran to the southwest, India to the east, and China to the northeast. It is strategically located astride the ancient trade routes of the Khyber and Bolan Pass between Asia and Europe.

Contents 1 Regions 2 Cities & Towns 3 Other destinations 4 Understand 4.1 Climate 4.2 Terrain 4.3 History 5 Get in 5.1 By plane 5.2 By train 5.3 By car 5.4 By bus 5.5 By boat 6 Get around 7 Talk 8 Buy 9 Eat 10 Drink 11 Sleep 12 Learn 13 Work 14 Stay safe 15 Stay healthy 16 Respect 17 Contact 18 External links 19 Geography 20 Economy 21 Communications 22 Transportation 23 Transnational Issues

Regions

Administrative divisions 

4 provinces, 1 territory*, and 1 capital territory**;

• Balochistan
• Federally Administered Tribal Areas*
• Islamabad Capital Territory**
• North-West Frontier Province
• Punjab
• Sindh
• The Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region includes Azad Kashmir and the Northern Areas.

Cities & Towns

Some important Pakistani cities are:

• Islamabad - Capital
• Karachi
• Lahore
• Gwadar
• Peshawar
• Rawalpindi
• Sialkot - (Famous for its sports industry)
• Faisalabad - (Famous for its textiles industry)
• Muzaffarabad
• Hyderabad
• Quetta

Other destinations

• • Malam jabba ski resort in Swat
  • Lake Saif-ul-mulk in Naran
  • Bhurban
  • Nathia gali
  • Baltit fort in Hunza
  • Gilgit Valley
  • Chitral Valley
  • Makran coastal highway between Karachi and Gwadar
  • Ziarat Valley
  • Khyber pass
  • Holy places of Khalsa
  • Marine Turtles & Mangrove Forests
  • Keenjhar & Haleji Lakes
  • Wetlands & Historical Sites Of Salt Range
• Archaeological Sites
  • Taxila: Gandhara civilization
  • Takht-i-Bahi: Buddhist Monastery
  • Indus Valley civilizations: MohenjoDaro, Harappa
  • Mehrgarh
  • Banbhore
  • Butkara Stupa
  • Chaukundi
  • Thatta
  • Dir
• Mountain peaks
  • K2
  • Masherbrum
  • Gasherbrum
  • Nanga Parbat
  • Broad peak
  • Ultar peak
  • Istronal
  • Trich mir
  • Rakaposhi
• National Parks
  • Kirthar National Park
  • Deosai National Park
  • Margalla Hills National Park
  • Ayubia National Park
  • Chitral Gol National Park

Understand

Climate

Mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north. Flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August)

Terrain

Flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest; Balochistan plateau in west. Experiences frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe, especially in north and west.

Highest point 

K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m

History

Prior to the 1900's the area of Pakistan was the area from which the Muslims ruled over Central and Southern Asia for over a thousand years. Initially where the Arabs landed by ship, soon it would be where the Persians would base their rule. Today Pakistan is made up of people from various races including Arabs from after the Islamic expeditions, Persians from Bukhara and Samarkand, and the Hindus who were converted to Islam.

The official name of Pakistan was used after the separation of British India in 1947. The once Islamic Empire was divided into the Islamic Republic of Pakistan (with two sections West and East) and largely Hindu India. A third war between these countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan seceding and becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. A dispute over the state of Kashmir is ongoing.

Pakistan developed their own nuclear weapons and conducted its own tests in 1998.

Almost all leaders of Pakistan after Muhammad Ali Jinnah have been accused of corruption and the country has since been unable to restore any of the prestige the Muslims once had.

Get in

Don't even think of getting a visa in the consulate in Istanbul. If you don't work in Turkey they send you away. May be it is possible in Ankara.

Visas are easier for people of Pakistani origin living overseas.

By plane

Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi are the main gateways to Pakistan by air. Quaid-e-Azam International Airport in Karachi is served by many international airlines, including Swiss, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines, and PIA. (http://www.karachiairport.com/)

Though Islamabad is probably the best way to ease yourself into Pakistan. It is much safer than Karachi or Lahore and is quite modernized compared to the latter.

By train

Do not go by train in Pakistan. The railways still need much more improvement before they can be considered safe to Western standards.

By car

You can negotiate Taxis. Be patient and if you have any doubts, do not get in the car. Travel in a group for safety.

By bus

The buses are the best way to get around. The fare is reasonable, it is safe, and the ride is much more comfortable than the other means available.

By boat

Maybe for fun or sight seeing, not for a means of transportation though.

Get around

in the past getting around was a very hectic task but nowadays its very easy because of the advent of motorways and many private airlines.

Talk

It depends who you are talking to.

English is understood by those who attende English medium schools or universities. You'll have to ask to see who knows.

To street vendors and the common man, a few words from a Indian movie (Hindustani language) will get you by. Many impoverished individuals lean to the Indian movies for their main source of entertainment, so they eventually pick up the mixed language (of Hindi, English, and Urdu) shown in Indian films.

To educated individuals, a few words of literary Urdu will get you into a discussion of politics, religion, or the beauty of the world. If you wish to express yourself with the beauty that the poets of old once did, Urdu is a must.

Buy

You can buy almost anything in Pakistan. Karachi and Lahore have many western style shopping centres stocked with everything imaginable.

Eat

Pakistani food mainly consists of various kinds kabobs eaten with either flatbread or rice. Food tends to be either mild or very spicy depending on where you are. So state your preference before beginning to eat. In general, most of the same food you can find in the highest quality restaurants/hotels there is available commonly in the markets (but European-style food is generally reserved for the former).

The types of flatbread (collectively referred to as Nan) are:

• Nan

A soft and thick bread that often requires special ovens and cannot be properly made on home stoves. It is recognized by its larger, white exterior.

• Roti/Chapatti

A homemade bread that doesn't have as much flavor as naan. It is a cheap alternative that is ready in minutes.

• Paratha

An extremely oily version of the roti. Usually excellent if you're going out to eat, but beware of health concerns; often it is literally dripping with oil because it is meant to be part of a rich meal.

• Sheer Mal

This is a slightly sweetened, lightly oiled bread that has waffle-like squares punched in it. It is often considered the most desireable bread and is a delicacy to most people. Often paired with nihari.

• Taftan

Much like the sheer mal but with a puffed-up ring around it. This is generally jsut as good as the sheer mal but easier to eat liquidy shorba with.

As you might have noticed, Nan is usually used to pick liquid and soft foods like shorba and beans. Utensils are not commonly used during meals in Pakistan except to serve dishes (unless someone is eating rice and would like to be polite or is unpracticed eating it by hand). Attempting to cut a naan with a knife and drink shorba with a spoon may elicit some amusement around you. Watching others may help.

Types of kabobs (mainly made of Beef or Lamb) are:

• Seekh Kabob (سيخ کباب)

A long skewer of Beef mixed with herbs and seasonings.

• Shami Kabob (شامي کباب)

A short skewer of Beef, softer than seekh kabobs.

• Chapli Kabob (چپلي کباب)

A spicy round kabob that can also be used for burgers.

• Chicken Kabob (مرغ کباب)

A popular kabob that is found both with bone and without.

• Lamb Kabob (کبابِ برہ گوشت)

The all lamb meat kabob is usually served as cubes.

Other popular dishes include:

• Roasted Chicken (whole) (مرغ بريان)

A whole chicken roasted. Very famous around Pakistan. You'll see them on the rotisserie while driving on Lahore streets.

• Briyani (برياني)

A dish with mixed pieces of chicken and rice. It smells nice from the saffron and other seasonings added.

• Chicken Tikka

Baked or roasted chicken with a spicy exterior. Looks like a huge, red chicken leg and thigh. For all meat lovers. Is available most anywhere.

• Haleem

Thick souplike mix of tiny chunks of meat, lentils and wheat grains.

There are too many shorbas, or sauces, to enumerate. However, you should know of the most common ones.

Vegetarian

• Lobia or Daal

Yellow(plain) or brown(slightly sour) lentil "soup". Usually unspiced. Common to all economic classes.

• Aloo Gobi

Potatoes and cauliflour. Cooked so that both are soft and breakable with finger pressure.

• Bamia

Okra, Can be bitter...

• X + ki sabzi

A vegetarian mixture with 'X' as the main ingredient

With Meat

• Aloo Gosht (Potatoes and Meat)

Chunks of potato and goat meat in gravy. Levels of spice vary. One example of a generic dish that includes most things + Gosht(meat).

• Nihari

Beef simmered for several hours. A delicacy often eaten with Nan, Sheer Mal, or Taftan. Few people will have this available without spice. Eat with lemon, fried onion and caution: it is one of the spiciest curries.

• Paye

Very, very wet salan, often served in a bowl or similar dish. Eat by dipping pieces of naan in it, maybe finishing with a spoon. Hard to eat.

Desserts Enjoy a variety; ice cream (بستني) can be found in an abundance of flavors. Falooda (فلودہ) is tasty rosewater desert. The sweets are called different things depending on where you go. Eat small chunks at a time, eating large pieces can be rude and will generally be too sweet.

Drink

Tap water is not fit for drinking unless you have lived there and drunk it for a long time. Ask for bottled water wherever possible, and avoid anything cold that might have water in it. See Stay Healthy for details.

In the warmer southern region, sweet drinks are readily available throughout the day. Look for street vendors that have fruits (real or decorations) hanging from their roofs. Also, some milk/yoghurt shops serve lassi. Ask for meethi lassi for a sweet yoghurt drink.

Sleep

Hotels or mahmankhane (مہمان خانہ) are usually found around busy transportation hubs like bus stations. Don't be fooled by an impressive lobby. See the room. Check the beds. The toilets. The lights. The windows etc.

Learn

Work

Many Pakistani companies are looking for Sales representives and usually all manner of companies will be happy to speak to a well dressed Westerner about business.

Many tourists are known to buy leather goods and other curios in Pakistan sell them in Goa India or somehow get them shipped back to the West.

Otherwise your best way of working is contact the numerous Aid agencies that work out of Peshawar. Don't go to Peshawar without a contact or a plan.

Stay safe

Outside the cities and some regions of each city, travel in groups that include locals. In the unwesternized parts of each city (the posh, westernized parts are obvious: they have better roads and larger homes), travel in groups and dress conservatively. Stay with locals who like you.

Don't let safety factors stop you from visiting Pakistan. It's much safer than you hear, and the people are much more welcoming and honest than in other, more heavily touristed countries in the region.

Stay healthy

Avoid tap water! Take every precaution to drink only boiled, filtered or bottled water. Tap water is known to contain many impurities. Also beware when drinking milk--don't drink it fresh from the milk carrier very often; boil and cool it. Non-pasteurized dairy can spread tuberculosis.

In the summer it gets very hot. Be careful to stay hydrated.

Avoid foods with a lot of spice! Always notify your host, cook or waiter if you are intolerant of spice.

Tuberculosis is common in some regions. Be very careful, very careful around people with a hacking cough.

Respect

If you are intent on going to places like the NWFP, you are best advised to learn some Pashtu. Just a greeting will get you far.

Do not make silly jokes about religion, women(sex) or alcohol. You will cause offence and it is something you really ill advised to do.

Just respect and observe.

Contact

External links

• Official Tourism Web site

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Geography

Geographic coordinates 

30 00 N, 70 00 E

Area 

total: 803,940 sq km
land: 778,720 sq km
water: 25,220 sq km

Area - comparative 

slightly less than twice the size of California

Coastline 

1,046 km

Maritime claims 

contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Natural resources 

land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone

Land use 

arable land: 27.81%
permanent crops: 0.79%
other: 71.4% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land 

180,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Environment - current issues 

water pollution from raw sewage, industrial wastes, and agricultural runoff; limited natural fresh water resources; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements 

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban

Economy

Economy - overview 

Pakistan, an impoverished and underdeveloped country, suffers from internal political disputes, lack of foreign investment, and a costly confrontation with neighboring India. Pakistan's economic prospects, marred by poor human development indicators, low levels of foreign investment, and reliance on international creditors for hard currency inflows, were nonetheless on an upswing through most of 2001. The MUSHARRAF government made significant inroads in macroeconomic reform - it completed an IMF short-term loan program for the first time and improved its standing with international creditors by increasing revenue collection and restraining the fiscal deficit in the 2001/02 budget. While Pakistan has capitalized on its international standing after the 11 September terrorist attacks on the US by garnering substantial assistance from abroad - including $1.3 billion in IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility aid and $12.5 billion in Paris Club debt rescheduling - long-term prospects remain uncertain. GDP growth will continue to hinge on crop performance; dependence on foreign oil leaves the import bill vulnerable to fluctuating oil prices; and foreign and domestic investors remain wary of committing to projects in Pakistan. Pakistani trade levels - already in decline due to the global economic downturn - worsened in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, which occurred in the USA.

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use 

2.861 million (March 1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular 

158,000 (1998)

Telephone system 

general assessment: the domestic system is mediocre, but improving; service is adequate for government and business use, in part because major businesses have established their own private systems; since 1988, the government has promoted investment in the national telecommunications system on a priority basis, significantly increasing network capacity; despite major improvements in trunk and urban systems, telecommunication services are still not readily available to the majority of the rural population
domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable, cellular, and satellite networks
international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); 3 operational international gateway exchanges (1 at Karachi and 2 at Islamabad); microwave radio relay to neighboring countries (1999)

Radio broadcast stations 

AM 27, FM 1, shortwave 21 (1998)

Radios 

13.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations 

22 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions 

3.1 million (1997)

Internet country code 

.pk

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 

30 (2000)

Internet users 

1.2 million (2000)

Transportation

Railways 

total: 8,163 km
broad gauge: 7,718 km 1.676-m gauge (293 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 445 km 1.000-m gauge (2001)

Highways 

total: 247,811 km
paved: 141,252 km (including 339 km of expressways)
unpaved: 106,559 km (1998)

Pipelines 

crude oil 250 km; petroleum products 885 km; natural gas 4,044 km (1987)

Merchant marine 

total: 17 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 241,832 GRT/367,093 DWT
ships by type: cargo 13, container 3, petroleum tanker 1 (2002 est.)

Airports 

120 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways 

total: 87
over 3,047 m: 14
2,438 to 3,047 m: 21
914 to 1,523 m: 17
under 914 m: 3 (2002)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 32

Airports - with unpaved runways 

total: 38
1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 19 (2002)

Heliports 

13 (2002)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international 

armed stand-off with India over the status and sovereignty of Kashmir continues; dispute with India over the terminus of Rann of Kutch prevents extension of a maritime boundary; water-sharing problems with India persist over the Indus River (Wular Barrage); close ties with Pashtuns in Afghanistan make long border difficult to control

Illicit drugs 

opium poppy cultivation practically eliminated; key transit point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western markets; Afghan narcotics continue to transit Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Balochistan Province, and Karachi; financial crimes related to drug trafficking, terrorism, corruption, and smuggling remain problems

Focal point of Islamic terrorism 

Al-Quaeda and Taliban have strong local support especially in FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) areas. Western travellers and journalists are at highest threat, esp those adhering to Jewish or Hindu religious beliefs

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