Safety

In connection with increasing number of terroristic attacks and worse situation, regarding safety situation since 2002, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is asking all citizens, not to travel to Pakistan for the time being !!!

Provided the citizens could not avoid, from various reasons, their trip to Pakistan, so, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs strictly recommends, to announce in advance their ideas to the respective Embassy in Islamabad, stating all basic information regarding their stay in Pakistan territory.

In such cases, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to reccomend you to avoid all places where the respective police security is not guaranteed. At the same time, you would contact only trustworthy and known personalities only, to respect country specifications and advice of persons mentioned above.

 

Climatic conditions:

Pakistan is situated in tropical belt  and subtropical Asia monsoon region. In Balutschistan, Sindh, Pandzab and NWFP, summer temperatures (since April till September) could exceed 45 °C. Summer monsoon, including heavy rains, comes during July and August. In higher situated regions, summer temperatures are rather lower, and summer monsoon ceases to sound in September (it does not penetrate Balitschistan and north mountain areas, situated in rain shadow of Himalaya Mountains). The winter (since November till February) is in north and higher situated areas of Pakistan relatively cold, especially during the night. Mountaneous regions hase also mountain climate, including frost temperatures - 20 °C. As a consequence of rains, inundations or very high snow covering, all regions (areas) could be cut off  surrounding world, without no supplies of electrical energy or foostuffs.

The dressing must be adapted not only to the weather but also, in case of women, to Islamic customs, ordering to veil nakedness, from ankles up to wrists. Nevertheless, the maintenance of such orders is not obligatory in big towns, especially as far as the foreigners are concerned.

 

Foreign Means of Payment:

The US dollars is the best acceptable foreign currency. Further, these are also GBP or EUR. The respective banking accounts could be open also in other European currency exchanges or even in Yens. However, the banks do not accept the banconotes of 100 value, issued in 1988. Nevertheless, legal money exchange could be effected, except banks, also at private exchange offices in free rate of exchange, which is a couple of percents higher as in banks.

Orientative rates of exchange:

1 USD = PKR 65

1 EUR = PKR 100

Well-known credit cards are accepted in biggest towns without problems, even bancomats are available but in limited measure.

 

Drugs:

Pakistan and Afganistan belong to very important regions of drugs ´production, as well as its transit. In a fight against production and distribution of drugs, Pakistan cooperates also with European countries. The import as well as the export of narcotics and chemicals, necessary for its production, are not permitted. For smuggling and concealing of narcotics could be, according to the law, declared even capital punishment, but this act is not applicated for foreigners. The foreigners, kept for narcotics smuggling, are punished, as a rule, with a jail, lasting for several years, and under very hard conditions.

 

Important phone numbers:

Police: 15

Firemen: 16

Ambulance: 115, 111