PAKISTAN

Visas, Embassies & Border Crossings

Visa extensions can also be provided by the Directorate of Immigration and Passport in Saddar, Karachi. It is in the middle of the conglomerate of government buildings in the heart of the district. Passport photos are needed.
Colin Coates, Australia (Jan 99)

We arranged all visas for Iran, Pakistan and India in Istanbul, Turkey, which took us all together about eight or nine days, reasonably fast. For Iran, you first need a visa for Pakistan (we got less days for Pakistan than people who applied in Brussels). India and Pakistan visa costs about US$20 for Belgians. The Iran visa cost US$50 (for all nationalities) and takes generally five to seven days. The Pakistan visa only takes 24 hours. The visa for India was ready in three days, though sometimes it can take ten days. The advantage was that the Iranian consulate gave us our passports back when our application was still in request, so that we could go to the Indian consulate. We also only had to pay for the Iranian visa when everything was ok, while we heard of some British citizens that they had to pay US$50 when applying, without knowing they would be successful.
Isabelle Cherlet & Dirk Engels, Belgium

When overlanding from London to India, one of our party had difficulty getting a Pakistani visa in London because he was on a New Zealand passport. The embassy in Turkey provided it without a problem - the same applied to the Iranian visa.

When you get to Pakistan be sure to try the all night curry house/truck stop in the middle of nowhere at Fort Munro - mind blowing !!
Quinten, Robe and Dave (Sept 98)

Thai citizens apart, you cannot apparently get a visa for Pakistan form the Pakistani embassy in Bangkok. I tried in April and was told it was a special new government policy only for Bangkok. They suggested I return to New Zealand to get my visa.

Despite a long winded, but very polite, discussion and explanation of why I need them to issue me one, they said they could not.

They said a 15 day visa could be issued for me on arrival if I flew into the country. I explained I was going to overland from China which they frowned at and suggested I try my luck at the Pakistan embassy in Beijing.
Darrin Johansen (Apr 98)

Emirates will start flying into Islamabad and Lahore from January which should make getting to the north much easier and avoid having to go to dreaded Karachi. It means it will be possible to take the evening Emirates flight from London to Dubai and catch a connection to Islamabad.
Amin Bilal (Dec 98)

I stayed in Kalam in the Swat valley and attempted a jeep ride north through Ushu and Matiltan to Lake Mahodand. The LP Pakistan advises that the road up to the lake should be safe, but I got as far as a tea shop above Matiltan, when three heavily armed (but friendly) tribesman informed me that it wasn't safe to go any further. On our way down we had an AK-47 pointed at us at close range. Take care in this valley even if on the road. An armed escort is preferable and definitely needed for trekking. The scenery was fantastic.
Rowan Castle, UK (Oct 98)

In general being in Pakistan as a single woman not too difficult, but I would add that in Peshawar every single time I stepped outside I received barrage of harassment - shouting, jeering, laughing. The harassment was no less if I was with male friends, when I was wearing shalwar kameez, or whatever.
Tamar S. Sutton (June 1998)

While in Pakistan (April-May 1998) I was heavily warned by all the local people not to utilize the train to travel from Karachi to Islamabad. Warnings were because of recent bombings and banditry, especially through Sind.

The trip from Murree to Abottabad was fantastic. I would highly recommend walking a good portion as rides in either direction were numerous and several times locals would climb down from the hill tops and attempt to initiate conversation. I was offered invitations to tea and another offer of a place to stay. Hospitality seemed to fall like rain. At times, I felt safer trusting my own two feet straddling the cliff edge than the tires of the mini bus, full well beyond advised capacity. The scenery was outstanding.
James E Petters (May, 1998)

Permits to Derra Adam Khel are no longer being issued to tourists. There have been shootings in that area, and the district is considered unsafe.
Randhir (Jan 98)

There are two places to use the internet. The British Council is open Mon - Sat, 9:30 - 6:30 and the cost is 100 Rp per hour and The American Centre is open Mon - Fri, 11:00 - 5:00 and the cost is 60Rp per hour.
Darren Schwab - Australia (Dec 97)

This piece is hanging in the dome and at each anniversary of the sufi's death, one drop of butter melts and drops down from the dome. The day it is all melted will be the day of the Last Judgement. To go to the tomb take a rickshaw from Hasilpur to the first PSO station on the left of the road (about 3km). From there you walk the short distance towards the left through the fields.
Thomas Eddy Woehling (Apr 98)