Pakistan

Sectarian Tension - Earthquake Devastation
On November 3, 2007, President Pervez Musharraf declared a countrywide state of emergency. Travellers should monitor news sources for updates regarding security risks. Check out Safe Travel for updated government warnings or the Thorn Tree travel forum for insights from travellers.



Due to recent sectarian and political violence in Karachi, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar and Lahore, travellers are advised to pay attention to any consular warnings before visiting and to exercise very high levels of caution when in these cities and nearby regional centres. A bombing at a political rally in Karachi on 18 October caused around 100 fatalities. Travellers should avoid large gatherings and demonstrations.



Avoid travel to Waziristan, to northern and western Balochistan, western North West Frontier Province (NWFP), the Federally-Administered Tribal Areas and Agencies (FATA), and border areas other than official crossings. Visitors to upper Sindh are encouraged to notify authorities beforehand.



The Swat region in Punjab Province should be considered out of bounds as fighting between the army and militants is intensifying. Though tensions along the Kashmiri Line of Control have eased, travellers should keep abreast of the latest developments.





When To Go
The best time for travelling to Pakistan depends on which part of the country you intend to visit. Generally speaking, Sindh, Balochistan, Punjab and the southern North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) are best visited in the cooler months between November and February. After that it gets uncomfortably hot. Northern NWFP, the Northern Areas and Azad Jammu & Kashmir are generally at their best from around May to October (although occasionally stormy) The trekking season is from late April to late October, peaking from mid-June to mid-September. The weather may be a little stormy during this time, but the mountain districts are usually still accessible.



Try to avoid visiting Pakistan during Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting, which occurs in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar (not the Gregorian calendar). Check the web for Ramadan dates or you may find yourself involuntarily joining in the fast, because activity is kept to a minimum and food can be hard to find (and, if found, often considered offensive if consumed publicly) during daylight hours.