Your experiences of travelling in Pakistan

[Loralai]

Hello all,

I would like to hear your experiences of travelling in and around Pakistan. I'm hoping to plan a trip there soon, and have only ever really visited Lahore and Islamabad. I am very keen to see the real Pakistan, rather than that of the diplomatic enclaves of Islamabad.

I am interested in visiting much of the Punjab and Sindh. Has anyone been deep into these provinces? If so, how did you find it from a travelling perspective. I understand that roads are in very good condition throughout much of Punjab but I believe things are harder in Sindh. Has anyone had experience of visiting/travelling through the provinces of Baluchistan or Khyber Pukhtunkhwa. I have seen a lot of articles posted online about safety measures, and have been told that much of Baluchistan is completely unsafe, especially for travellers of Punjabi extraction. Is this true? I would appreciate any comments or advice anyone here can offer.

Many thanks for taking the time to read my post.

 

[Syed1]

Get on the Makran coastal highway from Karachi to Gwadar.... the view with pristine beach on one side and mountains on the other is something that people spend thousands to go see in Spain. Also the highway is of developed world standard.

 

[DW44]

My first job in Pakistan was in the telecom sector which requires a lot of travelling to places most people have never even heard of. During my three years there, I had the opportunity to travel to the following places:

KPK - Virtually every district in the province, mostly in rural and semi urban areas. Most exciting would have to be Buner which was under Taliban control as recently as three years before I visited and as a reminder that we were in the wild west, there was a shootout between police and some criminals outside our hotel one night.
Verdict: You can travel as a Punjabi but it would be nice to have a Pushto speaker accompanying you. Security is OKish but not great and things can go sideways very easily if you find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time.

AJK - Bhimber, Mirpur, Rawlakot, Muzzafarabad. Pretty sights, friendly-ish locals, relatively safe.

Punjab - Most districts. Spent a year living in South Punjab during a project that involved working exclusively in rural areas across eight or nine districts and that was really my first exposure as an adult to the "real Punjab". Personally I despise the region, especially the food, but you shouldn't have too many security related concerns except in Bahawalnagar and RYK districts.

Sind - Spent a lot of time there as a child since my father was in the army but as an adult, only really been to the northern parts that border Punjab. Not very safe, especially at night time on highways.

 

[DW44]

One thing I should add - If you're using public transport in interior Sind and you're clearly not local, Sind police will extort you. They have a tendency to randomly stop and search buses etc. and extract bribes from people not from the area on various pretexts. Its especially bad if you look like you're from the western half of Pakistan (KPK/Balochistan).

 

[sjahmed23]

Get on the Makran coastal highway from Karachi to Gwadar.... the view with pristine beach on one side and mountains on the other is something that people spend thousands to go see in Spain. Also the highway is of developed world standard.

Damn, just googled it, it looks really nice. Is it safe though? Border between Karachi and Baluchistan has always been sketchy and it would be wonderful if they could add more security and focus on making it a tourism hub.

 

[Loralai]

My first job in Pakistan was in the telecom sector which requires a lot of travelling to places most people have never even heard of. During my three years there, I had the opportunity to travel to the following places:

KPK - Virtually every district in the province, mostly in rural and semi urban areas. Most exciting would have to be Buner which was under Taliban control as recently as three years before I visited and as a reminder that we were in the wild west, there was a shootout between police and some criminals outside our hotel one night.
Verdict: You can travel as a Punjabi but it would be nice to have a Pushto speaker accompanying you. Security is OKish but not great and things can go sideways very easily if you find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time.

AJK - Bhimber, Mirpur, Rawlakot, Muzzafarabad. Pretty sights, friendly-ish locals, relatively safe.

Punjab - Most districts. Spent a year living in South Punjab during a project that involved working exclusively in rural areas across eight or nine districts and that was really my first exposure as an adult to the "real Punjab". Personally I despise the region, especially the food, but you shouldn't have too many security related concerns except in Bahawalnagar and RYK districts.

Sind - Spent a lot of time there as a child since my father was in the army but as an adult, only really been to the northern parts that border Punjab. Not very safe, especially at night time on highways.

Thanks for your post.

What are the particular security concerns in Bahawalnager and Rahimyar Khan which I should be aware of? I was hoping to spend some time in the Seraiki belt so would be keen to know as much about it as possible.

What was it about Buner which you found particularly exciting?

 

[DW44]

Thanks for your post.

What are the particular security concerns in Bahawalnager and Rahimyar Khan which I should be aware of? I was hoping to spend some time in the Seraiki belt so would be keen to know as much about it as possible.

Two main issues. Lots of gangs/bandits so getting robbed, or worse kidnapped, is a possibility albeit a small one (still more than other places in the region). The region is also the home base of some of the biggest terrorist organizations in Pakistan - Bahawalnagar for instance has a huge JuD facility - but as long as you don't actively seek them out, they shouldn't bother you. I spent time there and I'm still here so it's not a war zone, just need to be a bit more careful than usual and stay away from shady characters.

What was it about Buner which you found particularly exciting?

Just being in a place that was under Taliban control only three years prior and happened to be fairly close to both my hometowns. The people were friendly - we'd keep getting invited to people's shops and deras for food, tea and a certain herb that I can't name here. The shootout, while scary at the time given it was right outside our hotel, seems exciting in retrospect. The vistas were a sight to behold since the whole city is built on mountains (no flat surfaces) and you could see beautiful scenery for miles from the top of a cell tower.

 

[Pakistanian]

A long time back I visited the rural parts of Punjab and Sindh, it was pretty cool.

 

[Pakistanian]

One thing I should add - If you're using public transport in interior Sind and you're clearly not local, Sind police will extort you. They have a tendency to randomly stop and search buses etc. and extract bribes from people not from the area on various pretexts. Its especially bad if you look like you're from the western half of Pakistan (KPK/Balochistan).

It's much worse if you still look like you're from the eastern half but have an accent and look rich.

 

[Pakistanian]

The road trip from Lahore to Islamabad was pretty lit, you experience the villages and mountains of Punjab.

 

[Loralai]

Many thanks for your replies thus far.

In terms of modes of travel, what would people recommend? Is it safe/reliable to travel by train? Or would you recommend road.

 

[faraz39]

Many thanks for your replies thus far.

In terms of modes of travel, what would people recommend? Is it safe/reliable to travel by train? Or would you recommend road.

Are you a male or a female? Advice would be very different if you are a female.

 

[Loralai]

Are you a male or a female? Advice would be very different if you are a female.

I am male but have very little experience of travelling in these regions. In fact I have never visited Baluchistan or KPK before hence I am seeking out information.

Could you please let me know if railways system is reliable and safe?

 

[Kroll]

I'd recommend visiting Naran in the north of Pakistan where you can also visit the nearby Saiful Muluk lake. Absolutely stunning place. It is a growing tourist destination with good quality hotels. On the way back, you could take the route through Nathia Gali towards Murree and onto Islamabad.

If you go to Naran, it would have to be between April and October as the area will be inaccessible in winter due to high snow fall. You can travel a bit further north from Naran to Babusar Top where you will be at the foot of the Himalays but be advised there is no mobile signal here. However, the scenery is something you will not have witnessed before.

 

[Saj]

What always amazed me about travelling in Pakistan was how quickly everyone fell asleep on public transport, despite all the noise.

 

[Loralai]

Thanks for your posts.

Does anyone have further advice regarding travelling deep into Sindh? Has anyone been as deep as Nagarparkar?

Sorry for all these questions. I haven't actually met anyone in my family or in my friends circle who has visited all provinces of Pakistan. Most actually haven't ventured out from Islamabad.