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	DESTINATION GUIDES Pakistan Pakistan

DESTINATION GUIDES

Pakistan

From the breathtaking vista of the Karakorams in the North to the enormous alluvial delta of the Indus River in the South, Pakistan is a land of high adventure and natural wonder. Trekking, mountaineering, white water rafting, wild boar hunting, mountain and desert jeep safaris, camel and yak safaris, trout fishing and bird watching, are a few activities, which entice the adventure and nature lovers to Pakistan.

Pakistan is gifted with a rich and varied flora and fauna. High Himalayas, Karakoram and the Hindukush ranges with their alpine meadows and permanent snow line, coniferous forests down the sub-mountain scrub, the vast Indus plain merging into the great desert, the coast line and wetlands, all offer a extraordinary rich assortment of vegetation and wildlife, both common and migratory.

Understanding the Geography

Pakistan is located in South Asia. It overlaps with the Greater Middle East. It has a thousand-kilometre coastline along the Arabian Sea in the south and borders Afghanistan and Iran to the west, India to the east and the People's Republic of China in the far northeast.

Pakistan is the sixth most populous country in the world, is home to the second most populous city in the world, and is the second most populous Muslim country. It was established as a modern state in 1947, as one of the two parts of the partitioned British India, but the region has a long history of settlement and civilisation including the Indus Valley Civilisation. The region was invaded by Indo-Aryans, Afghans, Greeks, Persians, Arabs, and was incorporated into the British Raj in the nineteenth century.

Provinces of Pakistan

Balochistan
North-West Frontier Province
Punjab
Sindh

Territories

Islamabad Capital Territory
Federally Administered Tribal Areas

Pakistan-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region

Federally Administered Northern Areas
Azad Kashmir

Cities in Pakistan

Pakistan has many cities and towns. Below is a list of nine of the most notable.

Islamabad - Federal Capital
Karachi - Provincial capital of the province Sindh, largest city of Pakistan with significant industrial capabilities.
Lahore - Provincial capital of Punjab. City of the Mughals, famous for its Mughal architecture and monuments along with industrial, agricultural and cultural values
Sialkot - On the Indian border, the richest city of Pakistan, famous for its leather, sports and surgical instruments industries. Small but worth seeing, you can also see the buildings and churches of the British time.
Faisalabad - Famous for its textiles industry, a major city of Punjab.
Hyderabad
Muzaffarabad - Capital of Azad Kashmir
Peshawar - Captial City of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP)
Quetta - Capital City of Balochistan
Rawalpindi - Major tourist stopover before travelling to hill stations

Climate Conditions

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

Understanding the Culture

Pakistanis pride themselves on their tradition of hospitality to guests. Just a greeting of Salam aleikum will get you far in endearing yourself to people.

If you are travelling outside the big cities like Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad it is advisable to learn some basic Urdu or a regional language.

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

Pakistan is a conservative country and it is advisable for women to wear long skirts or pants in public (Pakistani women wear the traditional shalwar kameez). Dress codes for men are more lax although they should refrain from wearing shorts in public. As well, showing someone the sole of your feet or shoe is considered an insult, and can lead to you being considered disrespectful.