Awe-inspiring mountains, time-honoured traditions and a warm people.
Few Westerners know much about Pakistan beyond media impressions of Islamic fundamentalism, communal violence and martial law, but it contains some of Asia's most mind-blowing landscapes, extraordinary trekking, a multitude of cultures and a long tradition of hospitality.
Pakistan is the site of some of the earliest human settlements, home to an ancient civilisation rivalling those of Egypt and Mesopotamia, and the crucible of two of the world's major religions, Hinduism and Buddhism, both of which have their roots in the subcontinent. It's far more than the last hurdle before reaching India.
View Pakistan - Pilot Guides. Video hosted on Google. Pakistan, officially Islamic Republic of Pakistan, republic in South Asia, marking the area where South Asia converges with Southwest Asia and Central Asia. The capital of Pakistan is Islamabad; Karachi is the country's largest city. The area of present-day Pakistan was the cradle of the earliest known civilization of South Asia, the Indus Valley civilization (2500?-1700 bc). The territory was part of the Mughal Empire from 1526 until the 1700s, when it came under British rule. Pakistan gained independence in August 1947. It initially comprised two parts, West Pakistan and East Pakistan, which were separated by about 1,600 km (1,000 mi) of territory within India. In December 1971 East Pakistan seceded and became the independent republic of Bangladesh.
In light of the assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto and recent parliamentary elections, travellers to Pakistan should continue to monitor the security situation and exercise extreme caution. The country's north-west is particularly dangerous at present, with suicide bombings a regular occurrence. Check out Safe Travel for updated government warnings or the Thorn Tree travel forum for insights from travellers. Due to ongoing 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 take great care when in these cities and nearby regional centres. More than 500 people have been killed since the beginning of the year in a wave of bomb attacks across the country. 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.
 |
Subscribe to this comment's feed
