Pakistan is a complicate country to explore these days. Besides the lengthy and troublesome visa application (you may find a quick workaround in Tehran as explained in my previous post), the country presents several extra factors making your journey difficult there, especially as an overland solo backpacker. Key elements are:
1) Extreme security and safety measures for foreigners
2) Strict limitations in supplies at Ramadam time
3) Unbearable heat between May and July
4) Uneasy roads and transportation (for independent travellers)
5) Social and religious restrictions
That being said, the country itself is very beautiful and diversified. In addition, it is still quite out-of-mainstream, with few international tourists mostly populating the northern side. Hence if you manage to travel outside Ramadam (although it is cheaper and easier to find accommodation) and summer months (although for the mountain area summer is the best season), then you may enjoy better the highlights of this alternative land. As for me, I randomly found myself there in the most problematic period (summer + Ramadam), alone and travelling overland from Iran through the tricky Baluchistan. But let’s go in detail with the points above-mentioned.
1) EXTREME SECURITY AND SAFETY MEASURES FOR FOREIGNERS
As partially reported in my previous article about the Iran – Pakistan border crossing, foreigners are subject to intense care and protection by local police and soldiers. That includes:
– Armed security guards with you (one or more men)
– Constant registration (passport and visa details) at infinite road checkpoints
– Registration in some police stations
– Passport control in numberless occasions
The regions where you are forcibly provided with bodyguards are Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, neighboring the dangerous Afghan border. There is no way to waive this procedure.
In Baluchistan you are escorted from the Iranian border to out of the region, even when you are in the train.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), instead, I was assigned protection in Chitral and along all the road leading to Gilgit.
Although security guards are generally friendly and nice (they just follow orders from their chiefs), they make your experience quite awkward. You will stand out as a foreign VIP and be deprived of improvisation and authenticity when dealing with people around.
It is true that you get protection (although my main objection was the uselessness of a single guard against a potentially numerous commando attacking you) and help in translation; however, I felt a bit uncomfortable to be firstly kept in custody (Baluchistan, see my previous post) or later followed and spied (KPK), above all because I really cherish my independence. In spite of the fact these precautions are designed to defend foreigners and promote tourism, there is always a sort of inkling that these procedures are intended to spy on your movements and activities, as a kind of national intelligence. Neighbouring countries like Afghanistan, Iran and especially India are source of extreme concern for the Pakistan high ranking officers.
If you fail to report the main police station (e.g. Chitral), you can be sent immediately back until you have duly registered and assigned a bodyguard (free of charge anyway). Bodyguards also accompany you in trains, buses and minivans, until their territory jurisdiction is over.
Gilgil-Baltisan, Punjab, Sindh and Islamabad territory decidedly present looser and laxer obligations. In Gilgit, you “just” need to get a registration card the moment you enter. Plus you get “filed” at the many military checkpoints when changing district. Difficult to escape, as the driver immediately informs them there is a foreigner inside the vehicle. It is indeed very annoying and time consuming. I am not exaggerating in saying that in 4 weeks in Pakistan I had to show my passport around 100 times and registered around 50 times.
If you plan to go to Fairy Meadows and Nanga Parbat base camp, again you will have to register and “accept” security, even though in my case I could somehow get rid of it. The rule was introduced after a mass shooting of foreign climbers in a nearby area in 2013.
Punjab, Islamabad and Sindh (close to India) are more easy going and almost access-free. No controls there.
In terms of security, I did not face any problem, with or without guard(s). I got even very close (10-20 Km) to the scary Afghan border (e.g. Kalash Valley or Garam Chasma or Dalbandin, etc.) without the perception of any risk whatsoever. The entire country seems to have been fully cleaned in the last 5 years after the atrocious, constant attacks culminating in the years 2012-2013. After that, incidents and victims dwindled in a very significant way. We can therefore state the country is back to safety in a “probation” period. Kidnappings, bomb attacks and shootings have dropped to very low numbers in these years.
We have indeed to acknowledge that government and army have invested much money in security and raids against terrorist groups, with a twofold goal:
– promote trust in the country for external investors (e.g. China)
– foster tourism industry
And we have to recognize they are currently succeeding in this task. Numbers say so.
2) STRICT LIMITATIONS IN SUPPLIES AT RAMADAM TIME
The same geographical distinction applies here. Baluchistan and KPK are definitely more strict and conservative. Other areas more tolerant. Although as a foreigner potentially you should be allowed to infringe fasting rules, you will find nonetheless most of shops and restaurants closed at this time. I had to feed myself with biscuits and crackers for more than 2 weeks : )
Despite people normally not openly blaming you (as you are a foreigner), in some of those traditional areas they tend to scowl at you. Better to be discreet. Personally I was never prohibited any food or drink. Nevertheless, I was presented with rough time when searching for good food or just for food : )
3) UNBEARABLE HEAT BETWEEN MAY AND JULY
If like me you end up in Pakistan at the end of May or June, then you had better to directly head for the mountains in the North. All other areas are completely off-limits with scorching, pre-monsoon temperatures steadily above 40 degrees Celsius. Once in the South-Eastern part of the country I could detect the inhuman value of +53° : ) This is the perfect season to be in KPK and Gilgit-Baltisan instead.
4) UNEASY ROADS AND TRANSPORTATION (FOR INDEPENDENT TRAVELLERS)
If you choose to travel by public transportation, then expect hard times too. Minivans are quite regular (especially in the morning) and cheap. Notwithstanding, they leave at unscheduled hours (when they are extra full : ) quite overloaded with passengers. 3-seats rows are normally filled with 4 persons. Moreover, they seldom stop along the way, even after several hours. One of my worst journeys ever was between Chitral and Gilgit (approx. 390 Km). You have to break the trip in 2 days where you have to travel in those squeezing minivans respectively 7 hours (first day to Herchin) and 10 hours (second day to Gilgit) with hot temperatures (in summertime) and on dirty, bumpy and curvy roads above 3000 meters. However, the sceneries there are magnificent.
5) SOCIAL AND RELIGIOUS RESTRICTIONS
Again internal geography counts here. Same traditional regions as indicated above. Pakistanis in general are very strict Muslims. We may call them hardliners. However, if you go to Gilgit, Punjab, Islamabad and Sindh, you will find a more relaxed atmosphere. You may even taste a national, legal beer (Murree) produced in Rawalpindi : ) On the contrary, PKP and Baluchistan are incredibly conservative. Main aspects include:
– Austere compliance with Islamic precepts (regular praying, stringent fasting, severe dress code, alcohol prohibition, simple life, no sex before marriage, etc.)
– Few women around the streets
– Women partially or totally excluded from social interaction. You cannot take pictures of them nor even try to talk with them in open spaces. In public transport they can only seat next to other women or family members.
– Women dressed in “monastic” clothes (burka and niqab are very frequent)
– Sons have to stay in the family house until they are married
Here life is very limited and communities are applying a strong social control beyond religious norms. Honor and reputation are very important.
On the whole, nevertheless, Pakistanis are very kind and generous. They are fairly curious towards foreigners too. Since the tourist sector is not developed yet, they still greet and welcome them in a cheerful and passionate way. Furthermore, they tend not to be too harsh against foreigners’ moral conduct. Many of them (especially young and educated) even recognize the urge for a change in their society, more in line with Western standards. Nevertheless, tradition and legacy are still powerful here. Social, cultural and religious models preserve a widespread consensus among the entire population, inevitably in the grip of a theocratic system. It will certainly take a long while to secularize all institutions.
To conclude I would definitely recommend Pakistan as a “fresh”, unexploited destination to travel to. Security trends have shown a reassuring improvement in all the regions. In addition you will be given your free, personal bodyguards : ) Petty crime is also low.
Pakistanis are hospitable and bighearted. They respect foreigners and want them to have an unforgettable experience in their country, ravaged and isolated for long time.
