Pakistan Country & Tourist Information

Location
South Asia.

Area
796,095 sq km (307,374 sq miles) excluding data for the disputed territories of Jammu and Kashmir.

Population
164.7 million (CIA estimate 2007).

Population Density
206.9 per sq km.

Capital
Islamabad.
Population: 800,000 (2005).

Government
Federal Islamic Republic since 1973. Gained independence from the UK in 1947.

Language
Urdu is the official language, though it is only used by 8% of Pakistanis. English is widely spoken. Regional languages include Punjabi, which is spoken by 48% of the population, Pashto, Sindhi, Saraiki and Balochi. There are numerous local dialects.

Religion
97% Muslim (77% Sunni, 20% Shi'a), the remainder are Hindu or Christian.

Time
GMT + 6.

Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz. Round two- or three-pin plugs are in use.

Head of Government
Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gillani since March 2008.

Head of State
President Asif Ali Zardari since September 2008.

Recent History
Asif Ali Zardari, of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and widower of assassinated Benazir Bhutto, won a landslide victory in early September 2008 to become president of Pakistan. He took over from Pervez Musharraf, who quit his nearly nine-year rule in March, to become the 14th president in Pakistan's short and turbulent history.

The Musharraf government sought to establish its popular legitimacy by holding elections for the National Assembly, as well as a referendum on his presidency, in 2002. These returned General Musharraf, partially reinvented as a civilian president, while his supporters took control of the national assembly. However, his pro-American stance made him extremely unpopular among parts of Pakistani society and he was the target of at least a dozen assassination attempts.

Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gillani was sworn in by President Musharraf in March 2008, to head an opposition coalition government as leader of the PPP.

Telephone
Country code: 92.

Mobile Telephone
Roaming agreements exist with some international mobile phone companies. Coverage is largely limited to main cities.

Internet
Internet is available in urban areas where Internet cafes can be found.

Media
President Pervez Musharraf’s rule has been marked by increased freedom for the print media and liberalization of broadcasting policies; the state’s monopoly has been diminished by the expansion of private radio and TV stations. In 2005, issued licenses for private FM radio stations totalled around 100, but private stations are not allowed to broadcast news. Pakistani censorship, however, remains far more rigorous than in India. The Pakistani Government uses a range of legal and constitutional powers to curb press freedom. The country’s law on blasphemy has been used against journalists. Nevertheless, Pakistan’s print media are among the most outspoken in South Asia. Media rules were tightened in 2007 after an opposition campaign against President Musharraf.

Post
Airmail takes four to five days to reach Western Europe.

Post office hours: General post offices in major cities offer 24-hour services.

Press
• The English-language press enjoys a great deal of influence in business circles.
• Dailies include Business Recorder, The Dawn, Financial Post, Frontier Post, The Nation and The News (an English-language daily).
• Daily Jang and Daily Ausuf  are Urdu-language.

Radio
• Radio Pakistan is state-run and operates more than 20 stations nationwide, an external service and the FM 101 network, aimed at younger listeners.
• Azad Kashmir Radio is also state-run.
• FM 100 is a commercial, music-based FM network.

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2009-December 2010 period.

2009
7 Jan Ashoura.
9 Mar Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi (Birth of the Prophet).
23 Mar Pakistan Day. 
14 Aug Independence Day.
20/21 Sep Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan).
9 Nov Allama Muhammad Iqbal Day.
27/28 Nov Eid ul-Azha (Feast of the Sacrifice).
25 Dec Quaid-e-Azam's Birthday.
27 Dec Ashoura.

2010
26 Feb Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi (Birth of the Prophet).
23 Mar Pakistan Day.
14 Aug Independence Day.
10/11 Sep Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan).
9 Nov Allama Muhammad Iqbal Day.
16/17 Dec Eid ul-Azha (Feast of the Sacrifice).
25 Dec Quaid-e-Azam's Birthday.

Note
(a) Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given above are approximations. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Eid al-Fitr, Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be interrupted. Most restaurants are closed during the day and there is a restriction on smoking and drinking in public places. Eid al-Fitr and Eid ul-Azha may last from two to four days, depending on the region. (b) Christian holidays are observed by the Christian community only.

Contact Information:

Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC)
22A, Saeed Plaza, Blue Area, Jinnah Avenue, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
Tel: (51) 920 3772.
Website: www.tourism.gov.pk

High Commission for Pakistan in the UK
34-36 Lowndes Square, London SW1X 9JN, UK
Tel: (020) 7664 9283 or 9204.
Website: www.pakmission-uk.gov.pk
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0930-1730 (general opening hours); Mon-Thurs 1000-1230, Fri 1000-1200 (visa submission); 1500-1700 (visa collection).

Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in the USA
3517 International Court, NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA
Tel: (202) 243 6500.
Website: www.pakistan-embassy.org


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