Pakistan Overview
GENERAL
Official name of the state
Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
Capital
Islamabad.
Geography
As a country located in Asia according to thereligionfaqs, Pakistan borders Afghanistan to the north, India to the east, Iran to the west and the Arabian Sea to the south. In the far north is the disputed Jammu and Kashmir area, which borders Afghanistan, China (PR) and India. Pakistan consists of three regions. The northern highlands, the Hindu Kush, are rugged and mountainous; the Indus valley is a flat alluvial plain, the upper part of which is traversed by five rivers that flow into the Indus. This flows in a southerly direction to the macro coast. Sind is bordered to the east by the Thar Desert and the Rann of Kutch and to the west by the Kirthar mountain range; the plateau of Baluchistan is a barren plateau surrounded by mountains.
Government
Islamic Republic since 1973. De facto presidential regime. Not a Commonwealth member since November 2007 until further notice. 1973 constitution, last amended in 1997 (ceased after 1999 military coup). The old 1973 constitution has been in force again since 2002. Bicameral Parliament (dissolved): National Assembly with 342 and Senate with 100 members. Independent since 1947 (formerly British India); since 1971, the year of Bangladesh’s declaration of independence, the national territory has been reduced to the former West Pakistan.
Head of state
Mamnoon Hussain, since September 2013.
Head of government
Nawaz Sharif, since June 2013
Electricity
220 V, 50 Hz.
Time zone
Pakistan Standard Time: CET +6
ECONOMY
Business etiquette
A tie or suit / sari is expected on important business appointments. English is widely spoken in business circles. Friday is a public holiday. Business cards are important.
Business hours: Sa-Thu 8 a.m.-3 p.m., Fr 8 a.m.-12.30 p.m.
Authorities: Sun-Thu 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
Economy
Commercial Department of the Consulate General of Pakistan
Beethovenstrasse 4, D-60325 Frankfurt / M
Tel: (069) 69 76 97 10.
Commercial Department of the Embassy of Pakistan
Hofzeile 13, A-1190 Vienna
Tel: (01) 368 73 81.
Commercial Department of the Embassy of Pakistan
Bernastraße 47, CH-3005 Bern
Tel: (031) 352 29 92.
Internet: www.swisspak.com
Overseas Investors’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Chamber of Commerce and Industry for foreign investors)
Talpur Road, PO Box 4833, 74000 Karachi
Tel: (021) 241 08 14.
Internet: www.oicci.org
Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce (FPCCI)
PO Box 13875, Federation House, Sharea Firdousi, Main Clifton, Karachi 75600
Tel: (021) 587 36 91.
Internet: http://www.fpcci.com.pk/
Business contacts
Commercial Department of the Consulate General of Pakistan
Beethovenstrasse 4, D-60325 Frankfurt / M
Tel: (069) 69 76 97 10.
Commercial Department of the Embassy of Pakistan
Hofzeile 13, A-1190 Vienna
Tel: (01) 368 73 81.
Commercial Department of the Embassy of Pakistan
Bernastraße 47, CH-3005 Bern
Tel: (031) 352 29 92.
Internet: www.swisspak.com
Overseas Investors’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Chamber of Commerce and Industry for foreign investors)
Talpur Road, PO Box 4833, 74000 Karachi
Tel: (021) 241 08 14.
Internet: www.oicci.org
Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce (FPCCI)
PO Box 13875, Federation House, Sharea Firdousi, Main Clifton, Karachi 75600
Tel: (021) 587 36 91.
Internet: http://www.fpcci.com.pk/
COMMUNICATION
Phone
Dial-up remote service. There are public telephone centers.
Cellphone
GSM 900. Main providers: PAKTEL, Ufone and Mobilink (Internet: www.mobilinkgsm.com). The reception / transmission range is limited to the larger cities. Roaming contracts exist with Germany, Austria and Switzerland, among others.
Internet
Main providers: Pakistan Online (Internet: www.pol.com.pk) and Pak Net. Internet cafes can be found in larger cities.
Post Office
Airmail to Europe takes four to five days. There are counters for poste restante items in Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi. The main post offices in major cities are open around the clock. Important letters should be sent by registered mail and insured.
Radio
Since the use of shortwave frequencies changes several times over the course of a year, it is advisable to contact Deutsche Welle customer service directly (Tel: (+49) (0228) 429 32 08. Internet: www.dw-world.de) to request.
SHOP
Overview
Trays, screens, silver items, ceramics, bamboo, brass and rattan items, glass bangles, gold ornaments, hand-embroidered scarves, rugs and carpets. Action is common. Shop opening times: Sa-Thu 9.30am-1pm and 3pm-6.30pm. The bazaars are open longer.
NIGHTLIFE
Introduction
In the top hotels there are bars with dancing, but there is hardly any western-style nightlife. Cinemas are very popular with Pakistanis, and international and Pakistani films are shown in the big cities.
CULTURE
Religion
Almost 100% Muslims (90% Sunnis, 5-10% Shiites), minorities of Hindus, Christians and Buddhists.
Social rules of conduct
You shake hands in greeting. Smoking is prohibited in some public buildings ; one should always ask permission before lighting a cigarette. Casual attire is appropriate for most occasions. Women should not wear tight dresses and make sure that their arms and legs are covered. Pakistani society is divided into classes, and within each class there are subtle social differences. The Koran, on which the ruling Islamic law is based, influences all aspects of daily life. Tip: Most top hotels and restaurants charge 10% service charge; Tips at discretion.
CLIMATE
Best travel time
There are three seasons. Winter (December – March) is warm, with sea breezes cooling the coast. Summer (April – June) has extreme temperatures. During the monsoon season (June – September and October – November) it rains the most in the mountainous parts of the country.
COUNTRY DATA
Area code +92 Area (square km) 796 095 Population 199085847 Population density (per square km) 250 Population in 2015 Member of the EU No main emergency number 115
