Moving to Pakistan: visas, cost of living & immigrant guide

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Population

233,500,636

Population Growth Rate

1.52%

Urban Population

36.200000

Population in Major Urban Areas

• Karachi 13.876 million
• Lahore 7.566 million
• Faisalabad 3.038 million
• Rawalpindi 2.164 million
• Multan 1.775 million
• ISLAMABAD (capital) 919,000

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Age Structure

31.990000

Median Age

22.200000

Birth Rate - births/1,000 population

24

Death Rate - deaths/1,000 population

6.69

Total Fertility Rate - children born/woman

2.96

Contraceptive Prevalance Rate - female 12-49

27%

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate - female 12-49

27%

Mean Age for Mother's First Birth (age 25-49)

22.9

Mother's mean age at first birth

22.9

Sex Ratio at Birth - male/female

1.050000

Net Migration Rate - migrant(s)/1,000 population

-1.84

Ethnic Groups

Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtun (Pathan), Baloch, Muhajir (immigrants from India at the time of partition and their descendants)

Nationality Noun

Pakistani(s)

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Literacy - total population

49.9%

Literacy - male

61.7%

Literacy - female

35.2%

Literacy Definition

age 15 and over can read and write

Education Expenditures - percent of GDP

2.1%

Total School Life Expectancy - (primary to tertiary)

8.000000

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Life Expectancy at Birth

66.710000

Infant Mortality Rate

59.350000

Infant Mortality Rate - total deaths/1,000 live births

59.350000

Maternal Mortality Rate - deaths/100,000 live births

260

Physicians Density - physicians/1,000 population

.81

Hospital Bed Density - beds/1,000 population

.6

Health Expenditures - percent of GDP

2.5%

Major Infectious Diseases - degree of risk

high

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

5.5%

Drinking Water Source - percent of urban population improved

95.700000

Sanitation Facility Access - percent of urban population improved

71.800000

Underweight - percent of children under five years

30.9%

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Economic Overview

• economy: Growth and
• GDP: Pakistan is classified as a developing economy with a GDP growth rate that has shown variability in recent years. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Pakistan's GDP growth was around 5% to 5.8% annually. However, like many other countries, Pakistan experienced a slowdown due to the pandemic. In the fiscal year 2020-2021, Pakistan's GDP growth rate was around 3.9%, showing signs of recovery but still below pre-pandemic levels.
• Agriculture: Agriculture plays a significant role in Pakistan's economy, employing a large portion of the workforce and contributing to GDP. Major crops include wheat, rice, sugarcane, and cotton. However, the agricultural sector faces challenges such as water scarcity, outdated farming practices, and lack of modernization.
• Industry: Pakistan's industrial sector includes manufacturing, construction, and mining. Textiles, cement, and food processing are among the key sectors. The government has been taking steps to promote industrial growth through incentives and infrastructure development. Services
• Sector: The services sector is the largest contributor to Pakistan's GDP, accounting for over half of economic output. Key components include telecommunications, finance, retail, and transportation. The IT and outsourcing industries have also seen growth in recent years, with Pakistan becoming a destination for software development and call center services. Trade and
• Investment: Pakistan engages in both exports and imports with major trading partners, including China, the United States, and the European Union. Exports primarily consist of textiles, apparel, leather products, and agricultural goods. Foreign direct investment (FDI) has been increasing in energy, telecommunications, and infrastructure sectors, although challenges such as security concerns and bureaucratic hurdles remain. Fiscal
• Challenges: Pakistan faces fiscal challenges such as a high fiscal deficit, public debt, and budgetary constraints. The government has implemented reforms to improve revenue collection, reduce subsidies, and enhance fiscal discipline. However, more efforts are needed to achieve sustainable fiscal stability. Infrastructure and
• Energy: Infrastructure development is crucial for economic growth in Pakistan. The government has been investing in transportation infrastructure, including road and rail networks, to improve connectivity within the country and with neighboring regions. Energy shortages have been a persistent issue, with efforts underway to address power generation and distribution challenges.
• Challenges: Pakistan's economy faces various challenges, including political instability, security concerns, corruption, inflation, and unemployment. Addressing these challenges requires sustained government, private sector, and civil society efforts to promote economic development, improve governance, and enhance social welfare.

Industries

textiles and apparel, food processing, pharmaceuticals, construction materials, paper products, fertilizer, shrimp

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$4,900.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

4.2%

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GDP - Gross Domestic Product (PPP)

$1,021,130,000,000 (USD)

GDP Per Capita

$4,900.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

4.2%

GDP - official exchange rate

$247,800,000,000 (USD)

GDP - composition, by end use

• consumption: 79.2% investment in fixed
• capital: 13.5% investment in
• inventories: 1.6% exports of goods and
• services: 10.9% imports of goods and
• services: -17.1%

GDP by Sector- agriculture

25.5%

GDP by Sector- Industry

19%

GDP by Sector- services

55.5%

Industrial Growth Rate

4.9%

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Inflation Rate

13.4%

Exchange Rate per US Dollar

Pakistani rupee (PKR)

Currency Name and Code

Pakistan Rupee (PKR)

Fiscal Year

1 July - 30 June

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

11.5%

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Labor Force

55,770,000

Unemployment Rate

15%

Unemployment - note

substantial underemployment exists

Major Industries

textiles and apparel, food processing, pharmaceuticals, construction materials, paper products, fertilizer, shrimp

Agriculture Products

cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; milk, beef, mutton, eggs

Population Below Poverty Line

24%

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Labor Force By Occupation- agriculture

45.1%

Labor Force By Occupation- industry

20.7%

Labor Force By Occupation- services

34.2%

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Annual Budget

$25,330,000,000 (USD)

Public Debt (% of GDP)

54.3%

Budget Surplus or Deficit - percent of GDP

-7.7%

Taxes and other revenues - percent of GDP

12.6%

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Full Country Name

Islamic Republic of Pakistan

Country Name

Pakistan

Local - Long

Jamhuryat Islami Pakistan

Local - Short

Pakistan

Former Name

West Pakistan

Etymology- history of name

the word "pak" means "pure" in Persian or Pashto, while the Persian suffix "-stan" means "place of" or "country," so the word Pakistan literally means "Land of the Pure"

Independence

14 August 1947 (from British India)

National Holiday

Pakistan Day (also referred to as Pakistan Resolution Day or Republic Day), 23 March (1940)

note - commemorates both the adoption of the Lahore Resolution by the All-India Muslim League during its 22-24 March 1940 session, which called for the creation of independent Muslim states, and the adoption of the first constitution of Pakistan on 23 March 1956 during the transition to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan

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Government Type

federal parliamentary republic

Constitution

• history: several previous; latest endorsed 12 April 1973, passed 19 April 1973, entered into force 14 August 1973 (suspended and restored several times)
• amendments: proposed by the Senate or by the National Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of both houses; amended many times, last in 2018

Legal System:

common law system with Islamic law influence

Executive Branch:

• chief of state: President Asif Ali ZARDARI (since 10 March 2024)
• head of government: Prime Minister Shahbaz SHARIF (since 3 March 2024)
• cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister election/appointment
• process: president indirectly elected for a 5-year term (limited to 2 consecutive terms) by the Electoral College, which consists of members of the Senate, National Assembly, and provincial assemblies most recent election
• date: 9 March 2024
• election results: 2024: Asif Ali ZARDARI elected president; National Assembly vote - Asif Ali ZARDARI (PPP) 411 votes, Mehmood Khan ACHAKZALI (PMAP) 181 votes; Shahbaz SHARIF elected prime minister; National Assembly vote - Shahbaz SHARIF (PML-N) 201, Omar AYUB (PTI) 92 2018: Arif ALVI elected president; Electoral College vote - Arif ALVI (PTI) 352, Fazl-ur-REHMAN (MMA) 184, Aitzaz AHSAN (PPP) 124; Imran KHAN elected prime minister; National Assembly vote - Imran KHAN (PTI) 176, Shehbaz SHARIF (PML-N) 96 expected date of next
• election: 2029

Legislative Branch:

• Description: bicameral Parliament or Majlis-e-Shoora consists of: Senate (104 seats current, reduced by 4 seats at the 2024 election and 4 at the 2027 election; members indirectly elected by the 4 provincial assemblies and the federal capital territory indirectly elected by the National Assembly using proportional representation vote; members serve 6-year terms with one-half of the membership renewed every 3 years) National Assembly (342 seats; 272 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 70 members - 60 women and 10 non-Muslims - directly elected by proportional representation vote; all members serve 5-year terms)
• elections:
• Senate - last held on 2 April 2024 for 37 of 48 seats, remaining 11 seats to be held on 9 April 2024 (next to be held for 48 seats in 2027)
• National Assembly - last held on 8 February 2024 (next to be held in 2029)
• election results:
• Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA
• National Assembly - percent of votes by party - NA; seats by party - PML-N 75, PPP 54, MQM-P 17, JUI-F 4, Pakistan Muslim League 3, Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party 2, BNP-A 2, BAP 1, PMAP 1, PML-Z 1, NP 1, independent (PTI-backed) 101, other 8, vacant 2 (excludes 70 seats reserved for women and non-Muslims);
• Composition: NA
• Note: in May 2018, the Parliament of Pakistan and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly passed a constitutional amendment to merge the Federally Administrated Tribal Areas and Provincially Administered Tribal Areas with the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; the amendment will reduce the Senate from 104 to 96 members - 4 in the 2024 election and 4 in the 2027 election

Judicial Branch:

• office: justices nominated by an 8-member parliamentary committee upon the recommendation of the Judicial Commission, a 9-member body of judges and other judicial professionals, and appointed by the president; justices can serve until age 65
• subordinate courts: High Courts; Federal Shariat Court; provincial and district civil and criminal courts; specialized courts for issues, such as taxation, banking, and customs

Regions or States:

• Summary: 4 provinces, 2 Pakistan-administered areas*, and 1 capital territory**
• Azad Kashmir*
• Balochistan
• Gilgit-Baltistan*
• Islamabad Capital Territory**
• Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
• Punjab
• Sindh

Political Parties and Leaders:

• Awami National Party or ANP [Asfandyar Wali KHAN]
• Awami Muslim League or AML [Sheikh Rashid AHMED]
• Balochistan Awami Party or BAP [Abdul Quddus BIZENJO]
• Balochistan National Party-Awami or BNP-A [Mir Israrullah ZEHRI]
• Balochistan National Party-Mengal or BNP-M [Sardar Akhtar Jan MENGAL]
• Grand Democratic Alliance or GDA [Pir PAGARO] (alliance of several parties)
• Hazara Democratic Party or HDP [Abdul Khaliq HAZARA]
• Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party [Jahangir TAREEN]
• Jamaat-e-Islami or JI [Siraj-ul-HAQ]
• Jamhoori Wattan Party or JWP [Nawabzada Shahzain BUGTI]
• Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl or JUI-F [Maulana Fazal-ur-REHMAN]
• Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen Pakistan or MWM [Raja Nasir ABBAS]
• Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal or MMA [Maulana Fazal-ur-REHMAN] (alliance of several parties)
• Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan or MQM-P [Khalid Maqbool SIDDIQUI]
• National Party or NP [Abdul Malik BALOCH]
• Pakistan Muslim League or PML-Z (Zia-ul-Haq Shaheed)
• Pakistan Muslim League-Functional or PML-F [Pir PAGARO]
• Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz or PML-N [Shehbaz SHARIF]
• Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-e-Azam or PML-Q [Chaudhry Shujaat HUSSAIN]
• Pakistan Peoples Party or PPP [Bilawal BHUTTO ZARDARI, Asif Ali ZARDARI]
• Pakistan Rah-e-Haq Party or PRHP [Muhammad Ibrahim QASMI]
• Pakistan Tehrik-e Insaaf or PTI (Pakistan Movement for Justice) [Imran KHAN]
• Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party or PMAP or PKMAP [Mahmood Khan ACHAKZAI]
• Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan or TLP [Hafiz Muhammad Saad Hussain Rizvi MARKAZI]
• Note: Pakistan has several hundred officially registered political parties; this list includes those that won seats in the most recent elections at the national and provincial levels

Suffrage:

• 18 years of age
• universal
• note - there are joint electorates and reserved parliamentary seats for women and non-Muslims

Citizenship Criteria:

• birth: yes citizenship by
• descent: at least one parent must be a citizen of Pakistan dual citizenship
• recognized: yes, but limited to select countries residency requirement for
• naturalization: 4 out of the previous 7 years and including the 12 months preceding application

Capital Name

Islamabad

Capital - geographic coordinate

33 41 N, 73 03 E

Capital Time Difference

UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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International Organization Participation:

• ADB
• AIIB
• ARF
• ASEAN (sectoral dialogue partner)
• CERN (associate member)
• CICA
• CP
• D-8
• ECO
• FAO
• G-11
• G-24
• G-77
• IAEA
• IBRD
• ICAO
• ICC (national committees)
• ICRM
• IDA
• IDB
• IFAD
• IFC
• IFRCS
• IHO
• ILO
• IMF
• IMO
• IMSO
• Interpol
• IOC
• IOM
• IPU
• ISO
• ITSO
• ITU
• ITUC (NGOs)
• MIGA
• MINURCAT
• MINURSO
• MINUSCA
• MONUSCO
• NAM
• OAS (observer)
• OIC
• OPCW
• PCA
• SAARC
• SACEP
• SCO
• UN
• UNAMID
• UNCTAD
• UNESCO
• UNFICYP
• UNHCR
• UNIDO
• UNISFA
• UNISFA
• UNMISS
• UNOOSA
• UNSOS
• UNWTO
• UPU
• WCO
• WFTU (NGOs)
• WHO
• WIPO
• WMO
• WTO

International Law Organization Participation:

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt

Diplomatic Representation from US:

• Chief of Mission: Ambassador Donald BLOME (since 2 July 2022)
• Embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad
• Mailing Address: 8100 Islamabad Place, Washington, DC 20521-8100
• Telephone: [92] 051-201-4000
• FAX: [92] 51-2338071
• Email: ACSIslamabad@state.gov
• Website: https://pk.usembassy.gov/
• Consulate(s) General: Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar

Diplomatic Representation in the US:

• Chief of Mission: Ambassador Sardar Masood KHAN (since 19 April 2022)
• Chancery: 3517 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
• Telephone: [1] (202) 243-6500
• FAX: [1] (202) 686-1534
• Email: consularsection@embassyofpakistanusa.org
• Website: https://embassyofpakistanusa.org/
• Consulate(s) General: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York

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Geographic Location

Asia

Geographic Coordinates

30 00 N, 70 00 E

Total Area

307,372 Square Miles 796,095 Square Kilometers

Land Area

297,635 Square Miles 770,875 Square Kilometers

Water Area

9,737 Square Miles 25,220 Square Kilometers

Land Boundaries

4,209 Miles 6,774 Kilometers

Border Countries

Afghanistan 2,430 km, China 523 km, India 2,912 km, Iran 909 km

Coastline

650 Miles 1,046 Kilometers

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Terrain

flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest; Balochistan plateau in west

Highest Point

8,611 Meters

Highest Point Location

K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m

Lowest Point Location

Indian Ocean 0 m

Natural Resources

land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone

Irrigated Land

77,181 Square Miles 199,900 Square Kilometers

Time Zone

UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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Climate

Seasonal temperatures vary widely in these five regions.

With the exception of the Far North, summers are hot throughout the country with temperatures ranging from 90°F to 120°F and little nighttime relief.

Trade winds provide some relief during the hot and humid summers in Karachi and a brief cool season comes between December and February.

In Lahore, Islamabad, and Peshawar, a distinct winter season brings daytime temperatures of 60°F or less and cold nights.

Islamabad and Peshawar may have light frosts.

Spring and fall are delightful seasons in these three cities.

Altitude governs climate in the Far North, with pleasant summers in the lower regions and perpetual snow in the higher mountains.

The average annual rainfall varies from 6 inches in Karachi, 15 inches in Peshawar, and 18 inches in Lahore, to about 30 inches in Islamabad.

Most rain falls during the summer monsoon from July to September, although parts of the Punjab and the Northwest Frontier experience a moderate winter rainy season as well.

Terrain

flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest; Balochistan plateau in west

Location

Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north

Total Area

307,372 Square Miles 796,095 Square Kilometers

Border Countries

Afghanistan 2,430 km, China 523 km, India 2,912 km, Iran 909 km

Environment - Current Issues

• water pollution from raw sewage, industrial wastes, and agricultural runoff
• limited natural fresh water resources
• a majority of the population does not have access to potable water
• deforestation
• soil erosion
• desertification

Environment - International Agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

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Exports

$20,290,000,000 (USD)

Imports

$32,710,000,000 (USD)

Major Exports

textiles (garments, bed linen, cotton cloth, and yarn), rice, leather goods, sports goods, chemicals, manufactures, carpets and rugs

Major Imports

petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, plastics, transportation equipment, edible oils, paper and paperboard, iron and steel, tea

Top Export Partners

US 24.5%, UAE 8.4%, UK 7.2%, Germany 4.9%, Hong Kong 4.8%

Top Import Partners

Saudi Arabia 11.8%, UAE 11.1%, Kuwait 6.8%, US 6.5%, China 6.3%, Japan 6%, Malaysia 4.6%, Germany 4.4%

Export Partners

US 24.5%, UAE 8.4%, UK 7.2%, Germany 4.9%, Hong Kong 4.8%

Import Partners

Saudi Arabia 11.8%, UAE 11.1%, Kuwait 6.8%, US 6.5%, China 6.3%, Japan 6%, Malaysia 4.6%, Germany 4.4%

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Country Description

Pakistan is a parliamentary federal republic in South Asia, with a population of over 170 million people.

Pakistan held successful elections in February 2008 and has a coalition government.

Pakistan is a developing country with some tourist facilities in major cities but limited in outlying areas.

The infrastructure in parts of Pakistan-administered Kashmir and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) regions was devastated by an October 8, 2005, earthquake and have not yet been fully rebuilt.

Massive flooding in 2010 destroyed infrastructure throughout the Indus River valley.

Many parts of the country are also affected by militancy and violent extremism.

Safety & Security

Despite improvements in the security situation, terrorist attacks remain frequent in Pakistan.

Extremist groups within Pakistan continue to seek opportunities to attack locations where U.S. citizens and Westerners are known to congregate or visit, including government facilities and public locations, such as schools and universities, shopping malls, markets, hotels, clubs and restaurants, places of worship, transportation hubs/stations, minority neighborhoods, and outdoor recreation areas.

Terrorists also target Pakistani officials, government facilities, religious minorities and facilities including sufi shrines, and they regularly resort to kidnapping for ransom.

Attacks have included armed assaults on heavily guarded sites, including Pakistani military installations and airports.

Other actions include but are not limited to suicide operations, bombings (including vehicle-borne explosives and improvised explosive devices), assassinations, carjackings, and assaults.

The Government of Pakistan maintains heightened security measures, particularly in major cities, and these measures can vary from day to day.

The U.S.

Embassy and consulates regularly assess security situations and restrict the movements of official personnel.

Demonstrations, political rallies, or large religious gatherings intended to be peaceful can become confrontational and possibly escalate into violence.

We advise U.S. citizens to avoid areas where large crowds of any kind gather.

U.S Embassy and Consulate personnel are routinely instructed to avoid areas of any demonstration.

During demonstrations or periods of civil unrest, the Pakistani government has in the past disabled cellular telephone and internet service, making it difficult for individuals to contact each other or the U.S.

Embassy or Consulates.

Celebratory gunfire may occur at any time but is most likely to occur during wedding celebrations, which are frequent from October to May, and on holidays.

Although the likelihood of being struck is remote, falling rounds can cause injury or death.

We recommend you limit the frequency of travel and minimize the duration of trips to public markets, restaurants, and other public locations.

We advise against the use of public transportation in Pakistan.

The U.S.

Embassy and Consulate prohibit personnel from using public transportation or taxi services.

You are strongly urged to avoid hotels that do not apply stringent security measures.

Official visitors are not authorized to stay overnight in local hotels anywhere in the country, except in exceptional circumstances.

Depending on ongoing security assessments, the U.S.

Embassy and Consulates sometimes place areas such as tourist attractions, hotels, markets, shopping malls, and restaurants off-limits to official personnel.

Threats to civil aviation in Pakistan are not limited to attacks in which militants target airports.

The U.S. government is aware of narcotics smuggled onto flights from Pakistan, which may indicate broader security vulnerabilities at Pakistani airports.

We recommend you follow media coverage of local events and maintain good situational awareness and operational security wherever you travel in Pakistan.

If you feel that your life is in danger in Pakistan, we advise you to report the threat to local police authorities and consider immediately changing locations or departing Pakistan.

Crime: Men and women are advised to dress conservatively, with arms and legs covered, and to avoid walking alone.

We recommend against travel on the streets late at night.

Urban crime can be organized or opportunistic and conducted by individuals or groups.

It can include fraud, theft, robbery, carjacking, rape, assault, and burglary.

Incidents of crime and levels of violence are higher in low-income residential and congested commercial areas but are seen in wealthier areas as well.

Pick-pocketing, theft, and larceny are common on buses and trains at all hours of the day.

Take precautions to avoid crime, includi

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Crime

Crime is a serious concern for foreigners throughout Pakistan.

Carjacking, armed robberies, house invasions, and other violent crimes occur in many major urban areas.

These crimes have also occurred infrequently in other areas.

Petty crime, especially theft of personal property, is common.

U.S. citizen travelers to Pakistan are strongly advised to avoid traveling by taxi and other forms of public transportation, and have members of their host organizations or families meet them at the airport.

In the past, several U.S. citizen travelers arriving at the international airport in Lahore, who were met by their families, were robbed outside the airport of cash and jewelry, after being stopped by a car with fake government license plates.

Such schemes are common.

Travel outside urban centers should only be undertaken during daylight hours.

The U.S.

Embassy and Consulates have seen a large increase in the number of U.S. citizens alleging the loss of property or financial investment due to the unfair business practices of their Pakistani partners.

Don’t buy counterfeit or pirated goods, even if they are widely available.

Not only are the bootlegs illegal in the United States, you may be breaking local law too.

Forced Marriage: The U.S. government considers the issue of forced marriage to be a violation of basic human rights and in the case of minors, a form of child abuse.

Forced marriage is defined as one in which one or both parties have not consented to the marriage; it differs from arranged marriage.

Often, victims of forced marriage are subjected to non-consensual sex, physical and emotional abuse, isolation, and threats of violence.

International law and conventions also support an individual's right to self-determination, minimum marriage ages, and the rejection of abuse of women and honor-based violence.

Criminal Penalties

While you are traveling in Pakistan, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen.

Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different than our own.

In some places, you may be taken in for questioning if you don’t have your passport with you.

In some places, it is illegal to take pictures of certain buildings, but the law on this subject is vague and applied indiscriminately.

In some places, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs could land you immediately in jail.

These criminal penalties will vary from country to country.

There are also some things that might be legal in the country you visit, but still illegal in the United States.

You can be prosecuted under U.S. law if you buy pirated goods.

Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime prosecutable in the United States.

If you break local laws in Pakistan, your U.S. passport will not help you avoid arrest or prosecution.

It’s very important to know what’s legal and what’s not where you are going.

Persons violating Pakistani laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned.

Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Pakistan are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.

Arrest notifications in host country: While some countries will automatically notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate if a U.S. citizen is detained or arrested in a foreign country, that might not always be the case.

To ensure that the United States is aware of your circumstances, request that the police and prison officials notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate as soon as you are arrested or detained overseas.

Please note that a consular officer might not be able to visit you for 15 working days or longer after your arrest in Pakistan.

In many countries around the world, counterfeit and pirated goods are widely available.

Transactions involving such products may be illegal under local law.

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Medical Facilities

Adequate basic non-emergency medical care is available in major Pakistani cities but is limited in rural areas.

Facilities in the cities vary in level and range of services, resources, and cleanliness, and U.S. citizens may find them below U.S. standards; facilities in rural areas are consistently below U.S. standards.

Medical facilities require prepayment and most do not accept credit cards.

Water is not potable anywhere in Pakistan and sanitation in many restaurants is inadequate.

Stomach illnesses are common.

Effective emergency response to personal injury and illness is virtually non-existent in Pakistan.

Ambulances are few and are not necessarily staffed by medical personnel.

Any emergency case should be transported immediately to a recommended emergency receiving room.

Many U.S.-brand medications are not widely available, but generic brands from well-known pharmaceuticals usually are.

The quality of the locally produced medications is uneven.

Traffic Safety

While in Pakistan, you may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States.

The information below concerning Pakistan is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.

Traffic in Pakistan moves on the left, opposite of U.S. traffic In addition to this source of potential confusion, overland travel in Pakistan has a variety of other risks.

Roads are crowded, drivers are often aggressive and poorly trained, and many vehicles, particularly large trucks and buses, are badly maintained.

Donkeys, cattle, horse carts, and even the occasional camel can pose roadside hazards in some areas.

Roads, including most major highways, also suffer from poor maintenance and often have numerous potholes, sharp drop-offs and barriers that are not sign-posted.

Drivers should exercise extreme caution when traveling at night by road, as many vehicles do not have proper illumination or dimmers nor are most roads properly illuminated or signed.

Driving without experienced local drivers or guides is not recommended.

It is best to avoid public transportation.

For security reasons, U.S.

Mission personnel are prohibited from using taxis or buses.

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Airports - total

151

Airports with Paved Runways

108

Heliports

23

Railways

4,841 Miles 7,791 Kilometers

Roadways- total

162,958 Miles 262,256 Kilometers

Roadways- paved

117,575 Miles 189,218 Kilometers

Ports and Terminals

Karachi, Port Muhammad bin Qasim

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Pipelines: Gas

7,858 Miles 12,646 Kilometers

Pipelines: Oil

1,601 Miles 2,576 Kilometers

Pipelines: Refined Products

675 Miles 1,087 Kilometers

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Telephones

4,058,000

Cell Phones

88,020,000

Internet Users

17,500,000

Internet Country Code

.pk

Internet Hosts

330,466

Broadcast Media

• media is government regulated
• 1 dominant state-owned TV broadcaster, Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV), operates a network consisting of 5 channels
• private TV broadcasters are permitted
• to date 69 foreign satellite channels are operational
• the state-owned radio network operates more than 40 stations
• nearly 100 commercially licensed privately owned radio stations provide programming mostly limited to music and talk shows

Telephone System

• assessment: the telecommunications infrastructure is improving dramatically with foreign and domestic investments in fixed-line and mobile-cellular networks; system consists of microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable, cellular, and satellite networks;
• domestic: mobile-cellular subscribership has skyrocketed, exceeding 110 million by the end of 2011, up from only about 300,000 in 2000; more than 90 percent of Pakistanis live within areas that have cell phone coverage and more than half of all Pakistanis have access to a cell phone; fiber systems are being constructed throughout the country to aid in network growth; fixed line availability has risen only marginally over the same period and there are still difficulties getting fixed-line service to rural areas
• international: country code - 92; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable systems that provide links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); 3 operational international gateway exchanges (1 at Karachi and 2 at Islamabad); microwave radio relay to neighboring countries

9 facts — expand for details.

Electricity Consumption- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

72,200,000,000

Electricity Production- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

90,800,000,000

Natural Gas Consumption - Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

42,900,000,000

Natural Gas Production- Cubic Meters (cu m)

39,150,000,000

Natural Gas Reserves- Cubic Meters (cu m)

679,600,000,000

Oil Consumption- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

426,700

Oil Imports- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

151,200

Oil Production- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

63,000

Oil Reserves- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

247,500,000

Anthem History

• name: "Qaumi Tarana" (National Anthem)
• lyrics/music: Abu-Al-Asar Hafeez JULLANDHURI/Ahmed Ghulamali CHAGLA
• note: adopted 1954; also known as "Pak sarzamin shad bad" (Blessed Be the Sacred Land)

Anthem Lyrics English

Blessed be the sacred land Happy be the bounteous realm Symbol of high resolve Land of Pakistan Blessed be thou of faith The Order of this sacred land is the might of the brotherhood of the people May the nation, the country, and the state Shine in glory everlasting Blessed be the goal of our ambition This flag of Crescent and Star Leads the way to progress and perfection Interpreter of our past glory of our present Inspiration of our future, Symbol of Almighty's protection