LONELY PLANET'S OFFICIAL GUIDEBOOK INFORMATION
Dangers & Annoyances
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Frustrating bureaucracy, rising pollution, seemingly perpetual noise, frenetic bus stations and crowded public transport are the subcontinent’s normal challenges, but hassles here are generally low-key compared with those in neighbouring India.
Demonstrations|
Rallies, demonstrations and processions occur from time to time throughout Pakistan, often on very short notice, and occasionally have an anti-Western (especially American) slant. Stay well away from these events for your own safety. During major election campaigns political expression can take a violent turn; it’s best to defer travel to Pakistan during these campaigns, but if you are there during one, steer clear of public gatherings.
Dogs
Steer clear of guard dogs often kept by herders in remote areas, eg the Kalasha valleys, Upper Chitral, Upper Swat, the Upper Kaghan Valley and Baltistan. If you’re bitten you run the risk of contracting rabies so be cautious no matter where you are in Pakistan.
Drugs
Charas (hashish) is available in many parts of Pakistan, however, before indulging be warned that drug possession is illegal in Pakistan. Apart from opening yourself up to being taken advantage of, penalties for possession, use or smuggling of drugs are strictly enforced, with the possibility of long jail sentences and hefty fines. Legislation passed in 1994 makes drug smuggling punishable by death.
Be wary of absolutely anyone, local or tourist, who approaches you with drugs for sale. Some dealers are in cahoots with the police, and will set you up in exchange for a cut of the fine or bribe.
Police
If you’re approached by a plain-clothes officer and asked to open your bags, eg for a drugs search on a long-distance train or as you are leaving the Tribal Areas, be polite but insist on seeing his identification badge first. There are con men, but there are also legitimate plain-clothes officers. In general, the authentic ones will let you check out their badges for as long as you feel is necessary. They’re also more likely to search slowly and to let you repack one section of your bag before they move on to the next.
Rockfall
The likelihood of a rockfall on valley footpaths and mountain roads rises sharply in rainy weather. Walkers should simply find something else to do. Don’t cross a rockfall on a road hoping to find transport on the other side; the whole road is probably littered with rocks, with more to come.
Scams
In Lahore there is a handful of lower-end hotels near the main train station where a number of travellers have been robbed or set up by staff, sometimes with the help of spiked beverages or distracting massages.
Theft
Theft has not, so far, been a major problem for travellers in Pakistan. However, exercise the same caution you would while travelling elsewhere; keep your money and passport with you at all times, preferably in a well-concealed moneybelt, and don’t leave valuables in your hotel room.
Violence
Certain groups, like the Pashtuns of Balochistan and NWFP, have been known to settle their differences with guns. In more recent times the combination of sectarian and ethnic tensions, corrupt or incompetent law enforcement and a thriving tribal arms industry has escalated violence in particular parts of Pakistan. These hot spots and other safety tips are covered in warnings at the start of individual regional chapters.
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