Curated by Vinod Kumar Jain & Amit Jain · All Frontier Global · free, no login · reviewed 2026-07-05
Mughal splendour and the world's highest mountains
Trade agreements (6): Pakistan has FTAs with China and Sri Lanka and is a SAARC/SAFTA member, but India-Pakistan trade remains largely suspended and there is no functioning bilateral trade route as of 2026.
Passport strength: visa-free/VOA to ~35 destinations. Limited visa-free travel; requires visas for most countries.
India × Pakistan hub ↗ All countries factsheet
Indian passport holders face a restrictive, category-specific visa regime (often visitor or religious visas with city-specific and police-reporting conditions) rather than open tourism, best arranged well in advance. Many other nationalities can use Pakistan's online e-visa system.
e-Visa: yes · Visa on arrival: Varies by nationality
Lahore and Karachi have modern BRT systems (Metrobus and the Orange Line train in Lahore), while ride apps Careem and inDrive are widespread; Daewoo Express runs comfortable intercity coaches, and Pakistan Railways links major cities.
Car vs taxi: Within cities, the Careem and inDrive apps are the easiest way to get around; for intercity travel, comfortable Daewoo Express coaches beat self-driving on unfamiliar roads.
Money: The Pakistani rupee (PKR) is the currency; cash dominates, especially in bazaars, though cards work at hotels and larger stores in cities.
SIM & data: Buy a Jazz, Zong, Telenor or Ufone SIM with your passport; biometric verification is required at official points of sale, and data is cheap.
Tipping: Tipping (called baksheesh) is common; leave around 10 percent at restaurants if service is not included, and small notes for porters, drivers and attendants.
Etiquette: Dress modestly (especially women, who should cover shoulders and legs), use the right hand for eating and giving, and respect prayer times and Ramadan fasting customs.
Food: Sample biryani, nihari, karahi, chapli kebab, haleem and seekh kebabs, with naan from tandoors and sweet lassi or Kashmiri chai.
Say hello: Urdu — “As-salamu alaykum” · thanks “Shukriya” · how much? “Kitne ka hai?”
Security varies by region; major cities and northern tourist areas like Hunza are generally calm, but check advisories and avoid border zones and areas flagged as sensitive.
For nomads: Lahore and Karachi have emerging startup ecosystems and coworking culture; affordable but safety considerations.
Education: Very affordable education; international schools concentrated in Karachi and Islamabad.
Healthcare: Private healthcare widely accessible and very cost-effective.
mfn-withdrawal-200-tariff
India revoked Pakistan's Most-Favoured-Nation (MFN) status February 16 2019 (post-Pulwama attack February 14 2019) + imposed 200% retaliatory-tariff framework on all Pakistani imports + Wagah-Attari border-trade suspended + Karachi-Mumbai shipping reduced to negligible volumes. Pakistan reciprocally suspended bilateral trade August 2019 (post-Article-370 framework). SAARC dormant since 2014 Kathmandu Summit framework cycles. Cross-border-terrorism context cycles affect cooperation framework dynamics.
India implication: Indian-Pakistan bilateral commercial cooperation collapsed February 2019 onwards + alternative-sourcing portfolio (Cement: domestic + Bangladesh · Cotton: African + Latin-American · Dry-fruits: Iran + Afghanistan + Turkey) + Indo-Pacific framework adjacency.
Outlook: Pakistan MFN-withdrawal + bilateral framework collapse persists structurally through 2030; commercial cooperation negligible.
Pakistan SAARC founding-member (Dhaka Summit 1985 alongside India + Bangladesh + Bhutan + Maldives + Nepal + Sri Lanka · Afghanistan 2007) + SAFTA in-force 2006 framework + 2014 Kathmandu Summit (last successful SAARC-Summit · India-Pakistan tensions postponed 2016 Islamabad Summit · SAARC dormant since 2016 cycles) + Pakistan MFN-withdrawal Feb 2019 + 200% retaliatory-tariff framework cycles.
India: India deepens SAARC-bypass framework via BBIN + BIMSTEC alternative-cooperation pathways + India-Sri Lanka ETCA + India-Bangladesh + Bhutan + Nepal bilateral framework cooperation.
India’s role: Indian-Pakistan bilateral cooperation collapsed February 2019 onwards · alternative-sourcing portfolio framework (Cement: domestic + Bangladesh · Cotton: African + Latin-American · Dry-fruits: Iran + Afghanistan + Turkey).
Pakistan-India bilateral framework historic (cement-import + cotton + textile + dry-fruits + Wagah-Attari border) collapsed post-Pulwama February 2019 + MFN status withdrawn + 200% retaliatory-tariff framework + Wagah-Attari trade-suspension + Most-Favoured-Nation framework cycles.
Indian passport holders face a restrictive, category-specific visa regime (often visitor or religious visas with city-specific and police-reporting conditions) rather than open tourism, best arranged well in advance. Many other nationalities can use Pakistan's online e-visa system.
Pakistan uses the Pakistani rupee (PKR). Capital: Islamabad.
Pakistan has FTAs with China and Sri Lanka and is a SAARC/SAFTA member, but India-Pakistan trade remains largely suspended and there is no functioning bilateral trade route as of 2026.
Security varies by region; major cities and northern tourist areas like Hunza are generally calm, but check advisories and avoid border zones and areas flagged as sensitive.