3,631
edits
Changes
→Borders
Nonetheless, in the areas that are safe it's amazing to hitchhike in Pakistan. Pakistani [[hitchhiking a truck|trucks]] are beautiful (even though they sometimes go as slowly as 10 km/h) and the truck drivers are very hospitable.
EDIT 2020: All locals say that Punjab, Gilgit and most parts of Sindh are relatively safe for traveling. Actually, the current government is making quite an effort to make Pakistan more accesible for tourists. Only in Baluchistan and some parts of KPK (especially close to the border with Afghanistan) there seems to be some trouble. It is not possible to travel Baluchistan without being escorted by the police who will force you on a bus or train. Also, when you travel through Baluchistan, you need to obtain a so-called NOC (no-objection certificate) once you get to Quetta. This process requires a couple of days while you are not allowed to leave the hotel that you are forced to stay at. That being said, Punjab is great for hitchhiking as there are perfectly modern highways with toll stations and people are incredibly hospitable (like in the whole country). Sometimes, the road police will even help you find rides. The magic word for hitchhiking is "lift/lifting/lifter".
== Cities ==
[[Islamabad]] capital, [[Karachi]], [[Lahore]], [[Multan]], [[Faisalabad]], [[Taftan]], [[Quetta]], [[Hyderabad]], [[Peshawar]], [[IslamabadGilgit]], [[Passu]], [[Sost]], [[Skardu]], [[Zhob]], [[Jhelum]], [[Naran]], [[Nawabshah]], [[GilgitThatta]], [[PassuAskole]], [[SostAstore]]
== Karakoram Highway ==
Pakistan has borders with [[Iran]], [[Afghanistan]], [[China]] and [[India]].
From Pakistan to [[China]], July 2017
I hitchhiked from Islamabad North through Abbottabad, Naran, Babusa Top. Till there getting picked up was very easy, however, to explain hitchhiking was not that easy. But people were nice and helpful. From Babusa Top I hitchhiked down and at some point police stoped the car I was in and told me I have to go with them, as I didn't register at the top and I was illegal now and have to go back. As it was already pretty late in the afternoon it would have taken too long to get up again to register me and then to go back, so they decided (or rather the tribes, that stopped the police) decided that I should go to Chilas. In Chilas I was not allowed to stay in my tent, but had to go to a hotel and the police or one policeman would always be next to me and stay in front of my hotel room. Explaining that I do not want this would not help. (Chilas is considered a dangerous area, there were fights between the tribes and different shiites and sunnis happening. soon the Area around Chilas will be flood, they are building the Diamer-Bash-Damm there at the moment.) Later in that evening in Chilas a policeman would come and interview me (similar like in Quetta). And I had to sign some papers, do some selfies.
From Chilas police would not allow me to hitchhike and they had actually no idea how to deal with me. (being a woman and alone, they seem to have never seen something like this) they kept on asking me where my brother or my husband would are.
Some general tips:
- Don't wait for the bus in Bam. Get a shared taxi. Make sure you agree on the price before getting in. Ask the driver to drop you of at Meydan & Mirjaveh in Zahedan to win time and avoid one taxi less. Leave Bam early to arrive on time in Taftan.
- Bring plenty of water and food. Taftan to Quetta can take up to 16 hours. Some travellers do it in two days. I was lucky there was a straight convoy. This might change from day to day.
A blog about the stories of a hitchhiker with [http://youarealltourists.blogspot.de/search/label/Pakistan many stories about Pakistan from several visits ]
[https://www.facebook.com/tripsandquips/posts/1676525842391885 The road from Pakistan to China in detail (August 2017)] == Nomadwiki & Trashwiki == {{stubnomadwiki}}
[[Category:Southern Asia]]
[[es:Pakistán]]