IX. BUSINESS TRAVEL A. Business Customs Effective June 3, 1994, Pakistan officially shifted to a formal five-day (Sunday through Thursday) work week, with government offices scheduled to function from 9 to 5. The GOP announced that it made this change as an energy-conservation measure and there has been significant opposition to the it. Prior to that date, a six-day work week (Saturday through Thursday) prevailed, with mid-afternoon closings throughout the work week. Friday is the official religious holiday and all government offices and most commercial establishments are closed. Pakistan is an Islamic Republic and imports of alcohol are not permitted. Liquor is, however, available for non-Muslim foreigners at many four- and five-star hotels, but generally only in their rooms. Both men and women should dress modestly in public in deference to local sensitivities. B. Passport, Visa, and Entry Requirements; Foreigner Registration All U.S. citizens are required to have a valid passport and Pakistani visa for entry into Pakistani. Visas are not available at airports on entry; they must be obtained at Pakistani missions abroad. In the United States, Pakistani visas may be obtained at the Embassy of Pakistan in Washington or at Pakistani Consulates in New York and Los Angeles; applications may be made by mail to the Pakistani Consulate in New York only. To obtain a Pakistani visa, an applicant must submit a completed visa application, a current passport photograph, a valid passport and proof of onward/return transportation. Applicants for business visas are required to submit a letter from their company. Visas in U.S. passports are issued gratis, but applications by mail must include a self-addressed stamped envelope covering return of the passport by registered mail. In general, tourist visas may not be modified or extended. The period of validity may be extended for periods of up to 6 months by applying to the Ministry of Interior in Islamabad. (Note: Visitors are advised to confirm current procedures by contacting the appropriate Pakistani diplomatic or consular post covering their jurisdiction prior to undertaking travel.) Visitors are allowed to import the following items free of duty: one camera and ten rolls of film; 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or one-half kilogram of manufactured tobacco; one personal computer along with accessories valued up to 50,000 rupees (approximately $1600 at June 1994 exchange rate) if imported by professionals who require the use of the computer as a tool in their work; etc. Personal effects, such as cameras, typewriters, tape recorders, binoculars, may be admitted duty-free, provided they are accompanied by a document certifying that they will be re-exported on the owner's departure. The import of alcohol is strictly prohibited; if alcohol is found, it will be seized by customs officials. Export permits are not normally required, but any antiques purchased in Pakistan should be cleared with museum officials in Karachi or Lahore to ensure that their export is not prohibited. U.S. citizens resident in, or visiting Pakistan, are encouraged to register with the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad or the U.S. Consulates in Karachi, Lahore, or Peshawar (see Appendix C for addresses and telephone numbers). Foreigners planning to remain in Pakistan for more than 30 days must register at the nearest district Foreigners' Registration Office. Health and Medical Services - Cholera, smallpox, and yellow fever immunizations are required for travelers arriving from infected areas. An AIDS (HIV)-free certificate is also required for travelers intending to stay in Pakistan for more than one year. Malaria prophylaxis is recommended by some physicians and various strains of hepatitis are prevalent in Pakistan. Travelers to Pakistan should check with their physician or the local office of the U.S. Public Health Service for information on any unusual circumstances that might necessitate additional protection. There are medical facilities in Karachi comparable in standard to those in the West, but good quality care is lacking in most other areas. Currency exchange on entering and leaving Pakistan - Visitors entering or leaving the country are limited to holding 100 rupees. There is no restriction on the amount of foreign currency which may be brought into the country if it is declared on a customs receipt upon arrival; absent declaration on arrival, the limitation on foreign currency which can be legally taken out of Pakistan is the equivalent of $500 per person or $2000 per family. Travelers may exchange currency only at banks and hotels authorized by the State Bank of Pakistan. Reconversion facilities for unspent rupees are available. Travel Advisory - Demonstrations, rallies, and processions may occur on short notice and may make it advisable for foreigners to avoid particular regions or particular urban districts for a time. Since a local situation can change rapidly, U.S. travelers should exercise caution, read the local English-language newspapers, and check with the consular sections of the U.S. Embassy or nearest U.S. consulate to ascertain whether there is any situation to which they should be alert. C. Holidays List of Pakistani holidays for 1994/1995: 1994 1995 Pakistan Day March 23 March 23 Eid-ul Fitr March 13,14,15 March 3,4,5* May Day May 1 May 1 Eid-ul-Azha May 22-23 May 12-13 9th and 10th of Muharram June 20-21 June 10-11* Independence Day August 14 August 14 Milad-An-Nabi August 20 August 10 Defense of Pakistan Day Sept. 6 September 6 Death Anniversary of Quaid-i-Azam Sept. 11 September 11 Iqbal Day November 9 November 9 Birthday of Quaid-i-Azam December 25 December 25 * (Based on the Islamic lunar calendar and may differ in the event by one or two days from the expected dates.) During the Islamic month of Ramazan (Ramadan), observant Muslims do not eat, drink, or smoke between sunrise and sunset. During this month, travel is more difficult, the pace of business activity slows (many offices close by mid-day), and it is therefore more difficult to accomplish business objectives. Ramazan begins 29 or 30 days before the feast of Eid-ul-Fitr; in 1994, Ramazan extended from February 12 to March 12-13 in most parts of Pakistan (the timing is based on the Islamic lunar calendar and may vary by one or two days subject to the sighting of the moon; in addition, there is often a one or two day discrepancy in timing among different parts of the country). In 1995, Ramazan will fall approximately ten days earlier, or around February 2 to March 2. D. Business Infrastructure Transportation - Karachi's Quaid-i-Azam International Airport, whose new Jinnah Terminal opened in August 1992, is the principal international gateway to Pakistan, although Islamabad and Lahore also have a number of international flights. An airport departure tax and a foreign travel tax are levied on international passengers. (As of June 30, 1994, the foreign travel tax is a flat 500 rupees; the departure tax ranges from 200 to 400 rupees, depending on the class of travel). State-owned Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is the sole Pakistani carrier on international routes; as of June 1994, the domestic market is shared by PIA and two small private sector carriers, Aero Asia and Shaheen Air International. PIA and its domestic competitors serve 36 domestic destinations. Karachi's Quaid-i- Azam International Airport is served by 32 international carriers, and there is also limited international service by several international carriers from Islamabad and Lahore. No U.S. carriers presently serve Pakistan. Pakistan's highway system is variable in quality. Although there are fast and comfortable luxury coaches on some routes, flying or private or hired cars would be the preferred mode of inter-city travel. Traffic drives on the left. Metered yellow taxis are available in most large and small population centers. Car rentals are available in major cities; rental of cars with drivers is recommended. Private car ownership is recommended for long- term residents; visitors require an international driving license. Language - The official language of Pakistan is Urdu. However, almost all Pakistanis involved in business and commerce of a certain scale have an adequate command of English. Communications - Internal mail delivery is inexpensive and fairly reliable. Airmail letters take about six to eight days to reach Europe and about eight to ten days to reach the U.S. Delivery of private courier packages (i.e. DHL, Federal Express, TCS) is delayed due to customs clearance. This normally takes 2 or 3 days. Delivery times for sea freight are considerably longer and more variable. Twenty-four hour telegram, facsimile, and telex services are available at post and telegraph offices and many larger hotels. Cellular phones are available for visiting businessmen and are more reliable for international communications than the local conventional telephones. Lodging - There are international-standard hotels in the major cities of Pakistan. Four and five-star hotels in business centers include the Avari Towers, Sheraton, Pearl Continental and Marriott in Karachi; the Avari and Pearl Continental in Lahore; the Faisalabad Serena in Faisalabad; the Marriott and Holiday Inn in Islamabad; the Pearl Continental in Rawalpindi; the Pearl Continental in Peshawar; and the Quetta Serena in Quetta. Quoted rates for Karachi hotels in June 1994 ranged from 3200 to 4800 rupees for a single, and from 3600 to 5300 rupees for a double; however various discounts may be available in competitive markets. The general standard of rental housing is quite good. Most houses and apartments are rented unfurnished and have three or more bedrooms with attached baths. Leases typically are for two years and require one year's rent in advance. In mid-1994, the average rental for an unfurnished three- bedroom house in Karachi ranged from 25,000 to 35,000 rupees per month. Utilities - Electric current in Pakistan is 220/240 volts AC. Two and three- prong plugs are in common use. Voltage fluctuations and power cuts are common; sensitive electric equipment, such as computers, televisions, and stereos, should be fitted with voltage regulators. Natural gas is used for cooking in larger cities. The water supply is erratic in parts of Karachi, requiring delivery by water tanker to residences in some areas. The Islamabad/Rawalpindi area also experienced serious water shortages in 1994. Office Rental - Prevailing monthly rents for prime ground floor office space (mid-1994) are approximately 30 to 45 rupees ($1.00 to $1.50) per square foot in Karachi, 25 to 30 rupees ($.83 to $1.00) in Lahore, and 18 to 21 rupees ($.60 to $.70) in Islamabad. Rents for office space above ground level generally become progressively lower. Tenants are generally responsible for utilities. It is common practice for a one or two-year lease to require a security deposit of one year's rent. Schools - Karachi, Islamabad, and Lahore have privately-run schools that follow the U.S. system of education. The Karachi American School and the International School of Islamabad offer a high-quality academic program through the 12th grade. The significantly smaller Lahore American School, which has a majority Pakistani student body, also offers K-12 classes. There is also a K-Grade 6 school in Peshawar. Annual tuition fees (for the 1994-95 academic year) are approximately $7,100 at the Karachi American School, plus a one-time registration fee of $1,800 for new students. Annual tuition fees at the International School of Islamabad are $7350. Food and Drink - Pakistani food combines elements of Mughal Indian and Middle East cuisines and tends to be spicy. Specialties include kababs, tikka (barbecued spiced chicken, mutton, or beef), korma (meat curry), koftas (meat balls), and pulao (spicy fried rice). The staples are nan, chapatti, and paratha (unleavened breads). Some Western dishes are available in major hotels and in restaurants in larger cities; the most common international restaurants are Chinese. Alcohol is served only to non-Muslim tourists in their hotel rooms and is expensive.