Backpacking through Balochistan?

[Patt4220]

Hello, i am a young Australian/Swiss Guy planning to travel overland to Pakistan from Turkey this Summer. I have read it is not safe to travel through Balochistan. Is this correct? I would only be passing through on my way to the North via Bus and train. It is very difficult to find recent information about the Situation for travellers there. Would be great to get some local opinions. Thankyou! Pat

 

[Leader]

you CANNOT do this right now, the Baloch belt is in the line of fire by the rebels. what you can do is travel from Turkey, to Iran take a flight to Karachi travel through Sindh into Punjab and through Wagha border leave to India.

if you want to take a risk, you can enter from border of Iran go to Gawadar take coastal Highway reach Karachi and then carry on.

if you want to travel by bus from Irani border to Quetta(risky), and then travel by train to Lahore(safe) you can also take it, but the risk is high from irani border to Quetta and stay in Quetta itself is dangerous and I assume you have no friends there in Quetta that can give you cover...

 

[Xeric]

Nothing to worry unless you decide to go out at your own. Until you are traveling via train or public transport there shouldnt be any worries. Now if you plan to camp outside somewhere it might create some problem, other than this feel free to travel across the province.

 

[Spring Onion]

Hello, i am a young Australian/Swiss Guy planning to travel overland to Pakistan from Turkey this Summer. I have read it is not safe to travel through Balochistan. Is this correct? I would only be passing through on my way to the North via Bus and train. It is very difficult to find recent information about the Situation for travellers there. Would be great to get some local opinions. Thankyou! Pat

If you want to travel to North then come through Peshawar and go onwards . There are some bus services which are quite safe or you can go through by air.

Its not safe to go through Balochistan in bus or rail keeping in view the activities of BLA terrorists there.

But let me ask a senior person he can provide me some information. will get back to you shortly

 

[Leader]

Nothing to worry unless you decide to go out at your own. Until you are traveling via train or public transport there shouldnt be any worries. Now if you plan to camp outside somewhere it might create some problem, other than this feel free to travel across the province.

for God's sake, it aint safe... if he is pointed out in Quetta as a foreigner they would take him as a journalist or some UN official.. bang kidnapped for money !!

hospitality is our first law, but Im sorry it aint the right times, If I were in Quetta I would have taken care of everything...if you are lucky you may find someone here from Quetta, if he like to be your host. Im sure someone would, then its safe.

 

[Secret Service]

its all safe.....Go ahead...

 

[Spring Onion]

Ok Patt here is the reply

the Iranians perhaps dont allow road travel from Turkey to Pakistan. "I remember in 2004 we did not get road via to travel by road to Turkey via Iran. Better land in Islamabad we can help you out to visit Northern Areas. .

Let me know if you need any help in case you decide to land in Islamabad and go further to north

 

[Xeric]

i dont know Patt, but i must tell you that the last time i traveled via train from Quetta to Lahore there was an Australian couple in the same cabin traveling exactly as you are planning. Fortunately i had a small interaction with them. They were in their late 30s or may be early 40s, may be you know them. i never asked their names so cant provide you the names. If i remember correctly they entered from Iran into Balochistan and then hired a taxi till Quetta, from there on they got the regular train service.From Karachi they were planning to go to Islamabad and then back to Lahore and then enter india from Wahga border. Now i didnt see them being afraid of anything then. And it was the time when Bugti's muder memories were quite fresh.

 

[Leader]

@jana he seems to be a traveler not a tourist ! I met a Aussie once in Mcdonalds, he traveled from turkey into Iran and pakistan on motorbike and then left for India.

the problem you mentioned is for us Pakistanies...hehe and you know why !!

 

[Xeric]

for God's sake, it aint safe... if he is pointed out in Quetta as a foreigner they would take him as a journalist or some UN official.. bang kidnapped for money !!

hospitality is our first law, but Im sorry it aint the right times, If I were in Quetta I would have taken care of everything...if you are lucky you may find someone here from Quetta, if he like to be your host. Im sure someone would, then its safe.

Dont be a paranoid. One odd gora roaming around Quetta aint going to catch many eyes. Moreover, he's not going to stay there for long, it would be like a touch down and there he goes. Serena>Railway Station and that's it.

 

[Spring Onion]

@jana he seems to be a traveler not a tourist ! I met a Aussie once in Mcdonalds, he traveled from turkey into Iran and pakistan on motorbike and then left for India.

the problem you mentioned is for us Pakistanies...hehe and you know why !!

I really dont know what he is looking for just offered help if he wants to go to Northern Areas

 

[Mech]

Balochistan seems like such an amazing place. Its really unfortunate the rebels cannot be thwarted. In india we have naxals like you have in balochistan. I wish your country can reclaim it completely as soon as you can, seems like a shame to let it go to waste.

 

[Leader]

Dont be a paranoid. One odd gora roaming around Quetta aint going to catch many eyes. Moreover, he's not going to stay there for long, it would be like a touch down and there he goes. Serena>Railway Station and that's it.

yara for the time being the situation is not this simple...

 

[BATMAN]

Hello, i am a young Australian/Swiss Guy planning to travel overland to Pakistan from Turkey this Summer. I have read it is not safe to travel through Balochistan. Is this correct? I would only be passing through on my way to the North via Bus and train. It is very difficult to find recent information about the Situation for travellers there. Would be great to get some local opinions. Thankyou! Pat

If you would have told where you are heading than i can make best proposition for you.
Problem is that Iranians it self run those fake rebellions and it is not safe at all to travel through.
Since you would be back packing... i mean without vehicle, than i advice to take a flight from Zahedan to Quetta or even better a flight from Mashhad to Lahore. From Lahore you may choose to go China via north or cross over to Indian border and even back.
It is very risky these days, foreign agents are roaming freely in Pakistan and in those un-inhabited places like Baluchistan they have too much leverage specially when you are crossing over from Iran or Afghanistan, they know all about your itinerary.

 

[Secret Service]

Balochistan seems like such an amazing place. Its really unfortunate the rebels cannot be thwarted. In india we have naxals like you have in balochistan. I wish your country can reclaim it completely as soon as you can, seems like a shame to let it go to waste.

there is nothing to be reclaimed in Baluchistan...its all about winning the hearts and minds of Baluch people..and few insurgents there are foreign aided ,they will be eliminated.