Moving to Islamabad from London (UK)

[Dubious]

There is zero lane discipline and people think driving in two lanes simultaneously is some kind of badge of honor. There is no concept of right of way or not going wrong way. Pressing the horn every 2 seconds is considered essential otherwise your engine will choke. Also traffic lights are merely suggestions.

THIS I really dont understand we need something like this :

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...traffic-lights-that-reward-the-patient-driver

 

[Sal12]

I am in the same boat, I live in the north west UK but for the past year have
been thinking of moving back to Pakistan. Would love to move to a city
and start a new life.

Bradford or Leeds

 

[alphapak]

Bradford or Leeds

A town in Lancashire.

 

[MastanKhan]

Just be tread carefully, to me it sounds like you're coming in unplanned. Why not do a 6 months trip and try to initiate something, see how it goes instead of diving straight in.

I know a person who came back from Austria to 'serve' Pakistan, but was only pushed around here and rused. Now he's going back to Austria where he multiple offers.

Or don't end up like that Pakistani American doctor who, after Imran Khan's speech, tweeted he is leaving everything and coming back to setup a clinic with his wife; his twitter account is now deleted.

Things are not in perfect order yet, there's a small lack of direction on economy, and oppurtunities limited.

So, that's why I don't straight dive in, come for 6 months or a year, see if the business works out, try to stay active.

My opinion.

Hi,

that is the best advice---as we have moved out---there is minimal place for us in pakistan---.

If you are retired then maybe---.

But plan for six months at a time and see how to move forward with permanent rsidency---.

 

[Indos]

e-commerce website I think will be boom in Pakistan for 3-5 years to come. Here in Indonesia many star up have become big due to e-commerce website like Bukalapak, Tokopedia, Ovo, and Traveloka. They have become Unicorn companies. Another make education platform, fintech, and others like website specially for selling clothes. Even one of my relative who is still in late 20's make website specializing in selling luxury women bags beside having a real store in a mall.

 

[HannibalBarca]

e-commerce website I think will be boom in Pakistan for 3-5 years to come. Here in Indonesia many star up have become big due to e-commerce website like Bukalapak, Tokopedia, Ovo, and Traveloka. They have become Unicorn companies. Another make education platform, fintech, and others like website specially for selling clothes. Even one of my relative who is still in late 20's make website specializing in selling luxury women bags beside having a real store in a mall.

How is payment done via e-commerce?
Pay-On-Website? or any other form of payment like Payment at delivery?
What about deliveries? is that done by National postal service? or Private delivery services?

 

[On the Edge]

A town in Lancashire.

preston

 

[Indos]

How is payment done via e-commerce?
Pay-On-Website? or any other form of payment like Payment at delivery?
What about deliveries? is that done by National postal service? or Private delivery services?

In Indonesia we can use online banking or ATM transfer, credit card, and instant payment at home. The customer can choose which transaction type they prefer to do. Delivery can use both National postal service or private delivery services. In Indonesia, private delivery service (courier company) are really booming now.

 

[On the Edge]

Hi All,

I am SEAD (a new member) and currently living in London, UK for the past 18 yrs. I have been lurking on this site for years and finally decided to join in. The primary reason of coming on here is to seek advice/guidance from the fellow members who are currently residing in Pakistan - as I plan on making a move back home!

I was born in Pakistan and moved here due to my father's job. I was 12 when I moved here so studied here from secondary school onwards. My immediate family are here and I am grateful to UK for the life I have lived here so far. Not wishing to brag or show off, but I am financially settled and can't really complain tbh - on the face of it, I have everything (house, car, job, family etc) but yet I don't feel at 'home' for some reason.

I have been contemplating a move back for a while now and believe now is the time to do it - within 6 to 12 months. With Pakistan's economy picking up and the future looking promising, I am keen on moving back sooner rather than later. The plan is as follow:

* I don't currently have a house in Pakistan but do intend to purchase one soon after my arrival. The areas that are of interest to me are F-6/7 or surrounding areas within these Zones in Islamabad. Though my budget is flexible, I was actually quite shocked when I saw prices of some of the properties online (10 crore+). Can any local members give me any advise, please? Are these prices shown online negotiable - and do houses tend to sell for nearer to asking prices or is it the case of sellers starting high and eventually settling for a more reasonable price? Is it just a case of having to be good at negotiating? Any advice/guidance is welcome on this topic. Although I would welcome views of everyone on here, I am particularly keen to hear from fellow members currently residing in Islamabad.

* The plan is to "test the waters out for approx 5 years". During this time, I will give everything to settle in ISB permanently but if the plan goes south, I will simply move back to UK & restart - though I hope it doesn't come to that.

* I plan on running a business whilst I am there. I currently run an online based e-commerce business here in UK and plan on doing something similar in Pakistan - though I understand the online market there is pretty small so I will be looking more towards a high street presence (Retail). I am also open to trying out other ventures such as Restaurants, takeaways and even considering Travel & Tourism (though I will need good local knoweldge in this). Whilst I am not expecting any fellow businessmen out here to let me in on their secrets, I would appreciate any advice and pros & cons to look out for and what sort of costs I can expect.

* What's life generally like in ISB? I have heard of some really positive feedback and from my limited knowledge, the city appears to be nice, clean, quite and pretty green with good access to local amenities. I know in other cities life is pretty hard for an average citizen, and issues with lack of Gas, electricity & water etc. Is it the same in ISB, too? What are the things to look out for? What's private education like for kids of 4 -10 years of age in a decent private school?

* What's the job market currently like in ISB? My Mrs works in IT sector and, as shes not used to being a full-time house bound (yet), she will struggle with boredom in general whilst there. So, she maybe interested in a part-time job just to keep sane lol - once again, any advice on this is welcome.

Now, in case any of you out there wondering what on earth is wrong with me and why I am so keen on risking a decent & comfortable lifestyle in UK and making a move that is clearly very risky - let me try and explain. I consider Pakistan to be my home & true identity. Granted there are loads of issues, but I am happy to face them and would rather live proudly live amongst my own - rather than be a "foreigner" abroad. With the expected arrival of our first child soon (Inshallah), I would want him/her to start their life there - ideally going on to serve in the Armed forces but that would be their decision, not mine.

Thank you for your time and I look to hearing from you...
Regards,

i can tell you about property,
yes the housing units in main Islamabad are ridicolusly high, insane actually
so yea the prices you see on websites are real, and definitely negotiable

 

[Indos]

Making a courier company can also have potential in Pakistan if you have some money as in Indonesia this type of business are really booming due to e-commerce.

 

[OldenWisdom...قول بزرگ]

I guess there is one big drive going on of people returning to Pakistan... I know a Pakistani family that left U.S. last year and another two mentioning the same thing... both with young kids ... one from northern Pakistan who have been here for two generations going on third!

 

[HannibalBarca]

In Indonesia we can use online banking or ATM transfer, credit card, and instant payment at home. The customer can choose which transaction type they prefer to do.

In the MENA region, at the exception of few countries, E-commerce industry is limited by infrastructural/Administrative issues... Therefore can't boom as it is right now...
Why?
First... In the majority of MENA the postal services/Address doesn't exist as we know it in the West... That goes with House registration/permits etc... That are not registered therefore "We can say does not really exist"...
Things are changing, States are enforcing regulation... But still it will need years/decade to do the job.
So, nowadays if you aren't in the city, you will have to either get it yourself or stay on the phone with the delivery guy for hours...

Second, Payment. Ppl Usually pay most of time if not every time with physical money, the use of debit card is rare, even among youngsters... Digital payments lobby by the state is lacking/non-existent, some have tried with some sort of E-card issued by the state, like some sort of e-wallet... but didn't catch up...
So, most people use Payment on delivery... I will not go into detail about such practice, as it's extremely costly for the platform/seller... same goes for it's "payment" guarantee at arrival...

And Last, Postal/Delivery services... Let's say, mediocre is a good word to describe it... But a rule of thumb is As long as it's not from the Gov... you may start praying as deeply as you can to get it... Simple city to city (30km) letters take days, days and days. Therefore e-commerce get to use Private delivery services that not only add to the already over-priced item, but also force businesses to a "Monopolistic" contract with those same services... Like a simple item, can cost you the equivalent of 30-40$ in the west...

That's MENA in general...

That's why I ask what is like in Indonesia, and see the similarities with us, since you said e-commerce was booming.

 

[ARMalik]

Hi All,

I am SEAD (a new member) and currently living in London, UK for the past 18 yrs. I have been lurking on this site for years and finally decided to join in. The primary reason of coming on here is to seek advice/guidance from the fellow members who are currently residing in Pakistan - as I plan on making a move back home!

I was born in Pakistan and moved here due to my father's job. I was 12 when I moved here so studied here from secondary school onwards. My immediate family are here and I am grateful to UK for the life I have lived here so far. Not wishing to brag or show off, but I am financially settled and can't really complain tbh - on the face of it, I have everything (house, car, job, family etc) but yet I don't feel at 'home' for some reason.

I have been contemplating a move back for a while now and believe now is the time to do it - within 6 to 12 months. With Pakistan's economy picking up and the future looking promising, I am keen on moving back sooner rather than later. The plan is as follow:

* I don't currently have a house in Pakistan but do intend to purchase one soon after my arrival. The areas that are of interest to me are F-6/7 or surrounding areas within these Zones in Islamabad. Though my budget is flexible, I was actually quite shocked when I saw prices of some of the properties online (10 crore+). Can any local members give me any advise, please? Are these prices shown online negotiable - and do houses tend to sell for nearer to asking prices or is it the case of sellers starting high and eventually settling for a more reasonable price? Is it just a case of having to be good at negotiating? Any advice/guidance is welcome on this topic. Although I would welcome views of everyone on here, I am particularly keen to hear from fellow members currently residing in Islamabad.

* The plan is to "test the waters out for approx 5 years". During this time, I will give everything to settle in ISB permanently but if the plan goes south, I will simply move back to UK & restart - though I hope it doesn't come to that.

* I plan on running a business whilst I am there. I currently run an online based e-commerce business here in UK and plan on doing something similar in Pakistan - though I understand the online market there is pretty small so I will be looking more towards a high street presence (Retail). I am also open to trying out other ventures such as Restaurants, takeaways and even considering Travel & Tourism (though I will need good local knoweldge in this). Whilst I am not expecting any fellow businessmen out here to let me in on their secrets, I would appreciate any advice and pros & cons to look out for and what sort of costs I can expect.

* What's life generally like in ISB? I have heard of some really positive feedback and from my limited knowledge, the city appears to be nice, clean, quite and pretty green with good access to local amenities. I know in other cities life is pretty hard for an average citizen, and issues with lack of Gas, electricity & water etc. Is it the same in ISB, too? What are the things to look out for? What's private education like for kids of 4 -10 years of age in a decent private school?

* What's the job market currently like in ISB? My Mrs works in IT sector and, as shes not used to being a full-time house bound (yet), she will struggle with boredom in general whilst there. So, she maybe interested in a part-time job just to keep sane lol - once again, any advice on this is welcome.

Now, in case any of you out there wondering what on earth is wrong with me and why I am so keen on risking a decent & comfortable lifestyle in UK and making a move that is clearly very risky - let me try and explain. I consider Pakistan to be my home & true identity. Granted there are loads of issues, but I am happy to face them and would rather live proudly live amongst my own - rather than be a "foreigner" abroad. With the expected arrival of our first child soon (Inshallah), I would want him/her to start their life there - ideally going on to serve in the Armed forces but that would be their decision, not mine.

Thank you for your time and I look to hearing from you...
Regards,

If you have already made up your mind to come to Pakistan, then nothing will stop you irrespective of any advise from people here. So what I am saying is that are you prepared to listen to sane advise from members here??

If you are prepared to listen then my advise to you is;

1- To be very careful before you make such a huge decision as it can have implication on your family for decades to come.
2- Come and live in Islamabad for 2 or 3 months. It will really give you precious insight into the life and people here. Do not move permanently before you do this.
3- Please DO NOT trust people immediately even your close family members and relatives living there - Understand them first.
4- And for God sake, under no circumstance talk about MONEY or you will loose your money like it never existed.

 

[Indos]

In the MENA region, at the exception of few countries, E-commerce industry is limited by infrastructural/Administrative issues... Therefore can't boom as it is right now...
Why?
First... In the majority of MENA the postal services/Address doesn't exist as we know it in the West... That goes with House registration/permits etc... That are not registered therefore "We can say does not really exist"...
Things are changing, States are enforcing regulation... But still it will need years/decade to do the job.
So, nowadays if you aren't in the city, you will have to either get it yourself or stay on the phone with the delivery guy for hours...

Second, Payment. Ppl Usually pay most of time if not every time with physical money, the use of debit card is rare, even among youngsters... Digital payments lobby by the state is lacking/non-existent, some have tried with some sort of E-card issued by the state, like some sort of e-wallet... but didn't catch up...
So, most people use Payment on delivery... I will not go into detail about such practice, as it's extremely costly for the platform/seller... same goes for it's "payment" guarantee at arrival...

And Last, Postal/Delivery services... Let's say, mediocre is a good word to describe it... But a rule of thumb is As long as it's not from the Gov... you may start praying as deeply as you can to get it... Simple city to city (30km) letters take days, days and days. Therefore e-commerce get to use Private delivery services that not only add to the already over-priced item, but also force businesses to a "Monopolistic" contract with those same services... Like a simple item, can cost you the equivalent of 30-40$ in the west...

That's MENA in general...

That's why I ask what is like in Indonesia, and see the similarities with us, since you said e-commerce was booming.

This E-Commerce business is really helping many small businesses and traders in Indonesia. Taking one of my cousin for example, as the oil price is not as high as the old days, oil company start firing their employee. This policy also effects one of my cousin working in oil drilling companies as engineer. But he can still survive now by setting up an online shop in Indonesia e-commerce websites. He is actually only a trader but can earn enough money for his wife and one daughter.

Another example is one of my best friend. After being fired in an insurance company, he start making a restaurant selling West Sumatran (Padang) food. His father in the past had one and he uses his father recipe and hire 3 employees who used to work in his father restaurant. His business can survive due to ride hailing service provided by Gojek and Grab that can make customer order food and drink through Gojek and Grab apps.

According to him, around 60 percent of his restaurant sales coming from this online platform. It will be difficult for him if those service are not booming in Indonesia since his restaurant location is not in a busy place and also quite new just 2 years ago being started there.

I think ride hailing food service is not booming in Western world since they dont use motorcycle that can minimize the delivery cost, isnt it ?

 

[HannibalBarca]

This E-Commerce business is really helping many small businesses and traders in Indonesia. Taking one of my cousin for example, as the oil price is not as high as the old days, oil company start firing their employee. This policy also effects one of my cousin working in oil drilling companies as engineer. But he can still survive now by setting up an online shop in Indonesia e-commerce websites. He is actually only a trader but can earn enough money for his wife and one daughter.

Another example is one of my best friend. After being fired in an insurance company, he start making a restaurant selling West Sumatran (Padang) food. His father in the past had one and he uses his father recipe and hire 3 employees who used to work in his father restaurant. His business can survive due to ride hailing service provided by Gojek and Grab that can make customer order food and drink through Gojek and Grab apps.

According to him, around 60 percent of his restaurant sales coming from this online platform. It will be difficult for him if those service are not booming in Indonesia since his restaurant location is not in a busy place and also quite new just 2 years ago being started there.

I think ride hailing food service is not booming in Western world since they dont use motorcycle that can minimize the delivery cost, isnt it ?

Food delivery service are healthy in the west , with the likes of Ubereats/deliveroo etc... Where motorcycles but most importantly bikes are widely used.
Many small biz did grow from such services, since they do not need to maintain a fleet of their own, neither need to add more workers for such specialized work.
Nowadays in the West or at least in Europe, such services became a little less interesting, even though they are widely used, but still it decreased, since the price increased mostly bc of State regulation. Where those self employed workers have regulated their activities and who say regulation, say taxes therefore increase in fees.