• Personal climbing equipment and snacks

Procedure for Applying for Permission: (For detailed guidelines, contact Tour guide/operator)

• A foreign mountaineering expedition desirous of climbing a peak in Pakistan has to submit an application form with a copy at the nearest Embassy / Consulate of Pakistan. Another copy with a photocopy of the royalty receipt should be sent directly to the Gilgit Baltistan Council Secretariat, Provident Fund Building Zero Point G-7/1, Islamabad.

• Application forms for allotment of peaks should be accepted by a Pakistani Embassy / Consulate. Such an application would then be immediately sent, by the said Embassy/Consulate, to the Tourism Division, where they would be processed on a “First-come-First served basis”. Incomplete application forms or forms received either before or after the stipulated dates may not be entertained.

• If a party is not sure of the team's composition, it shall apply with stating the fact and without attaching particulars of members with the application form. In such cases, peaks will be provisionally booked. A formal permission letter shall be issued only after particulars are received by Gilgit Baltistan Council Secretariat, at least three months before the arrival of the party in Pakistan. If particulars of the new members are not received within the stipulated period, and the party arrives in Pakistan, it may delay their departure to the mountains till the clearance of new members is obtained (takes about a week). Under this procedure, a party shall not leave for Pakistan unless it receives a formal permission letter. No mountaineer would be a member of more than one expedition during a season.

• In order of preference, a party shall indicate at least 3-4 peaks so that available peaks could be allotted. A party shall be permitted more than one 8000 meter peak with special permission from the Joint Secretary of Gilgit Baltistan Council Secretariat.

• Gilgit Baltistan Council Secretariat shall endeavour to send the mountaineering permit to a party within 60 days of receiving the application form at the Tourism Division. Depending on the availability of the peak for the chosen period, Tourism Division will send a provisional booking of the peak upon receipt of the completed application.

• Government reserves the right to allow a particular peak through any route to more than one party in the same season. 

Cancellation:

• The government has the right to cancel the allotment of a peak at any time without providing any reason. The amount of royalty deposited shall be refunded in such cases. 

• If a party postpones/cancels its mountaineering plan for its own reasons, it shall inform the Tourism Division by the quickest possible means. In such a case, royalty deposited shall neither be refunded nor carried forward for future mountaineering in Pakistan. Change in the booking period during the same mountaineering season is possible, subject to availability of the peaks/route for the revised date. 

Briefing / De-Briefing:   

• Upon arrival in Rawalpindi / Islamabad, the expedition should see the concerned office of the Tourism Division for arranging a meeting with the Liaison Officer and assistance on matters like insurance, purchase of rations, and allied matters. After completing these formalities, the expedition leader shall ask for a date of the formal briefing. For this purpose, he shall give a minimum notice of 24 hours, excluding Friday and Holidays. The preparatory work would entail a stay of about four-five days in Islamabad / Rawalpindi.  

• On return from the mountains, the party leader shall inform the concerned officer in the Tourism Division and obtain a date for debriefing by giving him a minimum notice of 24 hours, excluding Friday and holidays.  
  Note: No party will leave for the mountains without formal briefing or leave the country without formal debriefing with the Liaison Officer (L.O.)  

• A party shall include in the expedition, as its member, at least one L.O. to be detailed by the Government of Pakistan. 

• A party shall pay for his food, accommodation, and transportation to the mountains and back from the reporting date of the expedition in Islamabad till the date the party is debriefed.

• During the stay of a party at Rawalpindi/Islamabad, the L.O. will be given a daily allowance at the rate of US$ 30/- per day. The L.O. in a city of Northern Areas (such as Skardu, Gilgit etc.) is to be paid USD 15/- per day and accommodation. 

• An L.O. shall carry his personal equipment like any other member of the party.

• An L.O. shall be consulted on routes and local customs and, if desired, on matters such as transport, accommodation, and rations. If a leader disagrees with the L.O., he shall give him in writing the reasons for such disagreement.

• An L.O. shall extend maximum assistance to a party in making purchases etc. He shall, however, not handle any cash nor undertake any financial transactions on behalf of a leader/party. 

Islamabad, Pakistan