PAKISTAN TOURKARACHI TO KASHMIR: 9 - 16 JUNE 2019

Join Muslim Charity on an experience of a lifetime; a unique one-week tour of Pakistan to uncover the real lives of urban and rural communities and to experience the impact of donations

from our generous donors and supporters from the UK.

In association with

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IntroductionBrace yourselves! What you are about to read will spellbind you to the point that you start to wobble and shake in your heart with every excitement and zest to travel from Karachi to Kashmir, (Azad Jammu Kashmir) in Pakistan.

The ‘From UK with Love’ Pakistan Tour will be about experiencing the lives of people living in the suburbs of the Metropolitan City Karachi situated at the shores of the Arabian Sea. We will be experiencing the lives of people in Lyari, one of Karachi’s most densely populated areas which is famous for diverse ethnicities and recently notorious due to gang wars but has now come back to normalcy. The precinct has been famous for football and boxing along with many other sports. A few years ago, it was the Lyari kids who made history at the Street Child Football World Cup Football and made their country proud.

In Karachi, we will be visiting Muslim Charity supported drugs rehabilitation centres, kidney hospital and a mosque/madrassa along with meeting the communities.

From Karachi, we will be travelling to Azad Jammu Kashmir valley, undoubtedly one of the most beautiful regions in the world, often dubbed as “Heaven on Earth” for its scenic natural beauty and stunning landscapes. It is scattered with snow-covered peaks, forests, rivers, streams, valleys, velvet green plateaus and the climate varies from arctic to tropical.

The ‘From UK with Love’ Pakistan Tour will be visiting a recently renovated government school and will be participating in a sports day along with visiting Muslim Charity hospitals in Arja, Rawalakot, as well as spending a day with the local communities and Muslim Charity supported orphans, along with witnessing and experiencing the rich culture of Kashmir and Pakistan.

Day Location ActivitySunday9th June 2019

Karachi • Arrival at Jinnah International Airport Karachi and transfer to hotel

• Briefing and introduction of participants• Dinner at Port Grand Karachi • Night stay in Karachi hotel

Monday10th June 2019

Karachi • Rickshaw travel to Lyari Town, Karachi• Visiting Muslim Charity supported projects which help

educating under-privileged and deprived children and supporting our sisters in Lyari Town

• Visiting Muslim Charity supported boxing centre for youngsters, which is helping the reduction of crime and abuse of drugs in the notorious slum areas of Lyari Town, Karachi

• Meeting with our future young artists, those who say no to crime but choose to transform their imagination into beautiful colours

• Visiting a community centre for the disabled to support underprivileged people

• Visiting Muslim Charity supported Drugs Rehabilitation Centre for vulnerable children and playing indoor games with them to understand their lives and process of rehabilitation

• Dinner and night stay in Karachi

Tuesday11th June 2019

Karachi • Visit to Muslim Charity supported Fatima Medical Complex and hand over mobile blood bank vehicle for thalassemia children

• Visit Muslim Charity funded Mosque and meeting with sponsored orphans in Sirjani Town, Karachi

• Time for exploring traditional shopping streets of Karachi • Transfer to airport for flight to Islamabad• Arrival in Islamabad and transfer to hotel

Wednesday12th June 2019

Bagh • Travel to Bagh, Azad Jammu and Kashmir• Lunch at Bab-e-Shuhada-e-Kashmir (Nella Butt Village)• Overnight stay in Bagh

Thursday13th June 2019

Bagh • Visit to Muslim Charity Arja Hospital • Meeting with orphan children assisted by Muslim Charity

donors• Visiting Muslim Charity constructed mosque• Handing over a newly fabricated ambulance to Muslim

Charity Arja Hospital and will be positioned at Dherkot Tehsil Hospital

• Night stay in Mujahid-e-Awal Park

Friday14th June

Dherkot • Inauguration of newly renovated/ constructed school, meeting with parents, teachers and students

• Travel back to Islamabad • Night stay in Islamabad

Saturday15th June 2019

Islamabad • Participants will participate in a tour of Islamabad and also see the magnificent Margalla hill tracks, bustling market and shopping malls

• Dinner at a scenic restaurant in Islamabad • Overnight stay in Hotel

Sunday16th June 2019

Islamabad • End of tour. Participants can either fly back to the UK or remain in Pakistan but the official tour will end before 12.00pm midday.

*The above itineray is subject to change due to any unforeseen circumstances or reasons beyond the control of Muslim Charity

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Arrival Jinnah International Airport, Karachi and transfer to hotel (Pick-up from Airport included)

17:00-18:00 Briefing and introduction of participants.

18:00-19:00 Dinner at Port Grand Karachi

Participants are required to arrange flights so that they land at Jinnah International Airport, Karachi, no later than 4.00pm on Sunday 9th June 2019 where a representative will pick them up and transfer them to the hotel. Participants will be provided with a briefing at the hotel before leaving for dinner.

Karachi is blessed with a vast shoreline and it’s a must to make the most of it. If a night-time swim at devil’s point under the full moon at 12 am is a bit too wild you can perhaps explore the waters through a boating expedition from Port Grand. The port offers a boat ride around the mangroves that line the Karachi coast, a speed boat ride and a special floating deck for enjoying dinner or lunch. There is also an art lane at this sea-facing hub, where various artworks are displayed in an indoor plus outdoor gallery space. Lastly, the participants will have dinner on port grand.

Night Stay in Karachi Hotel

Sunday

09JUNE

Day 1

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7:00-8:00 Breakfast in the Hotel.

8:30-9:30 Rickshaw travel to Lyari

Travel on the amazing rickshaws like locals to Lyari and you will get to experience the best of Karachi, along with the old and narrow streets of Lyari.

9:30-13:30 Visiting Muslim Charity Supported Projects in Lyari Karachi

Lyari Town is one of the eighteen constituent towns of the city of Karachi, it is the smallest town by area in the city but also the most densely populated town. It is bordered by the towns of Site Town to the north across the Lyari River, Jamshed and Saddar to the east, and Kemari to the west across the main harbour of Karachi. Lyari is known as a football hotbed in Pakistan. Many of the nation’s top players come from the area. Football is very popular & Lyarians are pretty excited about the FIFA World Cup. During the world cup season people raise flags of every country especially Brazil. Lyari is also known for bodybuilders, boxers and wrestlers.

In the past Lyari had a fierce reputation for gang-related violence, drugs and all sorts of crime. However, in 2017 Pakistani authorities have restored law and order by arresting criminals and inviting charities to start initiatives for children’s education, sports along with the creation of employment opportunities for poor families. Most of the children living in Lyari are breadwinners to fight hunger and extreme poverty. Most of these children work as street hawkers, workshop mechanics and domestic labourers. Muslim Charity and its partners are supporting these children through education and you will be visiting Muslim Charity supported centre where children receive Non-Formal Education and sisters receive different trade skills such as tailoring and beautician courses. The slums schools are a beacon of hope for these children aiming to overcome their circumstances through education, hard work, determination and dreaming big.

13:30- 14:30 Lunch in Lyari

14:30-15:30 Travel to Malir

Monday

10JUNE

Day 2

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Day 2

15:30-18:00 Bringing hope in the lives of drug abused children – AAS Centre

In Karachi more than 25,000 children are living on the streets and they are highly vulnerable to physical and emotional abuse, among them 74% are addicts of drugs like heroin, hashish, samad bond, glue, STC tablets along with alcohol.

Muslim Charity along with the AAS Drugs Rehabilitation Centre are trying to bring back hope in their lives through a rehabilitation centre established in Malir. The centre caters the needs for 40 children over a duration of three months to help them overcome their drug addiction. These children are provided a comfortable place to stay, clothing, nutritious meals, counselling, recreational activities and medical treatment without charges. The services also include, bio-psycho-social assessments, detoxification, treatment & rehabilitation, group counselling & psychotherapy along with family

18:00-22:00 Dinner and Shopping Time

Enjoy a memorable shopping and dinner experience at one of the largest malls in Karachi. This is a luxury that the upper middle-class people of Karachi are accustomed to and will give you a glimpse of how advanced and up-to-date the malls of Karachi are.

22:00-22:30 Return to Hotel and Night Stay

Monday

10JUNE

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7:00-8:00 Breakfast in the Hotel.

09:00-13:00 Visiting Fatima Kidney Care Centre & Orphan Support Programme

In Karachi alone, Muslim Charity is supporting over 100 orphans and Hifz-e-Quran children through one-to-one sponsorships. The participants will be attending a programme arranged by Muslim Charity and its partners to learn about the transformation in their lives through this generous support by generous donors from the United Kingdom.

The medical complex is supporting 50 thalassemia children and blood transfusion is provided free of cost, Muslim Charity will be handing over one blood bank vehicle to support Thalassemia children and participants will be able to meet and gain first-hand experience of the support to the lives of patients and their families in a Muslim Charity supported hospital.

13:00-19:00 Lunch and Shopping in traditional shopping streets of Karachi

19:30-20:00 Transfer from Hotel to Airport for flight to Islamabad.

Arrival in Islamabad and Night Stay in Hotel

7:30-9:30 Breakfast in the Hotel.

10:00-12:30 Travel to Bagh (Azad Jammu and Kashmir) via Bhurban

Breath-taking sceneries, mesmerizing snow caped mountains, awe-inspiring waterfalls, the tranquillity of smooth lakes, magnificent flowering meadows and dazzling weather all-around the year are the words we characterise with Kashmir - also known as “Heaven on Earth” and “Switzerland of the East”. Kashmir has been widely recognized and embraced for its captivating natural beauty. Each district or valley of Azad Kashmir is breathtakingly beautiful and deserves the attention of tourists.

14:00- 15:00 Lunch Break

15:00- 18:00 Sight Seeing the beautiful mountain at Bab-e-Shuhada-e-Kashmir

18:30- 21:00 Dinner and Overnight Stay

Night Stay in Bagh

Tuesday

11JUNE

Wednesday

12JUNE

Day 3-4

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8:00-9:00 Breakfast

09:30-10:00 Travel to Government Middle School Dhirkot

10:00-12:00 Inauguration of Newly Renovated School

Join the historical moments of the recently renovated Government Middle School in Dhirkot. Muslim Charity supported the full renovation of the school along with construction of extra classrooms for the education of girls and boys in the area. Enjoy and celebrate sports day with school children and experience the transformation of vulnerable communities through education.

12:00-14:00 Lunch14:00-17:00 Travel to Islamabad

Night stay in Islamabad

8:00-9:00 Breakfast in the Hotel.

9:30-10:00 Checkout and Travel to Arja

10:00-12:30 Honouring Our Mothers and Supporting Orphans

Muslim Charity Hospital Arja

Muslim Charity constructed the Arja Hospital after the devastating earthquake in 2005 to save the lives of vulnerable mothers and communities in the valley. The hospital consists of 20 beds and provides outpatient services on daily bases either free for poor patients or against a nominal fee for those who are able to afford it. The participants will be visiting the hospital to gain first-hand experience of this life saving project and will met the orphans who are receiving kind assistance for their education and living in the surrounding areas.

14:00-15:00 Lunch at MC Hospital

15:00-19:00 Travel to Mujahid-e-Awal Park and sight seeing

19:00-22:30 Dinner and folk music and Ambulance handing over ceremony

13:00-19:30 Travel to Islamabad with a lunch break in Murree or surrounding area

Thursday

13JUNE

Friday

14JUNE

Day 5-6

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Day 7-8

9:00-10:00 Breakfast in the Hotel.

11:00-22:00

Spend the last day with a tour in Rawalpindi and Islamabad by travelling like locals with public transport and visit the old and traditional Raja Bazar and Sadar areas. Enjoy lunch in the bustling style of Rawalpindians.

We will also enjoy Islamabad with its magnificent Margalla hill tracks along with bustling market and shopping malls. We will end the day in one of the scenic restaurants in Islamabad.

9:00-10:00 Breakfast in the Hotel.

The tour will officially end on this day. Participants are welcome to stay longer in Pakistan or arrange their travel back to the UK on this day.

Saturday

15JUNE

Sunday

16JUNE

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Register for the trip!

Who can take part in the “From UK with Love” Pakistan Tour?Anyone interested in experiencing the impact of Muslim Charity’s work in Pakistan and wishing to explore the beauty of Pakistan. Participants must be 18 years or older before the date of departure.

How much will it cost?The fee for travelling on the tour is £400 per person. This amount will cover all transport, hotel, food and accommodation costs whilst in Pakistan and it is based on 2 persons sharing one room in hotels. This fee does not include the UK to Pakistan return flights, which need to be booked separately and these can be done by participants themselves provided they arrive in Karachi by 4.00pm on Sunday 9th June 2019. Muslim Charity can advise on flight routings and costings, at the time of publishing this brochure, UK to Pakistan return flights for the tour dates (9th to 16th June 2019) are approx. £450. So that would mean the total cost for participants would be £400

tour fee + approx. £450 flight cost = approx. £850 total cost. The £400 fee of the tour can either be paid directly to Muslim Charity or funds can be raised from friends and families such as by setting up a JustGiving page etc.

What should I bring?The total duration of the tour is 7 days and it is recommended to bring your personal items with you accordingly. Examples of items you may bring along are: clothing, toothbrush, toiletries, camera, sunglasses etc.

Can we take cash?Please do not carry large amounts of money with you. We will be using your tour fee to cover the costs of boarding, food and other travel expenses on your behalf. We request you to carry not more than £1,000 or equal amount in Pakistani Rupees. The ATMs only work in cities like Karachi and Islamabad on our route.

What will the weather be like and what belongings shall we pack?We will advise you to bring clothes appropriate for temperatures between 18°C in Rawalakot to 35°C in Karachi.

Please bring comfortable shoes for walking (joggers or hiking/walking shoes) with you for strolls. Similarly, pairs of shoes for relaxing during coach travel will also be helpful. If you take any medicine please do not forget to pack these in your travel suitcase.

Although we will make utmost efforts to ensure the safety of your belongings but will advise you not to carry expensive and luxury articles with you.

Who picks me up on arrival and how do I stay in touch with my family?The participants (if required and informed beforehand) will be picked up by a representative of Muslim Charity or the designated hotel from the airport. Similarly, Muslim Charity will provide a contact number / email address of a Muslim Charity representative within the UK and Pakistan for families of each of the participants, which they can contact to keep updated on the progress of the tour and speak to participants also. You are also more than welcome to bring mobile phones and keep in direct contact with friends and family.

What is the position on mobile phones and communication?From January 2015, SIM cards for mobile phones are only functioning after the verification of NADRA issued identification cards (NICOP, POC, ID) or by visiting the service provider branch and providing a thumbprint, therefore, it might not be possible for staff of Muslim Charity to provide you with the SIM facility.

We will make all the efforts to facilitate communication by staying in hotels with WiFi facilities so you can make use of WhatsApp, Facetime or Skype during your travel except the time we will spend with the communities in

rural villages. The quality of the WiFi services may vary according to areas and is subject to availability of electricity.

How do we interact with locals and communities and do you have any advice for this?We will request you to maintain a conservative but friendly behaviour with communities and respect the religion and culture norms by adopting appropriate clothing and behaviour in general but especially during visits to communities.

During your travel you will also meet vulnerable families and communities therefore, we request you not to offer cash or any other gift to any person and if you wish to do so please notify a member of Muslim Charity for advice.

Can I extend my stay?Muslim Charity has arrangements made only from 9th to 16th June 2019. For any further stay Muslim Charity advises participants to make their own arrangements.

Can I arrange my own accommodation?No. Unfortunately due to a tight travel schedule, participants will be asked to stay in Muslim Charity provided accommodation / hotels. Muslim Charity will ensure that selected accommodation/hotels are secure and safe and also comfortable for participants.

Will single-sex accommodation and facilities be available during the trip?Yes. Single-sex accommodation will be provided and each hotel room will be shared by two participants.

FAQs

Tour Fee: £400 (excluding international flight)

This amount will cover all transport, hotel, food and accommodation costs whilst in Pakistan and it is based on 2 persons sharing one room in hotels. Muslim Charity will manage and arrange all of these logistics in Pakistan including pick-up and drop-off to airports.

This fee does not include the UK to Pakistan return flights, which need to be booked separately and these can be done by participants themselves provided they arrive in Karachi by 4.00pm on Sunday 9th June 2019. Muslim Charity can advise on flight routings and costings, at the time of publishing this brochure, UK to Pakistan return flights for the tour dates (9th to 16th June 2019) are approx. £450. So that would mean the total cost for participants would be £400 tour fee + approx. £450 flight cost = approx. £850 total cost.

How to register?

If you would like to register please send your name, address and contact number to Mr Maroof Pirzada via email on maroof@muslimcharity.org.uk There will be a registration form to complete which will be sent to you.

Alternatively, please call Muslim Charity on 0207 100 4930 with any queries/questions you may have.

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www.musl imcharity.org.uk+44 (0) 207 100 4930

Eaton Hal l , Retford, Nott inghamshire DN22 0PR, United Kingdom

Charity Reg No. 1078488

MuslimCharity MuslimCharityUK