In association with
PAKISTAN TOUR
26TH MARCH TO 1ST APRIL 2017
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.
Introduction
The “From UK with Love”
7-day tour to Pakistan will
be about experiencing
the lives of people from
the shores of the Arabian
Sea to the lands of
folklore, interior Sindh
and to the land of the
five rivers of Punjab in
Pakistan.
We will begin our travel from
Lahore, a city famous for
historic architecture, parks,
food, and colour while passing
by the Siraiki belt of Multan,
Bhakkar and Rajanpur where
participants will experience
the lives of those living in urban
and village areas with its ups
and downs. The tour will end
up with a visit to Pakistan’s
largest city of Karachi and
an experience of the folklore
of the interior Sindh region of
Tharparkar.
The “From UK with Love” tour
will provide an opportunity to
see Muslim Charity supported
schools, creation of livelihood
opportunities, assistance in
saving lives through our health
projects, improved lives of
street and slum children in
Lahore and Karachi, along with
experiencing the rich culture
and diversity of Pakistan.
Day
Sunday
26th March 2017
Location
Activity
Lahore
•
•
•
•
Monday
27th March 2017
Lahore and
Sheikhupura
•
•
Arrival at Allama Iqbal International Airport Lahore
and rest in hotel.
Briefing and introduction of participants.
Visiting Muslim Charity constructed hospital in
Daragowala, Lahore.
Dinner at Lahore Food Street near Lahore Fort.
Visiting Muslim Charity supported project to help
educate under privileged and deprived children in the
heart of Lahore city.
Inauguration of a newly constructed government
primary school in Sheikhupura.
Tuesday
28th March 2017
Bhakkar
•
Inauguration of newly constructed “Choudry
Mohammed Aslam Memorial Trust Hospital” in rural
Bhakkar.
Wednesday
29th March 2017
Rajanpur
•
Visiting Muslim Charity supported clean water and
masjid projects along with experiencing closely the
lives of Punjab village communities and a taste of
traditional cuisine while enjoying the folklores.
Thursday
30th March 2017
Karachi
•
Witness the transformation in the lives of street/slum
children through education and integration into main
society by Muslim Charity and its partner’s volunteers.
Visit to the Muslim Charity assisted Fatima Kidney
Hospital in Karachi; attend a mass marriage ceremony
while witnessing the new start in the lives of the ones
who cannot afford to marry.
•
Friday
31st March 2017
Umerkot
Tharparkar
•
•
Saturday
1st April 2017
Karachi
Sunday
2nd April 2017
Karachi
•
•
•
A visit to the desert district of Tharparkar to witness
the lives of brave but poverty-stricken communities
due to ignorance and the harsh geography of the
area.
Muslim Charity constructed school, solar water wells
and other projects to uplift their lives will reveal the
strength of community and donations from the United
Kingdom.
Visit Umerkot Fort; the birth place of Emporer Babar
and museum visit.
Return to Karachi.
End of Tour Participants can either fly back to UK or
remain in Pakistan but the official tour will end before
12.00pm midday.
3
Day 1
Sunday
26
March
Arrival
Lahore Airport and transfer to hotel.
17:00-18:00
Briefing and introduction of participants.
18:00-19:00
Visiting Muslim Charity constructed hospital in Darogawala, Lahore.
In Lahore, 30% of the region is considered to fall into the
category of slums; these slums are formed by low income
communities that do not have the means to live in proper
housing in the city, and they are a by-product of over
population, economic, political and social inequalities. The
majority of the bread-winners are street hawkers and day
labourers that earn very little and are not able to afford
medical care or school fees for their families.
Muslim Charity constructed a 100-bed hospital to provide
health services to the vulnerable population. Today, 1000s
of people are having access to quality health services;
especially the poor pregnant mothers and newborn
children who are getting quality mother and children
health services. The participants will visit and witness the
utilisation of generous donations from our supporters in the
UK in helping saving lives and dignity.
19:30-21:30
Dinner at Food Street Lahore Fort.
The Walled City of Lahore known locally as the "Un-droone
Shehr" is the oldest and most historic part of Lahore. After
independence, Lahore lost much of its glory, but now
once again, it has gained its significance as an economic
and cultural powerhouse through government reforms.
Celebrating its cultural traditions, this Lahore Food Street
is located near Badshahi Masjid and Lahore Fort with the
tradition of local food going back thousands of years. The
evening breeze and lights of Lahore fort and Badshahi
Masjid would be the highlight of the day along with getting
to know your co-travellers for the subsequent week.
Night Stay in Lahore Hotel.
5
Day 2
6
Monday
27
March
7:00-8:00
Breakfast in the Hotel.
8:00-10:00
Educating Slum Children of Lahore.
The majority of the children living in slums become
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. The slums
schools are a beacon of hope for these children aiming
to overcome their circumstances through education, hard
work, determination and dreaming big.
11:00-14:00
Bringing hope in the lives of Girls - Construction of Govt Girls School.
The 119 girls of Village Saray had to study in one room,
go to the toilet in an open space without any boundary
walls and out of dignity the mothers refused to send them
to school. Through the generous donation of a UK donor
to our “Supporting Our Sisters” campaign, Muslim Charity
and its partners built new rooms, toilets, boundary walls,
playground, and new furniture in addition to renovation
of existing infrastructure. The tour participants will be
inaugurating the school while enjoying the smiling faces of
children who now have hope of a better future.
14:00-19:00
Bus travel to Bhakkar after lunch break.
19:00-21:00
Dinner.
Night Stay in Bhakkar Hotel.
7
Day 3
8
Tuesday
28
March
7:00-8:00
Breakfast in the Hotel.
9:00-12:00
Inauguration of “Choudry
Mohammed Aslam Memorial Trust Hospital”.
Subhanallah, a generous donor of Muslim Charity from
the UK responded to the calls of poor people in her
ancestral village by donating her land and finances for the
construction of a 10-bed hospital to help in saving lives
and dignity of women and children. The participants will be
witnessing these emotional moments of a “Dream Come
True” to serve poor and needy people. The constructed
hospital is the only facility to provide medical facilities in a
radius of 18 kilometres; the hospital is serving a population
of over 12,000 persons.
12:00-13:00
Lunch Break.
13:00-19:00
Bus Travel to Rajanpur.
Night Stay in Rajanpur Hotel.
9
Day 4
10
Wednesday
29
March
7:00-8:00
Breakfast in the Hotel.
9:00-14:00
Visiting Water Facilities and Muslim Charity Constructed Masjid.
Rajanpur is a south western city of Punjab which lies
between Indus River on the East and Sulaiman Mountain
on the west with impoverished communities. To add to
the miseries of the already vulnerable communities, the
Monsoon floods occur almost every year in Rajanpur. On
the one hand the monsoon water brings devastation and
on the other hand 65% of the district consists of arid land
with scarcity of water. Poverty in these areas is a major
issue. There are very few options for generating income
and improvement of livelihoods.
Muslim Charity and its partners built communal water
wells and water filtration systems on small dams (water
collected from flush rain pouring down from Sulaiman
mountains). Similarly, there are many community based
income generation activities and participants will witness
the determination of impoverished families to earn their
livelihoods.
14:00-16:00
Lunch with local communities while enjoying Saraiki festivity.
16:00-20:00
Travel by bus to Multan.
Night Stay in Multan Hotel.
11
Day 5
12
Thursday
30
March
8:00-9:00
Breakfast in the Hotel.
9:30-10:00
Check-out and travel to Airport.
11:00-12:50
Flight to Karachi.
14:00-16:00
Izzat aur Taleem (Dignity and Education).
An educational and Social Re-integration project for
slums/street children supported by Muslim Charity will
be visited; it is an initiative of university students from
Karachi to transform the lives of deprived children through
education and behavioural change. The participants
will be visiting the operational centres to gain first-hand
experience of this social reintegration project and the
protection of these children from abuse and exploitation.
17:00-19:00
Mass Marriage Ceremony, Orphans and Kidney Centre Visit.
In Karachi alone, Muslim Charity is supporting over
400 orphans 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
of orphans sponsored by generous donors from the United
Kingdom. Similarly, participants will be able to meet and
gain first-hand experience of the support in the lives of
kidney patients in a Muslim Charity supported hospital.
For many needy people, the dream of a marriage is
unfulfilled because of poverty. Muslim Charity supports
poverty stricken people who are unable to afford their
own marriage ceremony by providing financial support to
realise this dream for them. The bridegrooms and brides
are provided with consultation and support to get the right
step into married life with responsibility. The participants will
be able to attend the mass wedding ceremony supported
by Muslim Charity and enjoy the dinner.
Night Stay in Karachi Hotel.
13
Day 6
14
Friday
31
March
5:00-6:00
Breakfast in the Hotel.
6:30-12:30
Check-out and travel to Umerkot.
12:30-15:00
Celebrating Liberty and Hope.
Join the historical moments of recently liberated
families from slavery (bonded labour) by celebrating the
construction of a school and a solar water well that will
empower and bring transformation into their lives. The
inhabitants of Harri camp were freed by the government
from their masters (Bonded Labour) and provided an arid
space for living. Muslim Charity and its partners supported
the newly liberated families through construction of a solar
water well and school.
18:00-21:00
Dinner and Folklores of Sindhi culture.
Sindhi Folklore is the folk tradition that has developed in
Sindh over a number of centuries. Sindh abounds with
folklore, in all forms, and colours. In the evening participants
can enjoy traditional Sindhi food like classical sai bhaji,
tanhiri or sweet saffron rice, Sindhi kadhi, dodo, bhee and
an array of seyal dishes along with enchanting folk lyrics
from interior Sindh.
Night Stay in Umerkot.
15
Day 7
16
Saturday
01
April
8:00-9:00
Breakfast.
9:00-11:00
Sight and Sounds of the Desert.
Visiting the Emperor Akbar Birthplace Museum and Fort:
A beautiful yet small monument with four archives built
with pink jodhpur style bricks and with a dome at the top
depicts the location where the third Mughal emperor Akbar
the Great was born on 14 October 1542 when his father
Emperor Humayun and his Mughal Empress mother Hamida
Banu Begum were taking refuge in Umerkot whilst in the
oasis garrison. Akbar is regarded as the greatest and most
successful ruler of the Mughal Dynasty that ruled India for
more than three centuries. He remained the emperor from
1556 until 1605.
11:00-16:00
Travel to Karachi and Rest in Hotel.
18:00-22:00
Sights and Sounds of Karachi.
Karachiites are avid shoppers, and as such, Karachi
boasts an incredible diversity in terms of shopping,
accommodating anyone’s preference and budget.
Products that shoppers can buy in Karachi come from
a vast variety of sources, from one of the many local
cottage industries to authentic brand wear by renowned
international designers. The participants will be able to visit
Dolmen Mall Clifton to feel the vibes of Karachiites and also
to enjoy dinner in one of the restaurants at the mall.
Sunday
02
End of Tour.
Participants can either fly back to UK or remain in Pakistan
but the official “From UK with Love” Tour will end before
12.00pm midday on this day.
April
17
Register for the trip!
Tour Fee: £400
How to register?
(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 Lahore on
the scheduled start date. 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 (25th March to 1st
April 2017) are approx. £400. So that would mean the total cost
for participants would be £400 tour fee + approx. £400 flight
cost = approx. £800 total cost.
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.
FAQs
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. The
participants must 18 years or older before the
date of departure.
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 are taking care 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 Lahore,
Karachi, Islamabad and some other big cities.
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 does not
include the UK to Pakistan return flights, which
need to be booked separately. Participants
will need to cover the cost of UK/Pakistan
flight plus the £400 fee in order to participate
in the trip. 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 will the weather be like and what
belongings shall we pack?
We will advise you to bring clothes
appropriate for temperatures between 14°C in
Lahore to 35°C in South Punjab/Sindh. 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
What should I bring?
The total duration of the tour is 7 days and it
18
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.
Can I bring family and friends along?
Yes. Participants are more than welcome to
bring friends and family but we advise not to
bring children under the age of 18.
Who picks me up on arrival and how do I stay
in touch with my family?
The participants will be picked up by
representatives and designated persons
of Muslim Charity from the airport. Similarly,
Muslim Charity will provide a contact number
to the 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.
Is it safe to travel to these areas?
Yes. Muslim Charity takes appropriate
measures to ensure the safety and security
of participants through careful planning and
with the assistance of local authorities. The
selected locations for visits are evaluated
from a security perspective during the
planning phase. The participants will be
travelling throughout the tour with Muslim
Charity officials who will be guiding all
participants as they visit the various projects
during the trip.
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 viber, WhatsApp or Skype during your
travel except the time we will spend with the
communities in a village. The quality of the
WiFi services may vary according to areas
and is subject to availability of electricity.
Will we take regular breaks for prayers?
Yes. There will be regular breaks for prayers.
Can I extend my stay?
Muslim Charity has arrangements made
only from 25th March to 1st April 2017. For any
further stay Muslim Charity advises people 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.
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.
What is the deadline for the application?
The deadline for applications is Wednesday
1st March 2017. Please note however that the
later you leave it nearer the deadline, the
higher the flight prices will go so better to
register as early as possible.
19
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