Local rules regarding alcohol in public places are quite strict. It is allowed to consume alcohol only in some sports bars and in hotels. Local people disapprove even of the situations when some tourist is holding a bottle with alcohol in hands. In order not to make locals worried, simply do not hold alcohol in a way that the bottle is visible to others. It is better to put it in a bag.
In order to be able to drink alcohol, even tourists need to obtain special permission. It is informally called “non-Muslim declaration”. The thing is, Muslim people are prohibited to consume alcohol by the law. Christians can drink alcohol in Islamabad, but only if they have the declaration.
When getting acquainted with a local, let them decide if they want to shake hands or no. As a rule, local people greet each other with “Assalam Alaikum”. The rule applies to both men and women. This happens because the social class of a local person is also an important factor that is taken into consideration. Don’t forget that local people use only their right hand for a handshake. According to Islam, the left hand is considered impure. Stretching the left hand for a handshake might offend a local person.
It is very comfortable to navigate in the city using a taxi or a car (own or rented one). Taxi price goes up in the evening. This is particularly true about the Jinnah Super district. Don’t forget to negotiate the price of a taxi ride with the driver in advance.
Such transport as metro is also very comfortable. It is easy to reach different parts of Islamabad by metro. There are Wi-Fi hotspots and a quality air conditioning system that is irreplaceable in scorching heat.
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