Mountaineering – Rules and Regulations

Procedure for Applying for Permission

1. A foreign mountaineering expedition desirous of climbing of peak in Pakistan shall apply on the application form (Annexure A) with one extra copy in the nearest Embassy / Consulate of Pakistan. A copy with a photo copy of royalty receipt should be sent directly to the Gilgit Baltistan Council Secretariat, Provident Fund Building Zero Point G-7/1, Islamabad.

2. Application forms for allotment of peaks should be accepted by a Pakistani Embassy / Consulate

3. Such application would then be sent by the said Embassy/Consulate immediately to the Tourism Division where they would be processed on “First-come-First served basis”.

4. Incomplete application forms or such forms as are received either before or after the stipulated dates may not be entertained.

5. If a party is not sure of the composition of the team, it shall apply 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 issue only after particulars at Annexure-B are received in Gilgit Baltistan Council Secretariat, Provident Fund Building Zero Point G-7/1, Islamabad. at least three months in advance of arrival of the party in Pakistan. If particulars of the new members are not received within stipulated period and party arrives in Pakistan, it may delay their departure to the mountains till the clearance of new members is obtained in about a week. Under this procedure a party shall not leave for Pakistan unless it is in receipt of the formal permission letter. No mountaineer would be a member of more than one expedition during a season.

6. A party shall indicate in order of perference, at least 3-4 peaks so that available peaks could be allotted. A party shall be given permission for more than one 8000 metre peaks with the special permission by the Joint Secretary Gilgit Baltistan Council Secretariat, Provident Fund Building Zero Point G-7/1, Islamabad..

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

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

Cancellation

9. Government has the right to cancel the allotment of a peak at any time without assigning any reason. Amount of royalty deposited shall be refuned in such cases.

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

Briefing / De-Briefing

11. The expedition upon arrival in Rawalpindi / Islamabad should see the officer concerned in Tourism Division for arranging meeting with the Liaison Officer and assistance on matters like insurance, purchase of rations and allied matters. After completing these formalities leader of the expedition shall ask for a date of 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.

12. On return from the mountains the leader of the party 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.

Liaison Officer (L.O.)

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

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

15. During the stay of a party at Rawalpindi/Islamabad the L.O. will be given 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 US $ 15/- per day and accommodation.

16. A L.O. shall carry his personal equipment like any other member of the party.

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

18. A 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.

Kit and Equipment

(I) For Liaision Officer

19. A L.O. shall accompany a party to a maximum height with the consent of the leader or atleast stay at the base camp till the party descends and return with the party for debriefing at Islamabad. For this purpose a party shall provide him, free of cost necessary kit and equipment as detailed at Annexure – C in order to enable him to perform his duties without any risk to his person.

20. Kit / equipment for L.O. should be brought to his measurements sent to a party in advance. If a party does not receiv