FAQs (FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS)

Traveling overseas is an exciting and enjoyable learning experience. It broadens personal and professional horizon and injects flexibility in managing and cultivating personal and professional relationships.

Traveling abroad however, also increases anxiety. It is akin to plunging into an uncertain and unpredictable situation. A traveler's mind is beset with loads of questions. He wants to minimize uncertainty and prefers predictability.

Foreign participants leaving for Pakistan should be both excited and anxious.

Postal Staff College is keen to make your travel and stay in Pakistan as enjoyable and comfortable as possible. We are translating your concerns into questions and will try to offer answers that should help you best prepare to travel to Pakistan and stay at Islamabad.

Q- What am I supposed to do before I leave for Pakistan?
Q- What Information should I communicate to Postal Staff College before I leave for Pakistan?
Q- Where will I stay during the training programme at Postal Staff College?
Q- Who Should I contact in case of an emergency?
Q- Are transportation facilities available?
Q- How can I access postal services if I wish to write a letter?
Q- Do I have access to the telephone facilities?
Q- Are there any secretarial services available?
Q- Can you tell me something about weather/climate in Islamabad?
Q- What should be clothing preferences?
Q- What about medical facilities?
Q- What will be the language of instruction at the Postal Staff College?
Q- Tell me something about Pakistani currency?
Q- How can I determine Time Zone?
Q- Who will make departure arrangement?

Q- What am I supposed to do before I leave for Pakistan?

Ascertain from your travel agent or Pakistan mission in your country visa information. Please do not forget to complete all visa and health requirements before leaving for Pakistan. This will help you avoid any inconvenience on arrival and during stay in Pakistan.

Please bring six passport size photographs with you.

Q- What Information should I communicate to Postal Staff College before I leave for Pakistan?

Complete information about your arrival in Pakistan, including flight number, place and time of origin and time of arrival etc. should be communicated to the college administration well in time, preferably on telephone or by telex or fax for reception at the Karachi and/or Islamabad International Airports.

Connecting flights at Karachi for Islamabad may involve some waiting and transit accommodation in Karachi, Prior information to the Staff College will facilitate these arrangements.

Q- Where will I stay during the training programme at Postal Staff College?

Participants' accommodation in Islamabad is arranged in the college hostel providing comfortable boarding and lodging facilities. While accommodation is free, the mess arrangements are financed and managed by trainees themselves.

Q- Who Should I contact in case of an emergency?

Please contact the Course Administrator, nominated separately for each training course, during office hours for any assistance and guidance. After office hours please contact Hostel Warden in the Hostel, Duty Officer at the Reception of the College or any member of the faculty on residential telephone.

Q- Are transportation facilities available?

Transportation for participants is available for attending the College. Visits/excursions.

Q- How can I access postal services if I wish to write a letter?

The Post Office is at a walking distance from the College, located in the Directorate General, Pakistan Post Office building. However, participants who wish to post mail may hand over their postal articles at the reception counter. They may ask for postage stamps and postal stationery at the Postal Staff College, Reception. Should you like anything to be sent to you by post before or after your departure from home country please use the postal address of the Director, who has made special arrangements for the handling of your mail.

You can also use the following address for correspondence:
Postal Staff College,
G-8/4,
Islamabad - 44000.
Pakistan.
Telephone: (College) +92-51-9260085 & 9260223 & 9260288
Telephone: (Hostel) +92-51-2251511
Fax: 92-51-9260388
Email: info@psc.edu.pk

Q- Do I have access to the telephone facilities?

Telephone service will be available in the College. Foreign participants are allowed to make two three minute free calls to their homes, one call at the time of arrival and one at the time of departure-Additional telephone calls can be made on payment from the Hostel or the College. Please ask the Course Administrator/Hostel Warden for assistance.

Q- Are there any secretarial services available?

Recording, typing, photocopying, distribution of documents and any personal assistance such as emergency medical treatment, visits to embassies etc. will be managed by the Course Administrator.

Q- Can you tell me something about weather/climate in Islamabad?

Winter start in November, and last till February, during which temperature in Islamabad may vary from -2.0oC minimum to 18oC maximum. The lowest temperature ever recorded in winter is -3.9o0. Days and nights can be extremely cold. Summer spans the months of June, July and August, during which temperature may vary from 30oC minimum to 40oC maximum. Monsoon rains could be expected during July and August. The maximum temperature ever recorded in Islamabad in Summer is 46oC. Both days and nights can be very hot and dry or very hot and humid. Weather is mild during other months. During the heat of the summer the participants are sometimes taken to cool hill resorts of Abbottabad and Murree on weekends.

Q- What should be clothing preferences?

In Winter, warm clothing throughout the day/night is advised. Winter in Islamabad. (November-February) can sometimes, be very extreme.

Q- What about medical facilities?

Please contact the Course Administrator during working hours and Hostel Warden, during stay in hostel, for any medical help. It may be noted that medical aid of occasional nature only will be rendered free of charge; chronic ailments are not treated.

Q- What will be the language of instruction at the Postal Staff College?

English will be the language and medium of instruction of the course. English is also conveniently understood in hotels, offices and shopping areas.

Q- Tell me something about Pakistani currency?

The currency denominations are "Paisa" and "Rupee" One hundred paisas equal one rupee. The exchange rate of rupee is subject to market fluctuations. At present it is around Rs. 59.00 to one US dollar.

Q- How can I determine Time Zone?

Pakistan Standard Time is 5 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.

Q- Who will make departure arrangement?

Departure arrangements from Pakistan will be made by the Course Administrator.