Metal Detection in Pakistan?

[PKennett]

I will be in Islamabad for 1 year, and would like to know if it is legal to use my metal detector there?

Thanks

Peter

 

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[Sandman]

I would check with the state dept office there.

 

[PKennett]

hehe.. I work for the State Department there, at the US Embassy. They do not know.

Peter

 

[mark.]

I would find out for sure .

I wouldn't want to get shot there for sure.........see ya mark

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Let me put it to you this way, as an example: There is a website detailing the metal detecting laws of all the European countries. Most of them are downright discouraging, if not out-right banning it. However, one day a guy in one of those such countries, that had dire sounding rules, responded to an treasure-net classified ad I had, for a machine for sale. Apparently it was hard to get this particular brand over there, so hunters there would buy them used from the USA. As we made the deal for the sale, payment, shipping, etc... my curiosity got the better of me. I linked him to the website I'd seen, that seemed to say lots of scary stuff. Ie.: I asked something like "Just curious, I thought it was illegal to detect there?" He responded back that those rules you read about only applied to public lands. But you could go till your hearts content, in farmers fields, since that was private property with permission. Or quite frankly, he said they just go "deep in the forests where there isn't a soul, and no one cares". Basically he said, it was like in the USA: Just stay out of obvious archaeological sites and obvious historic monuments.

Now had a person not talked to a local, and had they only read something on this website, they might be convinced that it was illegal. So a possible option for you is to see if there's other hobbyists there, and see what they're experience is. To find them, you can maybe check with the major manufacturers, and see if they have any dealers in your country. Those dealers could point you in the direction of other hobbyists.

 

[Saturna]

hehe.. I work for the State Department there, at the US Embassy.

Does that mean you have diplomatic immunity?

 

[The.Boomer]

In short the answer to your question is a resounding "NO" , can't let you find the gun cache's and IED's before they have a chance to use them, can they ? Seriously though, an American with a specialized piece of electronic equipment, walking about the countryside. Don't wanna draw too much attention to yourself do ya ?
Especially considering the change of hands taking place with that govt., laying low I would think would be S.O.P. for you.

 

[EDDE]

if i was if PAKISTAN
i would keep my eyes and ears open at all times
thats just me
let your conscience be your guide on this one

 

[bucketofguts]

is this a serious post, because i can't stop laughing. maybe a MDing trip to the tribal region is in order!

 

[PKennett]

Thanks for all the concern and replies. Yes, I was serious.

Pakistan is a large country with incredible ancient history - and many significant historical sites from ancient silk road trade routes to battlegrounds where Alexander the Great was turned back. The country is not all an Al Qaida playground - and I have no intention of treking around those areas on my off-duty time!

The region near China (think K2) also is filled with amazing scerany and ancient trade routes. Check out this site for an idea what pakistan is like:

http://picasaweb.google.com/rizwanshamsi/TourToPakistanValleyValleysInPakistan

I will certainly keep my head down, and will most likely not go out detecting. But if I get the chance to spend the night at some remote area near some ancient ruins I will be chomping at the bit for not even bringing my detector!

Peter

 

[The.Boomer]

I believe u.s. customs would have the legal lowdown fer ya. Nevermind us what do we know ? Don't let a bunch of playful remarks discourage you from hunting where legal.

 

[SC_hunter]

For some reason, I just can't think of them as thinking of a law to ban detecting....Hmmm...they spend all their time telling us how to fix our computers or rioting in the streets...Just not enough time in the day to do metal detecting...Just my thought....Take it with you just in case and HH.

 

[PKennett]

Fortunately neither my international mail, nor my household effects go through customs. Everything is sent via diplomatic pouch and customs and duty are thus avoided.

Peter

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Boomer, "ask customs"? There was a Fisher magazine periodical, that, back in the early 1980s, fielded a question in their Q&A column: "Is detecting in Mexico legal?". The answer Fisher gave was "No. Leave the detector at home". In the next issue many letters to the editor took exception to that answer. They were saying things like "Since when? Who told you that? We've been going down their for ages, and no one ever said anything to us", etc.... Fisher answered those objections by telling readers the source of their answer: Upon fielding the question, they had gone to Mexican customs......... AND ASKED". (I mean, who better to ask, than consulates, customs agents, bureaucrats, themselves, right? )But detectors are a common site on Mexican tourist beaches. And all the major metal detector manufacturers have dealers down there, INCLUDING Fisher. Doh!

So you've got to be careful in asking customs, consolates, & bureaucrats. Because depending on what they're thinking, and how you phrase the question, may dictate an arbitrary answer they give you. They may be couch your answer in terms of shipwreck slavor laws, pyramaid looting, exporting gold bars, etc... I mean, it would be the same thing if you were entering the USA: If you asked certain lawyers or customs agents, you might be told "detecting is illegal in the USA", simply because the person they're asking is couching the answer in terms of Shiloh, ghettysburg, diving on the Atocha, or whatever.

 

[The.Boomer]

Tom, I work for DHS and am quite aware of who does what and how. Working for the State Dept. as this young man has indicated, told me he was immune to the Customs laws, so to speak, or better yet he's shall we say otherwise shielded. That said, if you call the U.S. customs service, they are versed in our customs laws but also have access to the laws in other countries as well. I should have specified that I meant our Customs not theirs. BTW I myself am an advocate of don't ask don't tell. I figure the best anyone could get me for will be trespass, which is maybe a hundred or two. But I'm not in a cut your hands off kinda country. Personally I think he runs a greater risk from Alqueda(sp) or the Taliban, than the local police. Just think, a white western male, using a metal detector to steal the riches from another Muslim country. Oh yeah, not me buddy. But hey he's an adult and he can make his own adult choices, I'm just telling him where I think he can get his answer.

 

[bwirth1999]

I don't think I would even try MDing in Pak. You could think your digging up the Holy Grail, but never find out what you really dug up was a anti tank or anti personnel mine..

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Boomer, a "cut off your hands kinda country" reminded me of the cautions thrown out to my buddy & I when we were preparing to head to the high county sierra madres of Mexico. In the months leading up to our trip, persons in our club warned us of getting mugged in dark alleys, confiscated detectors, horrible mexican jails, don't drink the water, etc.. etc... But we went through the Jaurez border with detectors in full-view (a border patrol even asked what's that? My interprettor said "pasa tiempo", and he just waived us through). Once in Mexico we met nothing but nice people, ate great food, and had throngs of locals in the high mountain villages imploring us to come check their yards, various caves, etc... (which they were all convinced each held treasures ) But all that aside, I still hear the warnings ringing in my ear, that we were somehow going to be in deep doo-doo for detecting old ruins in Mexico.

 

[The.Boomer]

Been to Mexico lately Tom. Maybe it's time to go again and feel the thrill of real danger. When you got some Recent experience in the Middle East MDing, then come talk Tom, otherwise, think it's safer to check the laws in a place where they do more than fine a petty theif. Course you could always plan your next Indiana Jonesesque adventure to say Saudia Arabia and the send us some cool pix etc....

 

[stefen]

Can you imagine a Palestinian using a MD in Israel?

He's walking along with earphones on, concentrating on the ground, and for some reason he looks up and see a fleet of tanks aimed at him...talk about anal squeeze factors

An American, whether civilian or military, would be a major target, unless of course, you are inside a sanctioned compound.

 

[Kiwini]

Hi, I send packages internationally on a fairly regular basis, and decided to check the USPS site for shipping restrictions to Pakistan. Every country is different, for instance you can't send horror comics to England- for whatever reason. This is all it has for Pakistan:

Prohibitions (130)



Arms, ammunition except when sent on behalf of the Government.

Coins; bank notes; currency notes (paper money); securities of any kind payable to bearer; traveler’s checks; platinum, gold, and silver (manufactured or not); precious stones; jewelry; and other valuable articles are prohibited in all classes of mail, including Express Mail International shipments, that are mailed to Pakistan.

Lottery tickets or circulars relating to lotteries.

Perishable infectious biological substances.

Radioactive materials.

Restrictions

Mobile telephones, watches, fountain pens, cameras, eyeglasses, toys, and other valuable consumer products must be mailed in insured parcels.

Personally, I haven't travelled overseas and don't know much about Pakistan, other than our government telling us they're a bad bunch. If the OP does go MDing over there, then lots of good luck, and we can't wait to see the pics