Digital Engagement Expert (Polio Programme)

Pakistan is situated in South Asia. Located along the Arabian Sea, it is surrounded by Afghanistan to the west and northwest, Iran to the southwest, India to the east, and China to the northeast. Pakistan has an extremely varied geographical outlook, including mountains, deserts, major rivers and the sea. Pakistan experiences frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe, especially in north and west. Security: Islamabad is a family duty station. For all official travel, UN Security Clearance is required/mandatory. Registration with home embassy is highly recommended. International Staff deployed in Pakistan are required to report to Security Unit for detail briefing. Guest Houses: The UNV Field Unit will help arrange your initial accommodation, at your expense (Entry lump sum is foreseen for this). Telecommunications: There is one major fixed line provider (PTCL) and 4 cellular companies (Mobilink, Ufone, Telenor and Zong). 4G service is being provided by almost all cellular companies. Call rates vary but are extremely cheap for some Western countries. All cellular operators in Pakistan use GSM platform. Country code for Pakistan is +92 and City code for Islamabad is (0)51. Electricity (Voltage): Electricity in Pakistan is 220-240 Volts. Health: State of the art health facilities are available throughout the country and especially Islamabad. Dental care facilities are also available. There are no mandatory vaccines required to travel to Pakistan. Currently dengue fever is on the rise in Pakistan especially in Punjab. Mosquito repellents are recommended. There are other health facilities in Islamabad which have been recognized by WHO. Diet, Food and Water: There are many local markets around Islamabad as well as various supermarkets that are stocked with imported goods. Islamabad has a large number of restaurants and cafes. Tap water is not advisable and bottled water is available almost everywhere. Using alcoholic drinks in public is illegal in Pakistan. Money/banking: Current US dollar exchange rate is 1 USD = PKR 279. To receive payments locally, UNV unit will help you open a bank account with Standard Chartered Bank. This will be a paired account where you can use it both for US dollar as well as Pak Rupee. ATM machines can be found throughout the country. Climate: The climate is generally characterized by hot summers and cool or cold winters. From June to September, most of the country is lashed by the Southwest Monsoon, which leads to heavy rainfall and high humidity. Islamabad has a humid subtropical climate, with hot summers accompanied by a monsoon season followed by fairly cold winters. The hottest months are May and June, where average highs routinely exceed 38 °C (100.4 °F). Respect: Pakistan is a conservative country, and it is advisable for women to wear long skirts or trousers in public (Pakistani women wear the traditional shalwar kameez, but in the big cities, women wearing jeans and khakis is not very uncommon sight, especially in casual settings, shopping malls and around picnic spots). Dress codes for men are more lax, though shorts are uncommon. Men should never shake hands with or touch a woman they don't know very well. As with most of South Asia, the right hand is used for eating, shaking hands and giving or receiving everything (including money), while the left hand is reserved for handling shoes and assisting in toilet duties. Discussion about religion and Islam should remain respectful and positive.