Islamabad - Post Report Question and Answers
How do you send and receive your letters and package mail? Are local postal facilities adequate?
Regular postal services are not of very high quality, sometimes with long delays. There are a couple of courier companies whose services are okayish. Extra care has to be taken for packets sent to Pakistan without diplomatic clearance. The customs might open them and impose charges on the imported items. Sometimes the duties and tax might be higher even than the actual cost of their online purchase. - Oct 2023
DPO works great for packages and letters. Of course, people convinced that they’ll get kidnapped if they set foot off the compound and don’t realize there are decent grocery stores in town will occasionally destroy everyone else’s mail by ordering hot sauce (6-7 kinds available at any fancy store in town) or almond milk (same). - Jun 2022
DPO. - Feb 2019
Through US government. - Jan 2017
Diplomatic pouch is very fast. - Sep 2016
Regular mail is available, but it is slow and not always reliable. Use your embassy/NGO/UN mailing service if you can. - Sep 2015
DPO and Pouch - Aug 2015
DPO and pouch. - Aug 2015
Through the DPO. - Feb 2014
We used the APO from the Embassy. - Dec 2013
I used the APO. I won't trust PakPost. - Mar 2012
Embassy mail. - Aug 2011
There is a FedEx in Islamabad. It is super cheap and takes 4 or 5 days. I am told that the Pakistani mail service is actually not to bad (3 weeks from the US). But I never used it. The embassy has DPO, which I used for everything. It takes 7-12 business days. - May 2011
APO/Pouch - Jan 2010
The postal service in Pakistan is very good. Islamabad has excellent post offices which offer courier and standard mail services. Parcels of a high value should be insured, but I have experienced a strong record of delivery, sometimes very quickly. - Oct 2009
I don"t. The postal system is unreliable. Fedex and DHL services are available. - Oct 2008
