Logistics

The Conference Venue

The International Conference on “Quality in Education: Teaching and Leadership in Challenging Times” will be held at Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development (AKU-IED). We are located at the following address:

IED-PDC, 1-5 Block 7
Federal B. Area
Karimabad
Karachi

For those who are unfamiliar with our location, the map on the right and directions below (starting from the extremely well-known Aga Khan University Hospital-AKUH) may be of help.

Go past AKUH and turn left at the corner of National Stadium.
The road slopes downwards. Follow this road and go past the traffic signals (known as Civic Centre Roundabout).
Go straight until you reach a large roundabout (rotary) and follow the segment of the road that curves to the left.
You will reach a T-Junction controlled by signal lights. Turn right at this junction.
Drive straight, past railroad tracks, until you reach a mini-roundabout with roads forking to the left and to the right. Take the right-hand side fork. A large, reddish mosque is your landmark.
Follow this narrow road which curves leftwards until you reach another mini-roundabout. You should be able to see the AKU-IED sign board right in front of you.

A larger printable map with directions is also available available here. The map will appear in a new window and will fit on an A4 or Letter-size page.

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Accomodation Information

Karachi is a popular destination in February and should you plan to stay in a hotel, we advise you to make arrangements as soon as possible.

To facilitate conference participants we are currently negotiating rates with a number of hotels. Hotels that have confirmed their rates with us are listed below.

**Hotels and Rates**
Hotel	Standard Floor Single
Pearl Continental Karachi	7,500
Embassy Inn	2,600
Beach Luxury	2,400
All rates are in Pakistani Rupee (Rs.) and do not include any taxes. Taxes range between 20% and 25%. 1US$ = Approx. Rs. 60 as of Jan. 1, 2005.

We will keep updating this page with more information as and when such information is available.

You will have to arrange your reservations directly with the hotel. When making reservations please be sure to mention that you will be attending the international conference hosted by the Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development Karachi. This will entitle to any special rates that we have negotiated.

You will also have to ensure that you have booked your room by February 10, 2006 to avail the special rates. Bookings requests made after February 10, 2006 are not guaranteed and will be confirmed by hotels subject to availability of rooms. We urge that you book early.

In case of cancellation, please inform the hotel or the AKU-IED Conference Secretariat at least 5 days before the date of arrival.

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Transport Information

Transportation will be provided to all participants arriving at Karachi International Airport upon prior Information. Participants arriving via road or rail from locations within Pakistan will not be provided any transportation service; however, AKU-IED will pay a sum of Rs. 150 to such participants to defray transportation costs.

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Visa Information

The Government of Pakistan maintains a Web site that contains visa information for those intending to visit Pakistan. Current visa information, including procedures and requirements, can be found on the following page:

http://www.pakistan.gov.pk/foreignaffairs-ministry/informationandservices/visa/visa.jsp

The Web site also contains a document with an updated listing of Pakistan's Missions abroad. This is a PDF file that can be downloaded directly from http://www.pakistan.gov.pk/foreignaffairs-ministry/informationandservices/pak-mis/pak-mis.jsp.

The above links should help resolve most issues. In case you need further information or have any special needs, please send e-mail to the AKU-IED Conference Secretariat.

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About Karachi

Karachi is the capital of the Sindh Province and is the largest city in Pakistan in terms of population and business activity. While not necessarily the most interesting city for tourists, Karachi does afford a fast-paced, metropolitan lifestyle to its visitors and is guaranteed to leave an impact. Shopping and eating out are common activities with shopping centres and retaurants remaining open late into the night. With its wide sunny beaches, and year-round deep-sea fishing, yachting, golfing and horse racing facilities, the city is anything but boring.

Karachi is located at the edge of the Arabian sea. This makes the city a major in the region. This, combined with a top-notch International Airport, makes Karachi a valuable hub for international trade, transport, manufacturing and commerce. Most major financial institutions continue maintaining head offices in the city and the Karachi Stock Exchange continues to be rated as one of the 3 best performing exchanges in the world.

Historically Karachi, and some of the surrounding villages, represent ancient settlements. Historians also identify Karachi with its proximity to a place from where a portion of Alexander's Army boarded the Greek Flotilla in 326 B.C. Major historical sites surrounding Karachi make for interesting day trips and are a source of attraction for visitors.

Those who are interested in learning more about Karachi will find lots of information on the Web. As a start, we suggest visiting the links below: