Operating in Pakistan? Speak with a security consultant.
Pakistan is a country of 240 million people and a nuclear-armed state with a complex and shifting internal security environment. Karachi is the commercial capital and the economic engine. Islamabad is the political capital. Both carry critical-level risk ratings.
FCDO advises against all travel to KPK province (excluding Islamabad), FATA, Balochistan (excluding Quetta for some nationalities), and border areas. The risk picture in Pakistan’s major cities is serious and requires specialist assessment.
The terrorism picture
Pakistan faces threat from multiple organised terrorist groups. TTP is the primary domestic jihadist group. ISKP is the Pakistani and regional affiliate of IS. BLA targets Chinese nationals and infrastructure (linked to CPEC projects) but has conducted broader attacks. MQM and other political factions have historically contributed to violence in Karachi.
FCDO cites specific incidents including the October 2024 Karachi Airport attack, the Chinese consulate attack, and multiple Balochistan attacks as evidence of ongoing capability. The frequency and diversity of incidents are high by any regional standard.
Operating in Pakistan
Operations in Pakistan require advance planning at a level above most other markets. NOC documentation, provincial authority engagement, local partner relationships, and movement security planning need to begin well ahead of travel. Pakistani security firms with government relationships are the operational route for international clients.
Our Pakistan operators have documented experience in Karachi and Islamabad. They understand the regulatory requirements, the ground situation, and the practical logistics. Pakistan is not a market where improvised arrangements are acceptable.
The kidnapping threat
FCDO rates kidnapping risk in Pakistan as critical. Western nationals, businesspeople with visible profiles, and anyone associated with Chinese infrastructure projects carry elevated kidnapping profiles. This is not a low-frequency risk: Pakistan is one of a small number of markets in our network where kidnap-specific security planning is a standard recommendation rather than an optional element.
Our vetted operators provide close protection and executive protection and security driver services across Pakistan. For a detailed local assessment, see our Karachi city briefing.
Cities We Cover
Karachi
Critical riskPakistan's commercial capital. Multiple active terrorist organisations (TTP, ISKP, BLA). Critical kidnapping threat. No safe public transport. Recent airport and consulate attacks on record.
View city guide →Security Regulations
Firearms
The Pakistan Arms Ordinance 1965 requires a licence to possess or go armed with arms (sections 8 and 9). Provincial governments license non-prohibited weapons and the Federal Government prohibited ones (section 11-A). The Ordinance applies to any person and has no separate rule for foreign nationals.
Licensing
Private security companies are licensed by each province and, in the capital, by the Islamabad Capital Territory Administration: Punjab under the Punjab Private Security Companies (Regulation and Control) Ordinance 2002, Sindh by its Home Department under the Private Security Agencies (Regulation and Control) Ordinance, and Islamabad under the Private Security Companies Ordinance 2001. A licence in one province does not cover another.
Foreign Operators
None of these laws sets out a separate route for a foreign security company. International clients normally engage a Pakistani company licensed in the province where the work takes place. Take local legal advice before a foreign team carries out protective duties.
Sources, checked : Pakistan Arms Ordinance 1965 (Punjab Police copy); Punjab Private Security Companies (Regulation and Control) Ordinance 2002, text; ICT Administration, private security company licences; The News, Sindh Home Department cancels licences of 43 private security companies (4 March 2026).