"What to Wear in Pakistan: A Guide by Place and Season"

What to wear in Pakistan depends on two things: where you are standing and how high up you are. Almost everywhere, loose clothes that cover the shoulders and legs are the norm for men and women, and a shalwar kameez works in every setting. Religious sites add rules of their own: shoes off, and heads covered for women at mosques and shrines, and for everyone at a gurdwara. The weather does the rest. The plains pass 40°C in early summer, while Skardu's January nights average minus 8°C.

There is no legal dress code in Pakistan; these are social norms, and they shift between a Lahore mall, a village in Hunza and the courtyard of a shrine. This guide goes through each setting, then each season in the mountains, so you can pack once for a mixed trip.

Is there a dress code in Pakistan?

No law tells adults what to wear, but there are firm social expectations, and dressing to them makes every interaction easier. For men, that means long trousers rather than shorts in public, and a shirt with sleeves. Jeans, chinos and T-shirts are normal in every city. Shorts are fine in a gym, on a trek far from villages or on a private beach hut, and draw looks almost everywhere else.

For women, the norm is a top that covers the shoulders and comes down over the hips, with full-length trousers or a long skirt, and a dupatta or scarf to hand. Plenty of Pakistani women wear Western clothes in the big cities, and plenty cover their hair everywhere. Both are normal. What stands out is anything tight, short or sheer.

Children can dress as they like in most places, though older girls are usually dressed like adults at religious sites.

Foreign women have a few extra questions about headscarves and attention. Our guide to what to wear in Pakistan as a foreign woman covers those in detail.

What should you wear in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad?

The three big cities are the most relaxed places in the country, but each has a range.

• Malls, cafés and restaurants in Gulberg, DHA, Clifton or Islamabad's sectors: anything modest goes. Jeans and a long top, or a shalwar kameez, are both everyday wear.
• Old city bazaars and the Walled City of Lahore: dress more conservatively. Crowds are dense and mostly male, and loose, covering clothes make the walk easier. Closed shoes help in lanes that are dusty or wet.
• Karachi's beaches: people paddle and picnic in their clothes. Swimwear is not worn on public beaches. Swimming is often banned altogether in the rough-sea months: in 2026 the Karachi commissioner banned swimming, bathing and diving along the Keamari coast from 23 May to 22 June under Section 144.

In summer, light cotton or lawn is the only sensible fabric. The plains of Punjab and Sindh regularly pass 40°C in May and June, and Jacobabad's average daily high in June is 44.3°C. Wear loose, light colours, carry a cap or dupatta against the sun, and avoid synthetic fabric.

In winter, Lahore and Islamabad are colder than many visitors expect, especially in the evening and in fog. A jacket or shawl and a warm layer are enough. Karachi stays mild.

What should you wear at mosques and shrines?

The rules at a mosque or a Sufi shrine are simple, and the caretakers are used to visitors who don't know them.

• Cover arms and legs. Long sleeves or at least sleeves to the elbow, and full-length trousers. Men should not wear shorts.
• Women cover their hair with a dupatta or scarf. Keep one in your bag on any day you might visit a mosque.
• Shoes come off at the entrance or the shoe stand. Wear socks: marble courtyards can be scorching in summer and freezing in winter.
• Choose shoes you can slip off. Laced boots are tiresome when you are taking them off five times a day.

Some big mosques direct women to a separate area, and at shrines the rules for women vary from one to the next. Thursday evenings and the urs bring very large crowds. Our guides to mosque etiquette and shrine etiquette cover behaviour, photography and timings.

What should you wear at temples, gurdwaras and churches?

• Gurdwaras: everyone covers their head, men included. A scarf or handkerchief is enough, and scarves are often provided at the door. Shoes come off and feet are washed at the entrance, and no tobacco is allowed on the premises.
• Hindu temples: modest clothes, and shoes off before the inner area.
• Churches: modest clothes and quiet behaviour, especially during a service.

Access to some gurdwaras is restricted for non-Sikh visitors, and dress is only part of the picture. Our guide to minorities in Pakistan covers which sites you can visit and the etiquette at each.

What should you wear in the north in summer?

Gilgit-Baltistan, Chitral and the upper valleys of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Kashmir are more relaxed about visitors' dress than most of Pakistan, especially in tourist towns such as Karimabad. Villages away from the main road are conservative, and the same covering clothes are the comfortable choice there.

The challenge in summer is the range of temperatures. Skardu's average high in July is about 31°C, but the night is around 16°C, and at Deosai, Babusar Top or Khunjerab the wind can feel close to freezing even on a sunny July day. Pack in layers:

1. A cotton or quick-dry base layer for the warm valley days.
2. A fleece or warm sweater for evenings and early starts.
3. A windproof, waterproof jacket for high passes, rain and jeep rides.
4. A warm hat and light gloves for anything above about 4,000 metres.
5. Walking shoes or light boots with grip. Sandals are fine in town, not on a glacier path.

Sun protection matters more than people expect at altitude: sunglasses, sunscreen and a cap. Our summer packing list for the northern areas has the full kit, and women may find our northern areas guide for women useful.

What should you wear in the north in winter?

Winter in the mountains is serious cold. In Skardu the average January night is minus 8°C, and the day reaches only about 3°C; the lowest temperature on record there is minus 24.1°C. Hunza, Gilgit and the high valleys are similar or colder, and Murree and Nathia Gali get regular snow.

Dress for it as you would for a ski trip:

• Thermal underwear, top and bottom, worn every day.
• A down or heavy insulated jacket, plus a fleece underneath.
• Waterproof boots with a good grip. Roads and paths are icy, and snow melts into slush in the afternoon.
• A warm hat, gloves and thick socks, with a spare pair of socks.
• Something warm to sleep in. Hotel heating can be limited by power cuts, and some guesthouses heat rooms only in the evening, with a gas heater or a bukhari stove.

A shalwar kameez can be worn over thermals, and many locals wear a woollen shawl or a chugha coat over everything. Our winter packing list for the northern areas covers the full list and what to keep in the car.

What should you wear to a Pakistani wedding?

Dress up. Guests wear their best formal shalwar kameez, sherwani, kurta or lehnga, in bright colours for the mehndi and richer fabrics for the baraat and walima. Avoid bridal red at the baraat, and keep shoulders covered. Our guide to Pakistani wedding traditions has the details for each event.

Is a shalwar kameez the easiest thing to wear?

For most trips, yes. It covers everything any setting expects, it is cooler than jeans in the heat, it layers over thermals in the cold, and nobody looks twice at it anywhere in the country. Men's and women's versions are sold ready-made in every city, and a tailor can make one from bazaar fabric in a few days.

It suits families who will move between cities, shrines and the mountains in one trip, and anyone visiting in summer. It is less practical for serious trekking, where proper outdoor clothing is safer. If you only pack one thing with Pakistan in mind, make it a large, light scarf: it covers your head at a mosque, keeps off the sun and dust, and adds warmth on a cold evening. For trip ideas that combine cities and mountains, see our experiences page.

Frequently asked questions