GPS in Pakistan

haroonbannu · Oct 22nd, 2007, 08:57 PM

Hi Guys. I'm currently living in the UK. One of my friends recently visited Pakistan and told me that there was no GPS maps for Pakistan. He tried searching all over the internet but couldn't find any application that had and maps of Pakistan.
So, I wanted to confirm if this was really the case, and if so, what could be done about it. I've heard Pakistan has been developing quite rapidly in Science and Technology in recent years and GPS might be an interesting field to explore.

Dimagh_HotaToNa · Oct 26th, 2007, 06:10 AM

GPS in Pakistan?!!

Can you really put NUKKAR and GANDHI GALIYAN on maps?

zobia · Oct 26th, 2007, 06:30 AM

lol...i think u better visit pakistan first

dont worry its not hard to find anything there, (iff u wont get lost urself)

u wont need GPS there

p.s. its hilarious that ur frnd out of so many other ravishing things in pakistan, only didnt find GPS availability as an issue.

Zero_one · Oct 31st, 2007, 09:07 AM

I for one can understand that no company (like Tele Atlas) has tried to make digitized maps for Pakistan.

Problem is that anything that guides u on the basis of the current GPS system could be switched off or atleast made so inaccurate that such a usage becomes useless.

GPS is administrated by the US Military. It has two Frequency bands. The one common man uses is the Frequency Band made public to all companies who build GPS embedded devices (Like Car DVD navigation, Mobile Phones, PDAs etc. ).

The other Frequency Band is a strictly for Military use. Like Missile guidance, Fleet guidance and other needful functions.

Now it's well known that the US Military use to decrease the accuracy of the Satellite Signal in crises areas (or those which r considered foe areas) or even completly swtich off the Signal for a certain area. Just to prevent misuse.

Now imagine a Company spents millions for making digitized maps of Pakistan and then lack of reliability of GPS. Given the fact that all those mapping softwares will land on Hallroad, lahore for a mere Rs. 100 or even less who can be blamed for not undertaking such a risky terrain.

mancunian · Nov 2nd, 2007, 03:54 PM

gps in pakistan aint ever gona work - they miles behind in that dept.

TeenDabbyWala · Nov 2nd, 2007, 06:41 PM

How would that GPS guide you? Turn left on what street? Streets have names there? Only Islamabad streets do. Notice how in Pakistan people guide you based on "Go down, you will see a mithai ki dukaan, turn right, and look for the green house. If not, just ask around for Dubai walay". Compare that to Americans who say go down 2 miles, turn right on such and such street, and look for house numer so and so.

Most people in Pakistan have probably never even seen a detailed map of their own city. When I lived there, I don't think such a concept even existed that you use a map to find your way around town.

But, GPS does exist in Pakistan. It exists everywhere. Rental cars there use GPS to keep their cars from getting stolen. Besides I doubt people would need that over there.

ravage · Nov 8th, 2007, 09:51 AM

bhaiyon, you're all pretty much off the mark.

I believe worldcall or something like that did do the mapping of streets to GPS for big companies. Pretty detailed, from what I hear. Not released to public though, mainly for corporate use.

http://karachi.metblogs.com/archives/2005/11/maps.phtml

psyah · Nov 9th, 2007, 11:27 AM

Peace All

Before GPS we need to get GIS for Pakistan. As far as I know the road networks haven't been fully mapped so how can there be GPS?

The Ordanance Survey of the UK use GIS mapping software to produce their databases for their roads.

GIS is essential before GPS takes off.

HSK · Nov 9th, 2007, 08:00 PM

Sat nav isnt the only useful application GPS has. There's a whole slew of them and they've all been used in Pakistan by the general public:

GPS in Pakistan has been used to retrieve stolen cars, it has helped offroaders get to remote areas, and it has even had a stint with Atlas Honda offering an add-on sat nav system with their cars a few years ago (ravage:wasnt it with the one with the 3d lady?).

weiwei · Jun 26th, 2008, 11:22 AM

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PunchingMonk · Jun 26th, 2008, 11:29 AM

HB
its true I believe only pak army has digital maps of pakistan. no comercial GPS company has access/interest in it, may be ?

Mirch · Jun 26th, 2008, 12:13 PM

LOL.
In a country where people give each other directions like this:
There will be a big peepal ka darakht there turn right after that.
or
wohan aik gai(cow) kharee jugalee kar rahee ho gee , wo hee Fikay ka makan hay.

So descriptive , why will you need GPS there ?

Get smart · Jul 3rd, 2008, 04:08 PM

Anyone needing a detailed digital map of most major cities and some 'rural' areas can write to:

PakMaps India Limited = Attention d.RAWn maps division,
420 Safdar Junk Enc, New Delhi

Lucid Chaotic · Jul 3rd, 2008, 05:13 PM

You guys underestimate the technology use in Pakistan... although I don't have details, I know that there are several ongoing projects to bring GPS technology to the mainstream - but anyone who's interested for now can use
Fugawi which is GPS compatible or Naqsha.net static maps on their cell phones.

Check out:

Fugawi: http://www.fugawi.com/web/products/m...fghanistan.htm

Naqsha.Net: http://naqsha.net/Maps.htm

Dushwari · Jul 4th, 2008, 02:45 AM

thanks, Umar for posting these links.
you're right and these links are indeed useful.

Bookworm · Oct 5th, 2008, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by haroonbannu

Hi Guys. I'm currently living in the UK. One of my friends recently visited Pakistan and told me that there was no GPS maps for Pakistan. He tried searching all over the internet but couldn't find any application that had and maps of Pakistan.
So, I wanted to confirm if this was really the case, and if so, what could be done about it. I've heard Pakistan has been developing quite rapidly in Science and Technology in recent years and GPS might be an interesting field to explore.

I did replied in one of the thread before that if you own Garmin GPS then their dealer in Pakistan have Maps for major cities of Pakistan including Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad.

Check for Garmin website and it will list the name of dealer and their office location. As far as I remember they have offices in Islamabad and Karachi.

abdelyuuki · Oct 6th, 2008, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zero_one

I for one can understand that no company (like Tele Atlas) has tried to make digitized maps for Pakistan.

Problem is that anything that guides u on the basis of the current GPS system could be switched off or atleast made so inaccurate that such a usage becomes useless.

GPS is administrated by the US Military. It has two Frequency bands. The one common man uses is the Frequency Band made public to all companies who build GPS embedded devices (Like Car DVD navigation, Mobile Phones, PDAs etc. ).

The other Frequency Band is a strictly for Military use. Like Missile guidance, Fleet guidance and other needful functions.

Now it's well known that the US Military use to decrease the accuracy of the Satellite Signal in crises areas (or those which r considered foe areas) or even completly swtich off the Signal for a certain area. Just to prevent misuse.

Now imagine a Company spents millions for making digitized maps of Pakistan and then lack of reliability of GPS. Given the fact that all those mapping softwares will land on Hallroad, lahore for a mere Rs. 100 or even less who can be blamed for not undertaking such a risky terrain.

EU/ESA also has several GPS satellites which have nothing to do with the US military, Galileo, being one launched recently.

Decent 6Chora · Oct 10th, 2008, 01:57 AM

You don't need GPS in Pakistan. ITs much easier to find some place even easier than GPS. All you need to to is ask some Paan Wala or Bakery Wala k "flaan flaan ka home kahaan hai" he will make sure that you reach there without any problem even if that mean that he has to send someone with you

ummymeem · Oct 10th, 2008, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dimagh_HotaToNa

GPS in Pakistan?!!

Can you really put NUKKAR and GANDHI GALIYAN on maps?

I was thinking the same

PS:Btalvi sahab ky ghar wala bara sa board dikhe to dain mur jana, whan gali main jis ghar ke age bhains bandhi ho gi wohi tumhara destination hai

goodnews · Oct 10th, 2008, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Decent 6Chora

You don't need GPS in Pakistan. ITs much easier to find some place even easier than GPS. All you need to to is ask some Paan Wala or Bakery Wala k "flaan flaan ka home kahaan hai" he will make sure that you reach there without any problem even if that mean that he has to send someone with you

Bilkul darust farmaya,
waisy Aik bar main kissi ky han gai on ky ghar ky samny wala plat khali tha or wahan kory ky dhair ya bara sa dhyr kahu tha arsay draz sy. Ab kissi janny walonny on ky ghar ka patta pocha main ny batya youn jaon youn jao phir wahan kory sy bhra plat nazar aay ga bas os ky samny on ka ghar hy.(perfect nishani batai ghar ki appnu danist main)Agly din woh ghusy sy laal peeli milli kehny lagi ham kal adha ghanta kory wala plat tlash kerty rahy das bar os ghar ky samny sy guzry magar kora nazar na aya. Woh tu Allah bhla kery ky kissi ny dykh atu kaha kia bat hy ap kia tlash ker rahy hain or batya ye hamar ghar hi ban giya os kory ky dhyr per
PS: Mujhy bilkul andaza nahi tha ky itni jaldi koi log ghar tameer kerwa lain gy wahan or woh plat ;plot ho jay ga

Amour · Oct 20th, 2008, 07:32 AM

guys again, Pak army has digital maps of Pakistan, the company called GEONIX Geonix, The Tracking Specialists worked on this in early nintee's. however these are not made public at all by defence department.

UT has given useful links already, one can use OpenStreetMap , its an open source local map project. you can download and load it to your device.

there are some real gps maps by a freelance gps mapper, will add this link too