DESTINATION GUIDE.
About Lahore
Since time immemorial, Lahore has been known as the city of culture, arts and learning. Located on the banks of the River Ravi, this city has been home to conquerors, saints, poets and scholars through the generations. Lahore has a thriving and vibrant cultural life with a series of festivals, carnivals and events throughout the year. Basant heralds the advent of spring and is known for colorful kites emblazoning the skyline, good food and music. Visitors from all over the world participate in this event. Religious festivals like Mela Chiraghan, open-air theatres, musical concerts and the annual horse and cattle show add to the gaiety and vivacity that is so characteristic of the city. This historic city is also renowned for its food. It offers a rich and varied cuisine, designed for every palate and every pocket. From ritzy restaurants in hotels, fast-food joints to street cafes in the Food Street, the city is a connoisseur's paradise. Being a traditional centre of learning, Lahore boasts of several fine institutions; Government College, now a university, Punjab University, Mayo School of Design, now National College of Arts and King Edward Medical College - all known for producing outstanding scholars, poets, doctors and artists for several generations. Aitchison College, once the exclusive preserve of the Chiefs of Punjab, now one of the elite public schools in the country is also located in Lahore. About 17 years ago, LUMS joined this exclusive club of excellent institutions. It has quickly established its reputation as the leading university in the region, known for the quality of its teaching and research. Lahore with its tradition of welcoming new ideas has eagerly embraced LUMS. Thus the tradition of excellence goes on.
The currency of Pakistan is the Rupee (PKR), and is exchanged at around Rs. 62/- per US Dollar (For more precise details, please consult your currency exchange conductors), and the daily expenditure on food may vary between 300 to 800 rupees.
Lahore is one of the biggest shopping cities in Pakistan, and there is a market for every item, ranging from clothes to jewellery to electronics to eastern ornaments
Delegates may also avail lunch and dinner from the Pepsi Dining Center at LUMS, where the average meal costs Rs. 60-70 per person. Fast food restaurant chains such as McDonalds and KFC along with ‘desi’ food eateries and takeaways, CD and book stores. However, two reputed ice cream parlors (Gelato Affair & Hotspot) and a bakery (Hobnob) are a five-to-ten minute walk from LUMS. This is essentially the closest market to LUMS, but the H-block market is always preferred because of its extensive variety.
About LUMS
The Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) is one of the leading research universities in South Asia, with an internationally renowned faculty, accredited graduate programmes and modern research perspectives and technology. LUMS’ students are of diverse backgrounds, perceptions and interests, and the brightest minds of Pakistan attend this institution. The diverse character of LUMS’ student body aims to bridge the differences experienced by Pakistanis from different cities, and social harmony and amity is promoted.
The LUMS campus stretches over forty acres, and is opposite Sector ‘U’, Defence Housing Authority Lahore. It is a secure and serene environment, with ancillary services such as the Pepsi Dining Centre, LUMS Super Store and the student-run Khokha. The Pepsi dining center (PDC) provides sumptuous cooked meals using domestic eastern cooking trends. It is the cafeteria designed for students at LUMS, and offers a variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals. The Super Store is a makeshift store for the convenience of students at LUMS. It stores groceries and shopping items for sale, and also houses a small kitchen and seating area where snacks are cooked. The Khokha is a student-run enterprise that provides food items 24 hours a day.
Getting Here
Lahore is one of the communication hubs of Pakistan. With a large number of tourists and businessmen flocking to the city each year, it boasts one of the best airports in the region. The Allama Iqbal International airport caters to flights from a variety of destinations from across the Middle East, Europe, the Americas and Asia.
The following international airlines operate direct flights to Lahore from their operational hubs:
- •Biman Airlines
• Airblue (Dubai, Karachi)
• Emirates (Dubai)
• Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi)
• Gulf Air (Bahrain, Muscat)
• Air India (New Delhi)
• Kuwait Airways (Kuwait City)
• Mahan Air (Tehran-Imam Khomeini)
• Pakistan International Airlines
• Qatar Airways (Doha)
• Saudi Arabian Airlines (Jeddah, Riyadh, Medina)
• Shaheen Air International (Abu Dhabi, Al-Ain, Doha, Dubai, Karachi, Kuwait, Muscat)
• Singapore Airlines (Singapore)
• Thai Airways International (Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi)
• Uzbekistan Airways (Tashkent)
Besides, if you wish for any assistance, please contact us at vnp@ieeelums.org and we will be happy in helping you find the lowest rates possible through a number of routes.
REGISTRATION
1. Formal Invitation
After receipt of payment, we will send you a formal invitation from IEEE - LUMS CodinGuru which you will need to submit along with your visa application to the Pakistan embassy/consulate in your respective country.
2. Payment
There are two options for payment. Online & Bank Draft. The online payment is a simple four-step process using any major Visa or Mastercard. The steps for online payment are as follows:
a. Click on the Online Payment Button below to go to the Online Payment page. |
Security
We realize the importance of security for our esteemed guests during the competition. As such, at CodinGuru ’08, we guarantee absolute security for all participants living on campus in consonance with plans of the Security Department of LUMS.
Plan for security arrangements pertaining out-of-campus activities has been made and protocol will be given accordingly to consolidate the security of delegates.
Please feel free to contact us regarding the security arrangements at vnp@ieeelums.org
Expenses
Expenses are a major issue for students who come to attend such competitions. As such, at CondinGuru ’08, we aim to provide you with a fair estimate of the lowest possible prices that can be arranged for you. The possible expenses that will be incurred include:
Competition Fees:
There are two modes for payment of this fee. You could pay online or by means of a bank draft.
International Team Fee : US$ 50.00/-
In case of withdrawal of a team from the competition, the following refund policy will apply:
- 45 days prior to the competition date : 75% refund
- 30 days prior to the competition date : 50% refund
- 15 days prior to competition date: No refund
Visa & Travel Fees:
The visa fee varies depending on your country of origin.
Travelling will constitute a major part of your expenses for the trip and will vary depending on your location. To assist you, we will provide each team with details for the lowest possible airfare and a variety of routes to choose from.
Accommodation:
There are a variety of options for accommodation ranging from dorms to the 4-star, twin sharing rooms at the Rausing Executive Centre on campus to 5-star hotels off-campus. However, we would prefer to house all international delegates on campus for security reasons as well as to reduce logistical hassles. The costs for accommodation are given in the table at the end.
Accommodation in the dorm : US$ 5.00/- per person, per night.
Accommodation at the Rausing Executive Centre : US$ 25.00/- per person, per night
Meals
The participants can choose to have food at either the PDC (Pepsi Dining Center) on campus or order from a restaurant in the vicinity of LUMS. There are numerous options available for each meal. The prices for some are given in the table below.
Breakfast:
At PDC : US$ 1.00 - US$1.50/-
Lunch:
At PDC : US$ 2.00/-
At Hobnob : US$ 5.50/- - US$ 8.50/-
Dinner:
At a restaurant on MM Alam Road : US$ 10.00/-
Others:
A McDonald’s Meal (Upsized) : US$ 3.50/-
A KFC Meal (Upsized) : US$ 3.50/-
Breakfast at Pancake Lounge : US$ 5.00/-
Hobnob (Restaurant) : US$ 5.50/- - US$ 8.50/-
Transportation
All transportation shall be provided by LUMS. Details on the mode of payment will be communicated soon.
Tour of Lahore
The estimated price of the day tour is US$ 20.00/- – US$25.00/- (excluding meals). The tour includes trip to the Old City including Lahore Fort, Badshahi Mosque, Shalimar Gardens, Vazir Khan Mosque and dinner at the famed Cucoo’s Den.
Accommodation
There are accomodation facilities available on the LUMS campus at a discounted cost of US $ 5 per person/per night; these may vary from twin to four-sharing rooms or arrangements in the common-rooms. However, these facilities are limited and will be allotted by IEEE - LUMS.
Lahore boasts a variety of hotels, ranging from posh, 5 star ones like Pearl Continental and Avari, to cheaper alternatives such as Holiday Inn. Their rates vary considerably from US$ 80 – US$ 200 per person/per night and we could book them for you if you require them.
However, if you prefer hotel accommodation, we would encourage all foreign delegates to stay in the on campus hotel, the Rausing Executive Center (REC), which provides near 4 star accommodation at affordable rates:
Single occupancy rooms US US$ 40 / night (Rs 2400)
Double occupancy rooms US US$ 50 / night (Rs 3000)
Please bear in mind that accommodation at the REC is limited and available on first come/first serve basis. To reserve accommodation, please contact us at vnp@ieeelums.org.
VISA & PROTOCOL
As per policy, the Visa and Protocol Department will provide visa processing support and any assistance on issues regarding the acquisition of visas to potential foreign participants. We will make sure to entertain as many participants as possible by being sure all participants meet visa guidelines of their respective countries in a timely manner.
Once you have filled the online registration form and submitted it, a representative of CodinGuru’08 will contact you to verify and acknowledge the receipt of your form. We would require that you submit your registration fees at least EIGHT TO TEN WEEKS before the start of the competition so that we can send you a formal letter of invitation to ensure timely procurement of your visas.
If you have any specific considerations that you need to consult with us on, do not hesitate to contact the Visa and Protocol Department of CodinGuru’07 at vnp@ieeelums.org
Visa Information
Visa applications to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan may be obtained at the Pakistan Embassy/Consulate in your country. For assistance in this regard, please click here (http://www.mofa.gov.pk/Green_Book/GREEN_BOOK.htm) to be directed to the Foreign Office Missions Abroad website. You may click on your country and receive contact information regarding the concerned Pakistan Foreign Office Mission.
In order to facilitate the visa procurement process for all foreign participants, you must send us the attested copies of the following primary content details, via e-mail or otherwise;
• Passport credentials of all Team Members as well as the faculty advisor (if any), that is:
Name
Country
Contact Information
Passport Number
Date of Issue
City of Issue
Date of Expiry.
(Please note that this specific detail is extremely necessary for the issuance of visas)
• Photocopy of latest passport of all delegates (Security Requirement for Indian Delegates)
Given the special security protocol extended to Indian citizens in Pakistan, we require all Indian participants to send in their details along with the necessary documents via e-mail to vnp@ieeelums.org no later than January 15, 2008. Other international delegates may send in their documents by the first week of February 2008.
After prospective participants have sent these details, IEEE-LUMS will send necessary notifications to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant Missions Abroad concerning all CodinGuru’08 participants and the procurement of student visas thus. This entails sending the Foreign Office the names of all participants in order to facilitate the visa process by informing the relevant embassies.
To submit passport copies or contact CodinGuru’08 via postal mail, please use the following address:
CondinGuru, c/o Dr. Umar Saif,
Room 421
Department of Computer Science
Lahore University of Management Sciences
Opposite Sector-U
Defence, P.O. Box 54792,
Lahore, PAKISTAN
incase of errors contact webmaster@ieeelums.org