How to Report a Tourist Complaint in Gilgit-Baltistan: Call 1422

In Gilgit-Baltistan, call the Tourist Police on 1422 for help on the spot, or 05811-930055 if you are calling from outside GB. For a hotel that overcharged you or a tour operator that let you down, complain to the GB Directorate of Tourism on 05811-920573. The law says a phone or email complaint counts as a written one.

Most tourist trouble in Hunza, Skardu or Gilgit is small: a room rate that doubled at check-in, a jeep driver who changed the price halfway, a "package" that was not what the WhatsApp message promised. It is easy to pay and move on. You do not have to.

Gilgit-Baltistan has its own tourism laws, passed in 2020, that fix hotel rates and license tour operators. We read both Acts and the GB Tourism Department's contact list and FAQs on visitgilgitbaltistan.gov.pk on 2 October 2026.

Call 1422 for the Tourist Police in GB

The GB Tourism Department tells visitors to dial 1422 to reach the Tourist Police anywhere in Gilgit-Baltistan, and 05811-930055 from outside GB. Its events calendar says the helpline runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Use 1422 when you need someone now: a dispute you cannot settle, a lost child, a car stuck on a closed road, or someone threatening you. The department's FAQ says to call it "for any kind of help and facilitation".

For a medical emergency or a crash, call Rescue 1122, which the department links on its own site. Rescue 1122 handles ambulances and road accidents, not price disputes.

A hotel cannot charge more than its approved rate

Under the GB Hotels and Restaurants Act 2020, every hotel, guest house, rest house, camping site and restaurant must register and get its rates approved by the Controller, who is the Director of Tourism. Charging more than the approved "fair rate" is banned.

The Act gives you more than most travellers know:

• Rates must be on the wall. Section 13 says the approved rates, the maximum guests per room and the house rules must be displayed in the office and public rooms.
• Overcharging is void. Section 15 says any agreement to pay above the fair rate is void for the excess.
• You can get the extra back. Section 15(3) lets a guest recover the excess within six months of paying, or deduct it from the rest of the bill.
• The hotel pays a penalty too. Section 22(4) says an overcharging hotel must refund the guest and can be fined at least two days' rent the first time, and at least a week's rent after that.
• The helpline must be in your room. Section 17(4) requires the hotel to display the Controller's helpline number and email.

Complain about a hotel or tour operator step by step

Collect proof, ask the business to fix it, then call or email the Directorate of Tourism, which acts as the Controller under both GB tourism Acts. Section 17(5) of the Hotels Act says a complaint by phone or email counts as written, and the Controller must act on it.

1. Keep the proof. Take a photo of the bill, the rate list on the wall or its absence, and any WhatsApp messages with the price.
2. Ask the manager first. Point to the approved rate. Many disputes end here.
3. Call the Directorate of Tourism. The Directorate of Tourism and Culture in Gilgit is on 05811-920573. Give the name of the business, the date and the amount.
4. Or call the district tourism office. Use the office for the district you are in, listed below.
5. Follow up by email. The Tourism Secretariat's email on the department website is tourismsecretariatgb@gmail.com. Attach the photos.
6. Call 1422 if it turns threatening. A price dispute is the Directorate's job. A threat is a police job.

Tour operators and travel agents fall under the GB Travel Agencies and Tour Operators Act 2020. Section 13 says any traveller with a complaint against a travel agency or tour operator may approach the Controller. Section 15 allows a fine of up to Rs 50,000 for breaking the Act or its code of conduct.

District tourism offices take complaints near you

The GB Tourism Department lists a district tourism office in Gilgit, Skardu, Diamer, Ghizer, Ghanche, Astore and Hunza, plus a sub office in Islamabad. Call the one nearest you. These are the numbers on the department's contact page.

The Hunza office shares its number with the Directorate on the department's page. Office phones are landlines and keep office hours, so call 1422 at night.

Check a hotel or operator is registered before you pay

The GB Tourism Department publishes lists of registered hotels, tour operators and tourist guides on its downloads page. Each entry carries a licence number starting with DTS-GB. Check the name before you send an advance, and avoid paying a stranger on social media.

The department's FAQ says hotels, guest houses, homestays, tour operators, guides and adventure sports operators all need a licence from the Tourism Department. Taxis and transport services need one from the Excise and Taxation Department instead.

A business on the list is one you can complain about with a licence number in hand. A business that is not registered is breaking the Hotels Act, which lets the Controller suspend it and impose a penalty. Before a trip north, the northern areas road checklist covers the documents for the drive.

Take it further if the Directorate does not act

If the Directorate does not respond, file the same complaint on the Pakistan Citizen's Portal and attach your evidence. For money lost to a business, a consumer court is another route. Keep every reference number and date.

The Pakistan Citizen's Portal sends complaints to the government body responsible and tracks the reply. Mention the GB Hotels and Restaurants Act 2020 and the section you rely on.

For a bigger loss, such as a package tour paid in full and never delivered, a consumer court complaint may suit better. Gilgit-Baltistan is not a province, so check which consumer law and court apply there before you file.

Common questions

What is the Tourist Police number in Gilgit-Baltistan?

Dial 1422 inside Gilgit-Baltistan. From outside GB, call 05811-930055. The department says it runs 24 hours a day.

Can a hotel in Hunza charge whatever it likes?

No. Under the GB Hotels and Restaurants Act 2020, a hotel cannot charge more than its approved fair rate, and the rates must be displayed.

How do I get my money back from an overcharging hotel?

Section 15(3) lets you recover the excess within six months, or deduct it from your bill. Complain to the Directorate of Tourism on 05811-920573.

Can I complain by phone?

Yes. Section 17(5) of the Hotels Act says a complaint by phone or email counts as written, and the Controller must act on it.

Who handles complaints against tour operators in GB?

The Controller at the Directorate of Tourism, under section 13 of the GB Travel Agencies and Tour Operators Act 2020.

How do I check a tour operator is licensed?

Look for its name and DTS-GB licence number on the registered tour operators list on visitgilgitbaltistan.gov.pk.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

Last checked on 2 October 2026. We read the GB Tourism Department's contact page and FAQs for the 1422 and 05811-930055 numbers and office phones, its 2025-26 events calendar for the 24/7 helpline line, and the downloads page for the registered lists and the two Acts. We read the GB Hotels, Motels, Camping Sites, Guest Houses, Rest Houses and Restaurants Act 2020 (Act IV of 2020) and the GB Travel Agencies and Tour Operators Act 2020 (Act VI of 2020) in full. The download label calls the hotels law a 2019 Act, but the document itself says 2020. We did not call the numbers, so we cannot confirm office hours.