This will help you get a better rate than any bank. Credit cards are widely accepted at major cities but you might experience some difficulty in using it in suburbs and small towns. You can overcome this problem by getting cash advances at western banks. Occasionally a tattered note will be firmly refused as legal tender, and in smaller towns it is better to carry rupee notes of smaller denominations. The only time that a gratuity might not be welcome is in the rural areas where it runs counter to Islamic obligation to be hospitable.
Bargaining is a matter of style, particularly in the many Pakistani Bazaars.
Unlike western hesitancy for bargaining, shopkeepers in Pakistan love to bargain as long as it is done with style and panache. Bargaining usually begins with an invitation to step inside for a cup of tea followed by a little bit of small talk, a casually expressed interest by yourself in a particular item, a way too high price mentioned by the seller, a way too low counter offer by yourself and eventually, after much comic rolling of eyes, a handshake and mutual satisfaction for both parties. Smiles, good humor and an ability not to get fixated on driving the price into the ground should always accompany bargaining. When to go The best time for travelling to Pakistan depend on which part of the country you intend to visit. Generally speaking the southern part of the country including Sind, Baluchistan, Punjab and southern NWFP are best visited in the cooler months between November and April.