About the direction from Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi is Islamabad's twin city, only a few kilometres south, and its Qibla bearing is practically identical. The dense older bazaars can make compass readings jumpy: stand away from steel shutters and parked vehicles when calibrating.
How to face 256° in Rawalpindi
- Find true north using a phone compass that reports true heading or a map aligned to north.
- Turn clockwise from north by 256°. For reference, due east is 90°, south 180°, west 270°.
- If you use a magnetic compass, adjust for local magnetic declination; NOAA's declination calculator gives the current value for Rawalpindi.
The figure is the great-circle initial bearing, the standard approach described by Movable Type Scripts and the same idea behind Google's Qibla Finder. See how it works for the details.
Common questions
What is the Qibla direction in Rawalpindi?
From the approximate city center of Rawalpindi, the Qibla is 256.1° clockwise from true north, roughly west-southwest.
How far is Rawalpindi from the Kaaba?
About 3,522 km along the great circle, the shortest path over the Earth's surface.
Does the bearing change across Rawalpindi?
Yes. This figure uses the city center, not your exact position. The difference depends on your distance from the center and from Makkah; it can be noticeable in cities close to the Kaaba, especially Jeddah. Use the live finder for your own location.