# Best SIM for visitors to Pakistan: Jazz, Zong, Telenor and Ufone compared

URL: https://which.pk/travel/guides/best-sim-pakistan/
Author: Asif
Updated: 16 Oct 2026

## Summary

Jazz and Zong are the strongest networks in Pakistan's cities: in PTA's April to June 2026 survey of 11 cities, Jazz met 130 of 132 quality targets and Zong 128, against 121 for Ufone and 112 for Telenor. Foreigners buy a SIM with an original passport, a valid visa and fingerprints. A Jazz SIM starts from Rs 350. Visitors can use one foreign phone on a Pakistani SIM for 120 days without paying tax. In the AJK and GB sites PTA tested, SCOM led.

## Key facts

- PTA survey, Apr-Jun 2026: Jazz 130, Zong 128, Ufone 121, Telenor 112 of 132 targets met
- Documents for foreigners: Original passport, valid visa, fingerprints
- New Jazz SIM: From Rs 350 (Oct 2026)
- Free phone use for visitors: 120 days from arrival, one phone

For most visitors, the best SIM in Pakistan is **Jazz or Zong**: in PTA's network survey of 11 cities from April to June 2026, Jazz met **130 of 132** quality targets and Zong **128**, ahead of Ufone (121) and Telenor (112). To buy one as a foreigner, take your **original passport with a valid visa** to an operator's franchise or service centre, where your fingerprints are taken; a Jazz SIM starts from **Rs 350**, as of October 2026.

**PTA quality survey, 11 cities, April to June 2026:** Jazz 130, Zong 128, Ufone 121, Telenor 112 (Targets met out of 132, as reported by TechJuice and Digital Pakistan in September 2026. PTA is the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, the regulator.)

## Which is the best SIM network in Pakistan?

We go by PTA's own measurements, not by operators' adverts. Every quarter PTA tests each mobile network against the targets in its Cellular Mobile Network Quality of Service Regulations 2021. The latest results, published on **18 September 2026**, cover April to June 2026.

In 11 major cities, PTA's teams made about 27,300 voice and SMS tests and took about 190,000 mobile internet samples. Each operator was checked against 132 targets across the 11 cities.

| Network | Targets met (of 132) | Fastest downloads | 4G coverage target met |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jazz | 130 | 9 of 11 cities | All 11 cities |
| Zong | 128 | 2 of 11 cities | All 11 cities |
| Ufone | 121 | None | All 11 cities |
| Telenor | 112 | None | 5 of 11 cities |

Source: PTA Q2 2026 survey, as reported by TechJuice (18 Sep 2026) and Digital Pakistan (20 Sep 2026).

What the results mean for you:

- **Jazz** ranked first in 10 of the 11 cities, and had no failures on voice calls.
- **Zong** topped Karachi West, and had the fastest uploads in 7 cities. That matters if you post a lot of photos or video.
- **Telenor** met the 4G coverage target in only 5 of 11 cities.
- **Mobile internet was the weakest area for everyone**, with 85% of targets met across all operators, against 92% for voice and 97% for SMS.

We couldn't open PTA's website to read the report itself, so these figures come from news coverage of it. PTA said it had started legal action against operators that missed targets, according to APP, the state news agency.

## Which SIM works best in Gilgit-Baltistan and AJK?

PTA's survey also tested six high-altitude sites in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), including Astore, Gorkot and Rattu in GB. There, **SCOM** ranked first for 4G coverage, download speed, web page loading, latency, voice and SMS, Digital Pakistan reported on 22 September 2026.

The big networks did less well at these sites. In Astore, Jazz took 13.4 seconds to load a web page. Six sites are a small sample, so treat this as a pointer rather than a full map of the north.

Two more things to know before a trip north:

- **Some bundles don't work there.** Jazz's Monthly Freedom bundle, for example, is "not available for customers in AJK/GB", its terms say. Check that your bundle covers the region before you buy it.
- **Services can be cut.** As of 13 October 2026, the UK government's travel advice mentions suspension of mobile and internet services during demonstrations in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, and internet disruption in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

We couldn't confirm whether SCOM sells SIMs to foreigners, or what it charges. If you are heading to Hunza or Skardu, see our [Hunza or Skardu guide](/travel/guides/hunza-vs-skardu/) for road and flight conditions.

## Can foreigners buy a SIM card in Pakistan?

Yes. The operator checks your identity in person when you buy. Here is what the operators' own pages say, as of October 2026:

| Operator | What foreigners need | Other rules |
|---|---|---|
| Jazz | Your presence, original passport, valid visa; fingerprint check | Active straight after verification |
| Zong | Valid passport and valid visa, at a Zong Customer Service Center; signature, thumb impression and scans | Maximum 2 SIMs per person; SIM valid as long as your visa |
| Telenor | Copy of passport, unexpired visa, signed forms with thumb impression | Active within 2 hours; blocked when your visa expires (2022 page) |
| Ufone | We couldn't confirm | Ufone's website wasn't working when we checked |

Telenor's website blocked us, so its row comes from an archived copy of its guidelines from September 2022. The rules may have changed since.

Overseas Pakistanis can buy on their **NICOP** (National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis) instead of a passport. Jazz asks for your NICOP and a fingerprint check.

1. **Find an operator's own outlet.** Jazz sells through franchise centres, experience centres and retailers. Zong asks foreigners to go to a Zong Customer Service Center.
2. **Bring your original passport** with a visa that hasn't expired. Overseas Pakistanis bring their NICOP.
3. **Give your fingerprints and signature.** Staff scan your documents and take your thumb impression.
4. **Pay for the SIM.** A new Jazz prepaid SIM starts from Rs 350; special numbers cost more.
5. **Buy a data bundle** before you start browsing. Without one, Jazz charges Rs 5 per MB.
6. **Register your phone** on the same SIM if it came from abroad, as explained below.

**Your SIM ends with your visa:** Zong says a foreigner's SIM is valid only as long as their visa. Telenor's 2022 guidelines said subscriptions on foreign passports are blocked on the day the visa expires. If you extend your visa, ask your operator to update your record.

We found reports both for and against buying a SIM at Islamabad, Lahore or Karachi airports, and couldn't confirm either. Plan to buy one at an operator's outlet in town, and have another way to get online until then.

## How much does a SIM and data cost in Pakistan?

The SIM itself is cheap. **A new Jazz prepaid SIM starts from Rs 350**, its help pages say. Most of what you pay is the bundle, which runs for a set number of days.

Zong's Internet SIM page says its prices include taxes: 15% advance income tax on every recharge and 19.5% sales tax on usage.

Monthly bundles with about 100 GB, as listed on the operators' sites on 16 October 2026:

| Bundle | Data | Calls | Price | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jazz Monthly Freedom | 100 GB | 3,000 Jazz mins and SMS, 750 other-network mins | Rs 2,608 | 30 |
| Zong Monthly Digital Max Basic | 100 GB | 10,000 Zong mins, 1,000 other-network mins | Rs 2,600 | Monthly |
| Zong Weekly Digital Max | 100 GB | 10,000 Zong mins, 1,000 other-network mins | Rs 750 | Weekly |
| Zong Monthly Pro | 50 GB | 10,000 Zong mins, 600 other-network mins | Rs 2,300 | Monthly |

For a short visit, Zong's weekly 100 GB bundle at Rs 750 is the cheapest of these. Jazz's Monthly Freedom doesn't renew by itself: you dial **\*733#** again when it ends.

We couldn't open Telenor's or Ufone's websites. TechJuice's price table from July 2026 gave these June 2026 prices:

- **Telenor** Monthly Extreme Ultra Max, 200 GB: Rs 2,000. Monthly Prime, 300 GB: Rs 2,300.
- **Ufone** Digital Grand Offer, 100 GB: Rs 2,200. Super Card Max, 20 GB: Rs 1,700, up from Rs 1,500 in March 2026.

The same table listed Jazz Monthly Freedom at Rs 3,000 in June 2026, while Jazz's own page showed Rs 2,608 including tax in October. We follow Jazz's page. Operators raised some package prices by up to 33%, TechJuice reported in July 2026, so check the price before you load.

**Only need data?** Zong sells a data-only Internet SIM for phones, tablets and Wi-Fi devices. Its 40 GB monthly bundle costs Rs 940, including 20 GB that works only from 1am to 9am. You subscribe by dialling \*6666#.

**Want an eSIM?** Jazz issues eSIMs at franchise and experience centres, after a fingerprint check. Its pages disagree on the price: one says Rs 5,000 for a new number, another Rs 2,000. Ask at the centre.

To top up and pay for things from your SIM, many people use a mobile wallet. See [Easypaisa vs JazzCash](/money/guides/easypaisa-vs-jazzcash/) for how the two compare.

## Will my foreign phone work on a Pakistani SIM?

Yes, for 120 days, if you register it. A foreign phone used with a Pakistani SIM has to be registered in DIRBS, PTA's device registration system.

PTA's FAQs on the free **temporary registration** for overseas Pakistanis and foreign visitors say:

- **It lasts 120 days from your arrival date.** PTA checks your arrival with FIA, the border agency. If you apply 30 days after arriving, you get the remaining 90 days.
- **The SIM must be in your name**, issued by a Pakistani operator on your passport, CNIC or NICOP. A foreign SIM can't be used for this.
- **One phone per person.** The phone is paired with the SIM you register. Put in a different SIM and the phone gets no service.
- **You apply online** at dirbs.pta.gov.pk/drs with your passport number, the SIM's number, the phone's IMEI (its unique device number), your email, and your arrival and departure dates.

To keep using the phone after 120 days, see our [PTA tax guide](/travel/guides/pta-tax-mobile/).

## Can I use my UK SIM in Pakistan?

Yes. PTA's FAQs say a person with an international SIM can use it on Pakistani networks as a roamer, without registering the phone.

That may change. On 12 October 2026 the Pakistan Observer reported that PTA had proposed the **International Roaming (Inbound) Regulations, 2026**. Under the draft:

- Operators would check the identity of people roaming on foreign SIMs and eSIMs, using passport details, nationality and arrival dates.
- A foreign SIM or eSIM used for **90 days or more within any 180 days** could count as permanent roaming, and be blocked if temporary use can't be confirmed.
- Travel eSIM sellers such as Airalo and Holafly would have to register with PTA.

As of 16 October 2026 these rules are a draft, open for comments until 10 November 2026. A trip shorter than 90 days would stay under that limit.

## Is Telenor still a separate network?

Not for long. PTCL completed its Rs 108 billion purchase of Telenor Pakistan, Profit reported on 1 January 2026, and plans to merge it with Ufone, which PTCL already owned. TechJuice said the work of joining Telenor's network to Ufone's likely explains Telenor's weak 2026 survey results.

By customers, Jazz has 38% of the market, the PTCL group 35% and Zong about 26%, Profit reported. Both the Telenor and Ufone brands were still selling packages in mid-2026.

## Is there 5G in Pakistan?

Yes, in the biggest cities. In March 2026 the government sold 480 MHz of spectrum for **$507 million**, Daily Times reported on 20 March. Jazz won 190 MHz, Ufone 180 MHz and Zong 110 MHz.

- **Zong** said it launched 5G in more than 16 cities, including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar and Quetta.
- **Jazz** started with 180 sites in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta, Rawalpindi, Multan and Faisalabad.
- **Ufone**: the Daily Times report didn't mention a Ufone launch, and we couldn't confirm one since.

More guides: [Pakistan visa guide](/travel/guides/pakistan-visa/), [PTA tax on phones](/travel/guides/pta-tax-mobile/), [using foreign cards and ATMs in Pakistan](/travel/guides/foreign-cards-atm-pakistan/), [is Pakistan safe to visit](/travel/guides/is-pakistan-safe-to-visit/), [all Visas, Phones & Money guides](/travel/plan/).

## Questions people ask

### Which SIM is best in Pakistan for internet?

In PTA's April to June 2026 survey of 11 cities, Jazz had the fastest downloads in 9 cities and Zong in 2. Jazz met 130 of 132 quality targets and Zong 128, so either is a sound choice in the cities.

### Can foreigners buy a SIM card in Pakistan?

Yes. Jazz and Zong both sell SIMs to foreigners who bring an original passport and a valid visa, and your fingerprints are taken. Zong issues at most 2 SIMs per person, and the SIM stays valid only as long as your visa.

### How much does a SIM cost in Pakistan?

A new Jazz prepaid SIM starts from Rs 350 as of October 2026. Data is extra: Jazz's 100 GB Monthly Freedom bundle costs Rs 2,608 for 30 days, and Zong's 100 GB Monthly Digital Max Basic costs Rs 2,600.

### Can I use my UK SIM in Pakistan?

Yes, as a roamer. PTA says a person with an international SIM can use it on Pakistani networks without registering the phone. In October 2026 PTA proposed checks on foreign SIMs used for 90 days or more in any 180 days, but those rules are not yet in force.

### Is Telenor the same as Ufone now?

They have the same owner. PTCL completed its purchase of Telenor Pakistan on 31 December 2025 and plans to merge it with Ufone, which PTCL already owned. Both brands were still selling packages in mid-2026.

## Sources

- [Frequently Asked Questions](https://jazz.com.pk/faqs), Jazz (accessed 16 Oct 2026)
- [Process Help Center](https://jazz.com.pk/help-center/knowledge-and-learning/process-help-center), Jazz (accessed 16 Oct 2026)
- [Monthly Freedom](https://jazz.com.pk/prepaid/monthly-freedom), Jazz (accessed 16 Oct 2026)
- [Issuance of Zong SIM to Foreigners / Pakistan Origin Card (POC) Holders](https://www.zong.com.pk/join-zong-4g/sim-issuance-to-foreigners), Zong (accessed 16 Oct 2026)
- [Prepaid packages](https://www.zong.com.pk/prepaid), Zong (accessed 16 Oct 2026)
- [Zong Internet SIM](https://www.zong.com.pk/internet/internet-sim), Zong (accessed 16 Oct 2026)
- [FAQs regarding SOP for Temporary Registration of Mobile Device for Overseas Pakistanis & Foreigners](https://www.pta.gov.pk/assets/media/2025-07-23-temp-reg-FAQs.pdf), PTA (accessed 16 Oct 2026)
- [Guidelines to purchase new prepaid SIM card on Passport or Pakistan Origin Card (archived September 2022)](http://web.archive.org/web/20220913013944/https://www.telenor.com.pk/guidelines-to-purchase-new-prepaid-sim-card-on-passport-or-pakistan-origin-card/), Telenor Pakistan (accessed 16 Oct 2026)
- [Pakistan travel advice](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/pakistan), UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (accessed 16 Oct 2026)
- [PTA conducts QoS survey results](https://www.app.com.pk/?p=1278816), Associated Press of Pakistan (accessed 16 Oct 2026)
- [Jazz & Zong Dominate the PTA Q2 2026 QoS Survey While Ufone Lags](https://www.techjuice.pk/jazz-zong-dominate-the-pta-q2-2026-qos-survey-while-ufone-lags/), TechJuice (accessed 16 Oct 2026)
- [Jazz dominates PTA's Q2 QoS survey across Pakistani cities](https://digitalpakistan.pk/jazz-dominates-ptas-q2-qos-survey-across-pakistani-cities/), Digital Pakistan (accessed 16 Oct 2026)
- [PTA survey shows SCOM leads AJK, GB network quality](https://digitalpakistan.pk/pta-survey-shows-scom-leads-ajk-gb-network-quality/), Digital Pakistan (accessed 16 Oct 2026)
- [Mobile Operators Raise Call, Data Package Prices by Up to 33% in Fresh Blow to Consumers](https://www.techjuice.pk/mobile-operators-raise-call-data-package-prices-by-up-to-33-in-fresh-blow-to-consumers/), TechJuice (accessed 16 Oct 2026)
- [PTCL closes Telenor deal, rises to second largest telecom](https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2026/01/01/ptcl-closes-telenor-deal-rises-to-second-largest-telecom/), Profit (Pakistan Today) (accessed 16 Oct 2026)
- [Telecos get 5G spectrum licences, announce launch in some cities](https://dailytimes.com.pk/1466980/telecos-get-5g-spectrum-licences-announce-launch-in-some-cities/), Daily Times (accessed 16 Oct 2026)
- [Pakistan plans strict identity checks for foreign SIMs, eSIM users](https://pakobserver.net/?p=781470), Pakistan Observer (accessed 16 Oct 2026)