The question “is eSIM available in Pakistan?” has two different answers, because people mean two different things by it. Some want a Pakistani number on an eSIM instead of a plastic SIM. Others want mobile data in Pakistan without hunting for a SIM shop at the airport. Both exist. They work differently, and they cost different amounts.
The short answer
- Local eSIM (a Pakistani number): offered by operators such as Jazz and Zong. You get it at a service centre or franchise, with biometric verification, and you pay a fee for the eSIM.
- Travel eSIM (data only): bought online, installed on Wi-Fi, no Pakistani number and no branch visit.
What a local eSIM is
A local eSIM is an ordinary Pakistani mobile line, with calls, SMS and a 03xx number, delivered as a QR code instead of a card. Because it is a normal line, it has to be registered in your name, and that is why the process involves a visit.
Zong. Zong’s own eSIM price page says Rs. 1,500 is charged for an eSIM. You get it at a Zong Customer Service Centre or franchise, either by booking a new number or by replacing an existing Zong number. Biometric verification is required before activation, and you are handed a voucher with the QR code. Zong lists iPhone 11 and later models (including the iPhone SE, XR, XS and XS Max) and eSIM-enabled Android phones.
Jazz. Jazz introduced eSIM technology in 2019 and now describes the process on its eSIM activation page: you switch from a physical SIM, or take a new number, at a Jazz Experience Centre, franchise or eligible retailer, again with biometric verification. The fee figures we found on different Jazz pages do not agree with each other, so we are not going to print one. Ask the centre for the current charge before you go.
Telenor and Ufone. We could not confirm eSIM availability or fees for either from their own pages when we checked, so we are not guessing. Ask the operator directly.
What a travel eSIM is
A travel eSIM is a prepaid data plan. It gives your phone mobile internet for maps, messaging, ride-hailing and banking apps, and nothing else. It does not come with a Pakistani number, so a Pakistani WhatsApp or bank account that needs a local number still needs a local SIM or your existing line. The advantage is speed and no paperwork: you buy it online, install it on Wi-Fi before you fly, and switch it on when you land. Current Pakistan plans are on our Pakistan eSIM page, from Rs 399 at the 28 October 2026 catalogue snapshot, and the support team confirms the price before you pay.
Which one do you need?
- You are visiting for a few days or weeks and want data: a travel eSIM is simpler. You do not need a number.
- You live in Pakistan, or will for months: a local line with a Pakistani number usually makes more sense, and a local eSIM is one way to get it if your phone supports it.
- You are an overseas Pakistani visiting family: many people use both, a travel eSIM for data on arrival and a local SIM later. If your phone was bought abroad, read our guide to SIM time and PTA registration first, because inserting a local SIM starts a clock.
Does my phone support it?
The phone needs eSIM hardware and has to be carrier-unlocked. For iPhones, see which iPhones support eSIM. For anything else, use the compatibility checker. Support alone does not mean your phone is PTA-registered; those are separate questions, as our guide to eSIM on imported phones explains.
How much will it cost?
For a local eSIM, the fee on Zong’s page is Rs. 1,500 for the eSIM itself, and you still pay for the bundle or balance you use. For a travel eSIM, you pay for the data plan you pick and nothing extra for the SIM. These are different things, so compare them by what you will use over your stay, not by the headline figure alone. Operator fees change, so check the current charge before you pay either one.
A local eSIM, step by step
- Check your phone. It must support eSIM and be carrier-unlocked, and ideally you know its PTA status. Our iPhone eSIM list and the compatibility checker cover the hardware.
- Go to an official point of sale. That means a Customer Service Centre or franchise of the operator. Bring your original ID, and ask the centre what it needs if you are not a resident, because requirements for non-residents are the centre’s to confirm.
- Complete biometric verification. Zong’s page states it is required before activation. Jazz describes the same step.
- Take the QR voucher. Zong hands over a physical voucher with the QR code. Keep it private.
- Install it on Wi-Fi. On an iPhone, Zong’s steps are Settings, then Cellular, then Add Cellular Plan, then scan; on Android, the SIM Card Manager. Zong says to enter the default code 0000 when asked.
Zong also says the profile can be downloaded again by re-scanning the QR code if you change phones or delete the profile, and that it can only be downloaded after the eSIM is mapped to a number. That is useful to know before you drop your phone in a taxi.
Two traps to avoid
Buying a ready-made Pakistani eSIM from a stranger online. Pakistani lines are registered to a person through biometric verification. A QR code sold by someone else is a line registered to them, not you, and it can be blocked. Buy local lines from the operator.
Forgetting the second IMEI. Phones with an eSIM have two IMEIs. Zong’s page advises sending both to 8484 to avoid DIRBS blocking. Our guide to SIM time explains why that check matters for phones bought abroad.
A note on QR codes
Whichever route you choose, treat the QR code like a password. Do not post it in a chat or photograph it where someone else can scan it. Zong’s own page says the same. Our guide to how eSIM QR codes work explains why.
