URL: https://esimgo.ae/sim-card/pakistan/
Buy: https://esimgo.ae/esim-pakistan/
Source: eSIM Go (esimgo.ae)
Author: Nadezhda Semenova, entrepreneur, co-founder of the Trippy travel service, https://esimgo.ae/author/
Updated: 15 Oct 2026

# Pakistan data SIM card from the UAE: local SIM, roaming or eSIM

On a Virgin Mobile UAE plan of **20GB** or more, the One Country pass lets you use your plan's data in Pakistan for a month, free of charge. On any other UAE line a month costs **AED 300.00** (Virgin 20GB), **AED 350.00** (e& Economy, 6GB) or **AED 500.00** for 60 days (du 30GB). A data-only 4G eSIM for Pakistan costs AED 14.99 for **1GB** and **7 days**.

Pakistan's Minister for Parliamentary Affairs said in the Senate in May 2026 that "more than two million Pakistanis were living in the Gulf country" (ProPakistani). Dubai International handled **4.3 million** passengers to and from Pakistan in 2025, transit included, so that is not a count of residents' trips (Dubai Media Office). We sell travel eSIMs, so we have an interest here.

## Four ways to get data on a trip home to Pakistan

A data SIM card in Pakistan comes down to four options: a Pakistani SIM you already hold, a new one, a roaming pack on your UAE line, or a data eSIM. The cheapest is Virgin Mobile UAE One Country free of charge, on plans of **20GB** and up.

Your e&, du or Virgin Mobile line won't use mobile data abroad without a roaming pack (e& can unlock pay-as-you-go data for 24 hours by SMS). Pakistan is on the One Country list (34 countries on Virgin's page, 15 Oct 2026); the pass does not renew itself: "Don't forget to re-activate every month." See [Virgin One Country](/roaming/virgin-mobile/).

## A Pakistani SIM on arrival: what to check first

A new data SIM card in Pakistan needs your CNIC number and fingerprints, checked against NADRA at an authorised outlet. Zong sells to foreign passport holders and Pakistan Origin Card holders at a Zong service centre or franchise (pta.gov.pk, zong.com.pk, 15 Oct 2026).

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) says this happens only at "an authorized MBVS Enabled Sale Outlet". Zong's page asks for an "Original Valid Passport & Valid Visa / Pakistan Origin Card". To see how many SIMs are registered on your CNIC, PTA points to cnic.sims.pk or an SMS with your CNIC number to 668.

PTA also runs a "Temporary Registration Facility for Overseas Pakistani / Foregin [sic] National" page for phones, with the note "DIRBS is only accessible within Territory of Pakistan." It states no periods or fees, so check PTA's official rules for local SIMs and phones before you fly. Zong, Jazz, Ufone and Telenor are Pakistani operators. We quote no local SIM prices, and this list says nothing about the network our eSIM uses.

## e&, du and Virgin Mobile packs for Pakistan: a week and a month

Pakistan sits in the main roaming zone of e&, du and Virgin Mobile UAE: a day costs **AED 35.00** and a week **AED 100.00** (AED 200.00 on a du prepaid line). The cheapest per GB is du's postpaid **10GB** week: **AED 100.00**, or AED 10.00 per GB.

| Pack | Data · days | AED | AED per GB |
|---|---|---|---|
| e& Daily Data | 500MB · 1 day | 35 | 70 |
| Virgin daily pack | 750MB · 1 day | 35 | 46.7 |
| e& Weekly Data Pack (prepaid) | 4GB · 7 days (until 10 Jan 2027, normally 2GB) | 100 | 25 |
| Virgin weekly pack | 2GB · 7 days | 100 | 50 |
| du bundle, postpaid | 10GB · 7 days | 100 | 10 |
| du bundle, prepaid | 10GB · 7 days | 200 | 20 |

Sources: [e&](https://www.eand.ae/en/c/mobile/add-ons/hybrid/roaming-prepaid/roaming-daily-data-plan.html) (15 Oct 2026); du [postpaid](https://www.du.ae/personal/mobile/roaming/postpaid/detail) and [prepaid](https://www.du.ae/personal/mobile/roaming/prepaid/detail) (15 Oct 2026); [Virgin](https://www.virginmobile.ae/roaming/) (15 Oct 2026). The per-GB column is our arithmetic. eSIM Go is not affiliated with e&, du or Virgin Mobile UAE.

e&'s weekly and monthly packs are "Charged upon purchase but validity starts upon first eligible usage"; Virgin's "validity will begin once the first call is received or made". du's own pages disagree on when a postpaid data bundle starts, so buy it shortly before you fly. Check the activation note in the du app. More: [e& roaming](/roaming/etisalat/), [du roaming](/roaming/du/).

## Visiting family for a month: data that lasts

For 30 days at home, Virgin One Country is **free**, Virgin's **20GB** pack is **AED 300.00**, e& Economy is **AED 350.00** for **6GB** and 60 minutes, and du's **30GB** bundle is **AED 500.00** but runs 60 days (AED 16.70 per GB).

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| Option | Data · days | AED | AED per day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virgin One Country (plans of 20GB+) | your plan's data · 1 month | 0 | 0 |
| Virgin 20GB pack | 20GB · 30 days | 300 | 10.0 |
| e& Economy Class Pack | 6GB (until 10 Jan 2027, normally 2GB) · 30 days | 350 | 11.7 |
| du long data bundle | 30GB · 60 days | 500 | 8.3 over 60 days |
| Our Pakistan eSIM | 10GB · 30 days | AED 66.99 | AED 2.23 |
| Our Pakistan eSIM | 20GB · 30 days | AED 94.99 | AED 3.17 |
| Our Pakistan eSIM | unlimited · 30 days | AED 269.99 | AED 9.00 |

Operator prices as listed on 15 Oct 2026; per-day is our arithmetic. Our unlimited plan runs at full speed up to 3GB a day, then 1 Mbps. Charged in AED by JET SHARING (USA). Your bank may add a foreign-transaction fee; see [how to pay](/how-to-pay/).

The rule: on a Virgin plan of 20GB or more, One Country is all you need. If you still hold an active Pakistani SIM, keep using it; we quote no local prices. Anyone else should set the **20GB** eSIM row against **AED 300.00**, **350** and **500**. To size your data, see [how much data do I need](/how-much-data-do-i-need/).

## Which network the Pakistan eSIM uses, and how to check coverage at home

The network is shown on our Pakistan plan page on the date you buy; check mobile coverage in your home city before you go. We promise no network, coverage or speed. A data SIM card in Pakistan works only where its network reaches. See the [Pakistan eSIM plans](/esim-pakistan/).

The plans run on 4G in sizes of **1 to 20GB** for 7 to 30 days, plus unlimited for **3 to 30 days**. If you will spend most of the month away from the big cities, coverage matters more than price. Ask the relative you are staying with which network gets a full signal inside the house, and buy only if it matches the plan page that day; if it doesn't, a UAE roaming pack is the safer choice. Pakistan is also in the [Asia eSIM plans](/esim-asia/). If the eSIM has not connected to any network, you can get a refund within 30 days of purchase.

## Keep your UAE number while you're home

Our Pakistan eSIMs are data-only: keep your UAE number on your main SIM for calls and SMS. A call you receive in Pakistan costs **AED 4.25** a minute on e&; calling the UAE costs **AED 9.50**.

| Line | Receive a call | Call the UAE | SMS you receive |
|---|---|---|---|
| e& | AED 4.25 | AED 9.50 | free |
| du (postpaid) | AED 1.25 | AED 9.00 | no price published |
| Virgin Mobile UAE | not confirmed | not confirmed | free (India, UK) |

Per minute, 15 Oct 2026. For du prepaid, check the du app. We read Virgin's rates for India, the UK and Saudi Arabia only.

Keep your UAE SIM switched on for SMS; e& doesn't charge for SMS you receive abroad, while calls you receive are charged per minute. Calling apps are subject to the rules of the country you are in. No operator page we read promises that a bank's SMS codes arrive abroad, so ask your bank how it sends codes before you fly. Our eSIMs are for use outside the UAE; they do not provide service in the UAE. Setup: [keep your UAE number](/help/keep-your-uae-number/).

## FAQ

### Which SIM card is best in Pakistan for data?

If your Virgin Mobile UAE plan is 20GB or more, its One Country pass is free for a month. Otherwise a month costs AED 300.00 (Virgin 20GB), AED 350.00 (e& Economy, 6GB) or AED 500.00 for 60 days (du 30GB), listed on 15 Oct 2026. A data eSIM is the other option.

### Can I buy a Pakistani SIM online from the UAE?

PTA allows a new SIM only after CNIC and fingerprint checks against NADRA at an authorised sale outlet, so you buy it in person in Pakistan, not online (15 Oct 2026).

### Can I buy a data-only SIM in Pakistan?

We have no local data-only SIM prices and quote none. Our own Pakistan eSIMs are data-only, 4G, from 1GB for 7 days to 20GB for 30 days, plus unlimited for 3 to 30 days.

### Pakistani SIM vs eSIM vs e& roaming for a month at home?

Virgin One Country is free on plans of 20GB and up. Otherwise a month is AED 300.00 (Virgin 20GB), AED 350.00 (e& Economy, 6GB) or AED 500.00 for 60 days (du 30GB), as listed on 15 Oct 2026.

### How do I get a SIM card in Pakistan as an overseas Pakistani?

PTA requires a CNIC number and fingerprints at an authorised outlet. Zong lists a valid passport and visa or Pakistan Origin Card for foreigners.

## Sources

- PTA (biometric verification, SIM count check, temporary registration for phones): pta.gov.pk; Zong, SIM issuance: zong.com.pk (15 Oct 2026)
- e&, roaming packs and rates: eand.ae (15 Oct 2026)
- du, roaming bundles: du.ae (15 Oct 2026)
- Virgin Mobile UAE, roaming and One Country: virginmobile.ae/roaming, virginmobile.ae/one-country-roaming (15 Oct 2026)
- [Dubai Media Office, DXB 2025](https://mediaoffice.ae/en/news/2026/february/11-02/dxb-sets-new-global): mediaoffice.ae; ProPakistani, Senate statement, May 2026: propakistani.pk (15 Oct 2026)