Semi-Open Numbering Plan

Number Format
Area Code: 2-5 digits
Subscriber Number: 4-7 digits
Trunk Prefix: 0
International Prefix: 00

Area code information

1 July 2009 - Karachi, Lahore numbers expand to 8 digits
 An extra digit was perpended to Karachi (+92 21) and Lahore (+92 42) subscriber numbers effective 1 July 2009, with permissive use of the old and new dialling until 30 September 2009.

 Digit '3' was perpended to subscriber numbers, except those which began with '9' where the digit '9' was perpended. The following shows the migration for Karachi, but the migration for Lahore is the same, except for the +92 42 area code:

Old format New format
---------- ----------
+92 21 2xxxxxx +92 21 32xxxxxx
+92 21 3xxxxxx +92 21 33xxxxxx
+92 21 4xxxxxx +92 21 34xxxxxx
+92 21 5xxxxxx +92 21 35xxxxxx
+92 21 6xxxxxx +92 21 36xxxxxx
+92 21 7xxxxxx +92 21 37xxxxxx
+92 21 8xxxxxx +92 21 38xxxxxx
+92 21 9xxxxxx +92 21 99xxxxxx

1 July 2009 - numbering changes for northern areas, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (+92 58)
Current numbering ranges for the northern areas (NA) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJ&K) are established as follows, under +92 58:

Number range Locality
------------ --------
+92 58 1x xxxxxx Northern Areas (NAs)
+92 58 1x 2xxxxx NAs (conventional local loop service)
+92 58 1x 3xxxxx NAs (conventional local loop service)
+92 58 1x 4xxxxx NAs (special organisations)
+92 58 1x 5xxxxx NAs (conventional local loop service)
+92 58 1x 6xxxxx NAs (conventional local loop service)
+92 58 1x 7xxxxx NAs (conventional local loop service)
+92 58 1x 8xxxxx NAs (conventional local loop service)
+92 58 1x 9xxxxx NAs (government)

+92 58 2x xxxxxx Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJ&K)

+92 58 2x 2xxxxx AJ&K (conventional local loop service)
+92 58 2x 3xxxxx AJ&K (conventional local loop service)
+92 58 2x 4xxxxx AJ&K (special organisations)
+92 58 2x 5xxxxx AJ&K (conventional local loop service)
+92 58 2x 6xxxxx AJ&K (conventional local loop service)
+92 58 2x 7xxxxx AJ&K (conventional local loop service)
+92 58 2x 8xxxxx AJ&K (conventional local loop service)
+92 58 2x 9xxxxx AJ&K (government)
The migration from old to new numbering - changes to subscriber numbering were made in numerous cases, which may not necessarily involve a straightforward conversion from existing subscriber numbers:

1 April 2008 - mobile number restructuring
Pakistan mobile subscriber numbers were expanded from 7 to 8 digits, while their area/access codes were reduced from 3 to 2 digits, excluding trunk prefix or country code.

For most carriers, the sequence of area code and subscriber number digits remains unchanged, especially for calls from outside Pakistan. Numbers for carriers Instaphone, SCOM and Zong (formerly Paktel) received changes to their area code with a digit prepended to the existing 7-digit mobile subscriber number, which means the entire new sequence of digits will not correspond with the old sequence.

There was permissive use of both old and new number formats until 30 June 2008.

Old format            New format          Service
==========      ==========     =======
+92 300 xxxxxxx +92 30 0xxxxxxx Mobilink
+92 301 xxxxxxx +92 30 1xxxxxxx Mobilink
+92 302 xxxxxxx +92 30 2xxxxxxx Mobilink
+92 303 xxxxxxx +92 30 3xxxxxxx Mobilink
+92 304 xxxxxxx +92 31 4xxxxxxx Zong (Paktel) *
+92 306 xxxxxxx +92 30 6xxxxxxx Mobilink
+92 307 xxxxxxx +92 30 7xxxxxxx Mobilink
+92 308 xxxxxxx +92 30 8xxxxxxx Mobilink
+92 320 xxxxxxx +92 36 4xxxxxxx Instaphone *
+92 321 xxxxxxx +92 32 1xxxxxxx Warid
+92 322 xxxxxxx +92 32 2xxxxxxx Warid
+92 323 xxxxxxx +92 32 3xxxxxxx Warid
+92 331 xxxxxxx +92 33 1xxxxxxx Ufone
+92 332 xxxxxxx +92 33 2xxxxxxx Ufone
+92 333 xxxxxxx +92 33 3xxxxxxx Ufone
+92 334 xxxxxxx +92 33 4xxxxxxx Ufone
+92 335 xxxxxxx +92 35 5xxxxxxx SCOM *
+92 342 xxxxxxx +92 34 2xxxxxxx Telenor
+92 343 xxxxxxx +92 34 3xxxxxxx Telenor
+92 344 xxxxxxx +92 34 4xxxxxxx Telenor
+92 345 xxxxxxx +92 34 5xxxxxxx Telenor
+92 346 xxxxxxx +92 34 6xxxxxxx Telenor
(NEW) +92 31 2xxxxxxx Zong (Paktel) *
(NEW) +92 31 3xxxxxxx Zong (Paktel) *

2004-2005? - national renumbering
Pakistan commenced its move towards a standard national numbering plan. Dates of numbering changes were not indicated, but was believed to have begun in late 2004.

The new format consists of either:

2-digit area codes followed by 7-digit subcriber numbers
3-digit area codes followed by 6-digit subcriber numbers
Area codes are consolidated to the following list:

Area code Place
---------    -----
21             Karachi (central, east, south, west, Malir)
22             Hyderabad (including Kotri MC)
235          Sanghar
243          Khairpur