Foreigner SIM example
Zong states foreigners/POC holders can visit a service center with passport and valid visa/POC; issued SIM validity follows visa/POC validity and max 2 SIMs may be issued.
Zong foreigner SIM detailsConnectivity guide
Skardu Local SIM Card Guide
Compare practical SIM options for Skardu and Gilgit-Baltistan, including SCOM/SCO, Zong, Telenor, Jazz, and Ufone with registration notes for tourists and remote-area planning.
Recommended strategy
Dual-network backup
Use one mainstream Pakistan network for cities and keep SCOM/SCO or another locally tested SIM for remote valleys. Never rely on one SIM for Deosai, trekking, or isolated road trips.
SCOM / SCO
Regional network for AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan
Travel fit
95/100
Tourist note
Often the most important backup SIM for remote valleys, trekking corridors, and northern routes.
How to buy
Look for an SCO/SCOM franchise in GB/AJK and confirm biometric/foreigner requirements locally.
Handset registration
PTA announced temporary mobile phone registration for overseas Pakistanis and foreign nationals for up to 120 days per visit through DIRBS.
PTA DIRBS registration portalRemote travel
Deosai, Askole, Hushe, Basho, and glacier routes can have no signal. Carry offline maps and tell a local contact your return time.