How to Port Your Number Between Networks (MNP) in Pakistan
Mobile Number Portability (MNP) lets you switch operators without losing your existing number, useful if you want a different network's coverage or pricing but don't want the hassle of updating your number everywhere it's registered, banking, WhatsApp, and every contact who has it saved.
Text "PORT" followed by your CNIC number to 667 to check eligibility and begin the process, or visit a franchise of your new preferred operator with your CNIC. Porting typically completes within a few days, during which your existing SIM keeps working normally until the switch is confirmed.
Step by step: the porting process
Check that your current SIM has been active for the minimum required period (typically a set number of days since activation or your last port, to prevent rapid back-and-forth switching), then send "PORT" and your CNIC number to 667 by SMS to receive your porting eligibility and a confirmation code. Visit a retail outlet of the operator you want to switch to, bring your CNIC and the confirmation code, and complete the request there. You'll receive a new SIM card for your existing number, and the actual network switch typically completes within a few working days. If you're porting specifically to escape a bad experience with your current operator, document the issue (screenshots of billing disputes, reference numbers from support calls) before initiating the port, in case you need to reference it while resolving any outstanding balance as part of the switch.
What stays the same and what changes
Your phone number stays identical, nothing you have registered against that number, bank accounts, WhatsApp, government portals, needs updating. What changes is which operator's network and pricing apply to that number going forward, along with a new physical SIM card since the old one won't work on the new network.
Common reasons a port request gets rejected
An unpaid balance or unresolved dispute with your current operator, a SIM that hasn't met the minimum activation period, or a mismatch between the CNIC on file and the CNIC used for the port request are the most common rejection reasons. Resolving any outstanding balance with your current operator before requesting a port avoids the most frequent cause of delay.
What to do before you initiate a port
Settle any outstanding balance or dispute with your current operator, confirm your CNIC details match what's on file for the SIM, and back up anything tied to your current SIM specifically (rather than your number) if applicable, since the physical SIM changes even though the number doesn't. A few minutes of preparation avoids the most common causes of a rejected or delayed port request. This is worth reading alongside our guide on Register Phone with PTA if that's also relevant to you. For a closer look at this from another angle, see our guide on Best Mobile Network 2026.
Keep the confirmation SMS and any reference number from the porting request until the switch is fully complete, in case you need to follow up on a delay.
If your port request is rejected, the SMS or in-store notification should state a specific reason, resolve that reason directly rather than repeatedly resubmitting the same request, which typically just produces the same rejection.
Keeping a note of your porting date can also be useful if you ever need to reference how long you've been with your current operator for a loyalty-based offer.
Double-checking your new SIM works fully, calls, SMS, and data, within the first day after porting completes catches any activation issue early.
Frequently asked questions
MNP itself is generally free or low-cost, though check with your new operator for any current promotional or standard fee, since this can change.
Your existing SIM typically continues working normally until the port completes, usually within a few days, so there shouldn't be a period where you're without service.
This requires additional verification since the CNIC on the port request needs to match the SIM's registered owner, contact your operator directly if the SIM is registered under a different person's CNIC than yours.
No, WhatsApp is tied to your phone number and its own backup system, not to the SIM card itself, porting the number between operators doesn't affect WhatsApp as long as you keep using the same number.
Yes, there's no rule against porting back, though the same minimum activation period requirement applies again before you'd be eligible to port a second time.
Generally your JazzCash, Easypaisa, or similar wallet accounts remain linked to the number itself rather than the operator, porting shouldn't disrupt these, though confirming with your wallet provider after a port is a reasonable precaution.