In 2015, Telenor Pakistan partnered with the Wikimedia Foundation to offer free access to Wikipedia (no data charges for text). It was hailed as a triumph for education.
Pakistan has a schizophrenic relationship with net neutrality.
In 2018, the PTA officially issued the Prohibition of Anti-Competitive Practices in the Telecom Sector regulations, which took a strong stance against discriminatory tariffs. However, the language left a loophole: zero-rating was allowed if it was "transparent" and if the carrier offered the same discount to all similar content providers (which rarely happens).
As of 2025, there is no outright ban on zero-rating in Pakistan. The PTA views it as a "commercial product," not a net neutrality violation. However, the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has fined operators in the past for creating monopolistic bundles that hurt smaller social media apps. zerorated websites pakistan
Short, punchy, and encourages retweets.
Tweet: Running on 0MBs but need to study? 📉📚
Don't forget about Zero-Rated websites in Pakistan! Several networks (like Zong & Jazz) allow free access to platforms like Wikipedia, BBC Urdu, and specific educational apps without eating your data. In 2015, Telenor Pakistan partnered with the Wikimedia
Check your network’s portal by dialing *6464# (Zong) or using the Jazz App! 📲
#PakTech #DataSaver #StudentsOfPakistan #ZeroRated
Zero-rating is the practice where an Internet Service Provider (ISP) or mobile carrier does not charge users for data used on specific websites or apps. The data consumed on those platforms is deducted from a special “free” quota or not counted against your regular data allowance. Zero-rating is the practice where an Internet Service
Important: Zero-rating is not the same as free internet. You still need an active package (usually a daily or weekly social bundle) to access these sites. Once your base package expires, zero-rated sites also stop working.
This is currently the most significant form of zero-rating in Pakistan, launched in collaboration with the Ministry of IT and Telecom.
The price per GB in Pakistan has dropped 60% since 2019. Daily "Unlimited" packages (with FUP limits) now cost as little as PKR 40. If data becomes cheap enough for general browsing, the unique selling point of zero-rated apps disappears.
When Jazz gives away free Facebook, a local Pakistani startup—say, a homegrown job portal like Rozee.pk or a messaging app like Bykea Chat—cannot compete. Why would a user pay for data to visit a local site when a foreign giant is free?
“Zero-rating creates a two-tier internet,” explains digital rights lawyer Usama Khilji. “The rich (global platforms) get free lanes. The poor (local innovators, newspapers, educational portals) get toll roads.”