Google Play Store will be unavailable in Pakistan from Dec 1

The mobile users will not be able to download Google Play Store services in Pakistan from December 1, 2022, after the State Bank of Pakistan canceled payments of $34 million to international service providers.

Media reports said that the SBP changed the Direct Carrier Billing (DCB) system, which stopped payments of $34 million on an annual basis by mobile companies to international service providers including Google, Amazon and Meta etc.

Pakistani users will now be forced to download Google and other international apps to pay only through credit card or debit card.

The credit card facility is limited to a certain number of users so a majority of mobile users may miss out on downloading apps from the Google Play Store.

From December 1, 2022, the facility to download App Play Store through mobile phones will not be available in Pakistan.

Google, NRSP launch Internet Dost and Internet Zabardast event

The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and four Cellular Mobile Operators (CMOs) unanimously wrote a joint letter to the State Bank of Pakistan on Friday requested that the DCB procedures to withdraw its decision to cancel.