What is PKNIC? How the .pk registry works

Who runs .pk?

PKNIC runs the .pk space. Think of it as the keeper of the official list. When someone registers a name ending in .pk, .com.pk, .net.pk or .org.pk, PKNIC holds that record and operates the DNS for the .PK root servers.

IANA, the body that keeps the internet's list of top-level domains, names PKNIC as the manager of .pk and gives a Lahore address. PKNIC's own site says it has one office, in Lahore, and no other offices or outlets in Pakistan.

So if a seller says they work 'from PKNIC', ask which company they mean. PKNIC itself is one office, in one city.

A short history

Wikipedia gives 1992 as the year PKNIC was founded, which would make .pk one of the older country domains. We have not seen an official PKNIC history that confirms the year, so treat it as a public-record figure.

We could not find a reliable, official year-by-year account, so we will not guess at later milestones.

If you need an official statement on the registry's past, write to PKNIC at staff@pknic.net.pk. For everyday use, the rules below matter more than the history.

What PKNIC charges

PKNIC publishes its fee on its own site. For registrants based in Pakistan, the fee is Rs 2,100 per year from 1 August 2026, up from Rs 1,800. For registrants outside Pakistan, it is USD 15.99 per year.

Fees are billed in two-year periods, so the minimum you pay up front is two years. You can pay for up to ten years in one go.

That is the registry's fee. A reseller may add its own service charge, so always ask for the full rupee total before you pay. Our own prices are on /pricing/, and the .pk fee breakdown is on /pk-domain-price/.

Resellers, registrars and payment

PKNIC appoints resellers and agents. Its site says they are independent companies with no financial ownership in PKNIC and no partnership with it.

This matters when something goes wrong. A reseller can help with their own order and support. Only PKNIC decides registry matters.

PKNIC's site links to a 'How to Pay' page, so check it before you send money to the registry. Our own orders are paid in rupees by bank transfer, Raast, JazzCash or Easypaisa. Details are on /register-pk-domain/.

What PKNIC does and does not do

PKNIC does the registry work. It registers .pk names, keeps the records and runs the DNS for the .PK root servers. Its site also has a WHOIS lookup tool.

It does not host websites or email. Its own site says so plainly. You still need a separate host, or a website builder, to put anything online.

It also does not let you change a domain name after registration. The name is fixed, so check the spelling twice. At registration, PKNIC fixes the registrant name too. Read /domain-name-rules/ before you choose, and /pk-vs-com-pk-vs-com/ if you are unsure which ending suits your business.

Where SastiDomains fits in

We are a small Pakistani company. We are not PKNIC, and we are not a registrar or affiliated with PKNIC. We do two things.

First, we run a marketplace where owners sell existing domains, with the buyer's payment held in escrow. You can browse it at /#browse. Second, we offer a registration service. We check availability live, then register the name in your own name through PKNIC or a registrar.

We take orders on WhatsApp. We aim to file the same working day your payment arrives. Unpaid orders cancel after 48 hours. If the name is taken before we file, you get a full refund. To start, search a name at /domains/.

Common questions