Asia · Southern Asia · Sovereign state
Current time in Pakistan
A single time zone at UTC+05:00.
Sunday, May 31, 2026
About Pakistan's time
A single time zone.
Pakistan uses a single time zone across the entire country: Pakistan Standard Time (UTC+05:00). There is no Daylight Saving Time, so the offset stays consistent all year.
Major cities
Cities of Pakistan.
History
How Pakistan keeps time.
Before 1907, local mean time was used in various parts of what would become Pakistan. British India adopted a standardized time system, and Karachi Mean Time (UTC+4:28:12) was used.
In 1907, British India adopted Indian Standard Time (IST) at UTC+05:30, which applied to the entire subcontinent. This remained in use through the period of British rule.
Following the independence of Pakistan in 1947, Pakistan continued using IST (UTC+05:30) as its standard time for several years. This was consistent with the time system remaining inherited from British India.
In 1971, Pakistan introduced Pakistan Standard Time (PKT) as a distinct time zone with an offset of UTC+05:00, creating a 30-minute departure from India's time. This change was made during Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's administration as a practical energy-saving measure, shortening the distance between civil time and solar time in parts of the country. Since that change, the country has maintained UTC+05:00 year-round.
Did you know?
Things about Pakistan's time.
Pakistan is one of many countries that briefly tried Daylight Saving Time in the 21st century. In 2002, DST was introduced in an effort to conserve energy and maximize daylight use, shifting the clock forward by one hour during summer months. However, the practice was short-lived. After several years of inconsistent application, the government discontinued DST.
In 2008, DST was briefly revived in response to an energy crisis. It was observed from June to October that year, but public confusion and limited energy savings led to its permanent discontinuation. Pakistan has not observed DST since then.
The country's single time zone at UTC+05:00 covers a territory spanning roughly 6 degrees of longitude. This range is relatively narrow for a country with a single time zone, meaning the alignment between clock time and solar time stays fairly consistent nationwide, with only about 24 minutes of solar time difference between the easternmost and westernmost regions.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Pakistan's time zone, daylight saving rules, and how to handle it in software. Can't find what you need? Email [email protected].
- What time zone is Pakistan in?
- Pakistan uses Pakistan Standard Time (PKT), which is UTC+05:00.
- Does Pakistan observe Daylight Saving Time?
- No, Pakistan does not currently observe Daylight Saving Time. Clocks remain at UTC+05:00 year-round, though DST was attempted briefly in 2002 and again in 2008.
- How many time zones does Pakistan have?
- Pakistan has only one time zone: Asia/Karachi at UTC+05:00.
- What is the time difference between Pakistan and India?
- Pakistan is 30 minutes behind India. While both countries were once aligned on Indian Standard Time (UTC+05:30), Pakistan shifted to UTC+05:00 in 1971.
- How does Pakistan's time compare to UTC?
- Pakistan is 5 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC+05:00).
- Is PKT the same as IST?
- No. PKT (Pakistan Standard Time) is UTC+05:00, while IST (Indian Standard Time) is UTC+05:30. Pakistan adjusted its time zone in 1971 to be 30 minutes behind India.
Free · Developer API
Time, as JSON.
Every IANA time zone with live offsets, DST status, and the countries and cities that use them — clean, dependable JSON. Sign up free and get an API key in seconds.
countries, cities, convert, DST transitions coming next.
Get your free API key →