How I Call Pakistan From Dubai With Botim

If you try to make a WhatsApp call from Dubai, it usually won't connect. Messages go through, photos send fine, but the call itself just doesn't work.

That surprises a lot of Pakistanis when they first arrive, because WhatsApp is how most of us call home. Here, I use Botim instead. It's the app I rely on to call family in Pakistan from Dubai.

Below I'll explain why WhatsApp calls don't work in the UAE, how Botim fits in, what it costs, and the cheaper and pricier ways to call a normal Pakistani number when the other person doesn't have the app.

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Why WhatsApp Calls Don't Work Here

The UAE restricts most internet calling apps. The telecom regulator only allows calls through approved services, so voice and video calls on WhatsApp, FaceTime, Skype, Viber and several others are blocked or heavily limited.

The important part: only the calls are affected. WhatsApp messages, voice notes, photos and documents all work normally. So you'll still use WhatsApp every day, just not for calling.

Botim is different because it's an approved calling app in the UAE. It's owned by Astra Tech, a company that started as Etisalat Digital, and it's built to work within UAE rules.

One thing to avoid: using a VPN to force WhatsApp calls to work. Getting around UAE telecom restrictions with a VPN can break UAE law. It isn't worth the risk for a phone call.

What Botim Is

Botim is a calling and messaging app, a bit like WhatsApp. You can make voice calls, video calls and group calls, and send messages and files.

Over the years it has added more features, including money transfers and payments. But for most people from Pakistan living in or visiting Dubai, it comes down to one thing: it's the easiest legal way to make internet calls home.

How Botim Calling Works in the UAE

This is where many new arrivals get confused.

Downloading Botim and using it for messages is free. But for calls inside the UAE, operators sell a separate internet calling plan that unlocks Botim calling. Without one, you may find calls limited.

Recently listed monthly plans look like this:

du Social Pack, which includes Botim calling: around AED 50 a month.

e& Botim Unlimited: around AED 55 a month.

Both du and e& have also offered 7-day trials, so you can test call quality before paying for a full month. Virgin Mobile includes internet calling through an add-on on some of its plans.

Prices and plan names change, so check the du or e& app for the current offer before you subscribe.

Once you're on a plan, calls over Wi-Fi don't use your mobile data. That's handy at home or in a hotel.

Why I Pay for the Botim Plan

I use Botim on a paid plan, and two things make it worth it for me.

The first is no ads. The free version of Botim shows ads, and they get in the way when you just want to open the app and call home. With the paid plan, they're gone.

The second is voice quality. On the paid plan, my calls to Pakistan come through with good, clear voice quality. When you're calling family regularly, a clear line matters more than saving a few dirhams.

For around AED 50 a month, that's a fair trade if you call home often. If you only call once in a while, a trial plan or one of the operator calling offers below may be enough.

Calling Botim to Botim vs Calling a Normal Number

There are two very different kinds of calls, and it's worth knowing which one you're making.

Botim to Botim is when both you and the person in Pakistan have the app. This is the cheapest way to talk, because the call runs over the internet. Once your calling plan is active, you can talk as long as you like.

Calling a normal Pakistani number is when the other person doesn't have Botim, or doesn't have internet. Botim calls this feature Call Out, and it's paid separately. Several comparison sites note that the per-minute cost isn't always easy to see, so check the price in the app before you rely on it.

My advice is simple: get your family in Pakistan to install Botim. It takes a few minutes, and after that every call is an app call. For older relatives, set it up for them on your next visit, or ask someone at home to do it.

Other Ways to Call Pakistan From Dubai

Sometimes Botim isn't the right fit. Maybe you only need a few short calls, or the person you're calling only has a basic phone. These are the other options, with rates as published in mid-2026.

du International Savings Offer: about AED 0.38 a minute to Pakistan, including VAT, billed per second. You activate it by dialling *135*70#. Without the offer, du's standard rate is around AED 1.50 a minute.

e& DI25 Daily Pack: AED 5 a day plus VAT, activated by texting DI25 to 1012. It only charges on days you call Pakistan. Without a pack, e&'s standard international rate is around AED 2.50 a minute.

Pakistani SIM on roaming: I've used my Jazz SIM on roaming in Dubai, and it worked fine. The problem was the internet, which was very expensive on roaming. For regular calls home, a local plan or Botim makes far more sense.

The thing to avoid is calling Pakistan at the default international rate with no offer or pack active. That's the most expensive way to do it, and it adds up quickly.

Which Option Should You Choose?

It depends on how often you call and who you're calling.

If you live in Dubai and call family most days, get a Botim calling plan and make sure your family has the app.

If you're visiting for a week or two and only need a few calls, a short trial plan or your SIM's included international minutes may be enough. Most tourist SIM plans include some international minutes.

If the person you're calling has a basic phone with no internet, use a calling offer like du's International Savings Offer or e&'s daily pack instead of the default rate.

If you're only sending messages and voice notes, you don't need anything extra. WhatsApp handles that fine.

Getting Set Up

Setting up Botim takes about five minutes.

Install Botim from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. Download it from the official store only, not from a link someone sends you.

Sign up with your UAE number. You'll get a verification code by SMS.

Activate a calling plan through your operator. Use the du or e& app, or visit a branch if you'd rather have help.

Ask your family to install Botim in Pakistan and sign up with their own numbers.

Make a test call over Wi-Fi first, then try one on mobile data.

A Few Tips That Save Time and Money

Use Wi-Fi when you can. Calls over Wi-Fi don't eat into your mobile data.

Check your plan's renewal date. Monthly plans usually renew automatically, so turn off auto-renew if you only needed it for a trip.

Keep WhatsApp for messages. There's no need to move all your chats to Botim. Plenty of people in Dubai use WhatsApp for chatting and Botim for calling.

Watch out for fake versions. Only download Botim from the official app stores, and never share your verification code with anyone.

Don't rely on a VPN. It may seem like a shortcut, but it can put you on the wrong side of UAE law.

What I'd Tell Someone New

Keep WhatsApp for chatting, get Botim for calling, and make sure your family back home installs it too.

That one change turns calling Pakistan from an expensive, confusing task into something you don't have to think about.