Area Code 256 – Dadu

Overview of Area Code 256 (Dadu, Pakistan)

Area code 256 is the National Destination Code (NDC) assigned to the city of Dadu, located in the Sindh province of Pakistan. It is a geographic code used for fixed-line (PSTN) services within the Dadu District, which includes the main urban center of Dadu and its surrounding administrative subdivisions. The code is administered under the national numbering plan of Pakistan, which follows the ITU-T E.164 international standard. For international callers, the full country calling code for Pakistan is +92, so a complete international number would be formatted as +92 256 XXX XXX (where X represents the subscriber's local number digits).

Geographic Coverage and Jurisdiction

Dadu is a historic city situated on the western bank of the Indus River, roughly 200 kilometers north of Karachi. The area code 256 covers not only the city of Dadu but also the talukas (administrative subdivisions) of Dadu District, including Khairpur Nathan Shah, Mehar, and Johi. This geographic allocation means that the code is tied to a specific physical location, and calls made to numbers with this code are routed to the corresponding telephone exchange in that region. The district is part of the Larkana Division, and its telecommunications infrastructure is managed by Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) and other licensed operators.

Dialing Formats and Instructions

Understanding the correct dialing procedure is essential for both domestic and international callers. The number length for fixed-line subscribers in Dadu is typically 7 digits after the area code, making the total national significant number (NSN) 10 digits (excluding the leading trunk prefix 0).

• Local calls (within Dadu): If you are calling from another fixed-line or mobile number within the same area code, you may only need to dial the 7-digit subscriber number. However, in many cases, especially from mobile phones, it is safer to dial the full national number.
• National long-distance calls (from other cities in Pakistan): Dial 0 256 XXX XXXX. The leading 0 is the trunk prefix used to access the national long-distance network.
• International calls (from abroad): Dial your country's international access code (e.g., 00 from most countries, or +), followed by Pakistan's country code 92, then the area code 256 without the leading 0, and finally the subscriber number: +92 256 XXX XXXX.

For example, if a local number in Dadu is 1234567, you would dial 02561234567 from within Pakistan (outside the local area) and +92561234567 from abroad.

Overlays and Number Portability

As of the latest updates, there are no overlay codes for Dadu; area code 256 is the sole geographic code for the district. However, mobile number portability (MNP) is available in Pakistan, but it applies to mobile numbers, not fixed-line geographic numbers. Fixed-line numbers are generally tied to the physical location, so if a business relocates outside the Dadu area, they would typically need to obtain a new number with the appropriate local area code.