Area Code 9976 – Mansehra/Batagram

Overview of Area Code 9976

Area code 9976 is a geographic National Destination Code (NDC) assigned to the Mansehra and Batagram districts in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is part of the country's E.164 numbering plan, where the full international dialing format is +92 9976 XXX XXX. The code serves fixed-line PSTN subscribers within these administrative areas, including the city of Mansehra, which is a major commercial and educational hub, and Batagram, a smaller district capital. The region is located in the Hazara Division, near the Karakoram Highway, and the code covers both urban and rural exchanges.

Dialing Formats and Instructions

For callers within Pakistan, the national dialing format is 0 9976 XXX XXX, where the leading 0 is the trunk prefix used to access the national network. For international callers, the country code +92 replaces the trunk prefix, resulting in +92 9976 XXX XXX. Subscriber numbers in this area are typically seven digits long after the area code, but the total length of a national significant number (NSN) is ten digits (excluding the trunk prefix). Local calls within the same exchange may require only the subscriber number, but this varies by operator and should be confirmed with the local service provider.

Geographic Coverage and Administration

The 9976 code is administered by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and is allocated to fixed-line operators such as Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) and other licensed local loop operators. The coverage area includes the Mansehra Tehsil, Oghi, and Balakot towns, as well as the entire Batagram District. The region is known for its mountainous terrain, and the telecom infrastructure supports both copper and fiber-optic connections, with ongoing deployments of broadband services. There are no overlay codes currently assigned to this area, meaning that 9976 is the sole geographic code for these districts.

Caller Guidance

When calling a landline in Mansehra or Batagram from abroad, always use the international format +92 9976 XXX XXX. If you are dialing from a mobile phone within Pakistan, you can use either the national format with the trunk prefix or the international format, depending on your carrier's settings. It is important to note that while mobile numbers in Pakistan are non-geographic and begin with 3 (e.g., 0300), landline numbers under 9976 are strictly geographic. For emergency services or directory assistance, local numbers may be accessed via short codes, but these are not part of the 9976 numbering range.