📞 24/7 Support: 03 111 404 111💬 WhatsApp Us
🔒 Client Portal

Knowledge Base

How to Register and Transfer a Domain to Pakish: Complete Guide for .pk and .com Domains

By Pakish Support Team10 min readDomains

You can register a new .pk domain through PKNIC (the official .pk registry) or through Pakish.net as an authorized reseller, with prices starting from Rs. 1,850/year for .pk and Rs. 2,000/year for .com domains. To transfer an existing domain to Pakish, you need the EPP/authorization code from your current registrar, ensure the domain is unlocked and not within 60 days of registration or a previous transfer, and then initiate the transfer through the Pakish One Portal at my.pakish.net. The entire transfer process takes 5–7 days for .com/.net domains and 1–3 days for .pk domains.

This guide covers both processes in full detail, with specific instructions for Pakistani domain owners managing both local (.pk) and international (.com, .net, .org) domains.

Part 1: Registering a New Domain

Understanding Domain Extensions

Before registering, choose the right domain extension for your business:

| Extension | Best For | Annual Cost (Approx.) | Registry | |---|---|---|---| | .com | International businesses, global audience | Rs. 2,000–3,500 | ICANN/Verisign | | .pk | Pakistani businesses targeting local market | Rs. 1,850–2,500 | PKNIC | | .com.pk | Pakistani commercial businesses | Rs. 1,850–2,500 | PKNIC | | .net.pk | Pakistani ISPs and network services | Rs. 1,850–2,500 | PKNIC | | .org.pk | Pakistani non-profit organizations | Rs. 1,850–2,500 | PKNIC | | .net | Technology and network businesses | Rs. 2,500–4,000 | ICANN/Verisign | | .org | Non-profit organizations | Rs. 2,500–4,000 | ICANN/PIR |

Recommendation: For maximum brand protection, register both yourbrand.com and yourbrand.pk. This prevents competitors from taking the other extension and confusing your customers.

How to Register a .com Domain Through Pakish

  1. Visit my.pakish.net and log in or create a new account
  2. Go to Domains → Register a New Domain
  3. Enter your desired domain name in the search box
  4. Select the extension (.com, .net, .org, etc.)
  5. If the domain is available, click Add to Cart
  6. Choose your registration period (1 year minimum, up to 10 years)
  7. Configure nameservers:
    • Use Pakish Nameservers (recommended if hosting with Pakish): ns1.pakish.net and ns2.pakish.net
    • Use custom nameservers if hosting elsewhere
  8. Enable ID Protection (WHOIS privacy) — recommended to hide your personal information from public WHOIS lookups
  9. Complete the checkout process with your preferred payment method
  10. Domain is active within 15 minutes

How to Register a .pk Domain

.pk domains are managed by PKNIC (Pakistan Network Information Centre). There are two registration methods:

Method 1: Through Pakish (Recommended)

  1. Visit my.pakish.net
  2. Go to Domains → Register a New Domain
  3. Search for your desired .pk or .com.pk domain
  4. If available, add to cart and complete checkout
  5. Pakish handles the PKNIC registration process on your behalf
  6. Domain is typically active within 1–12 hours

Method 2: Directly Through PKNIC

  1. Visit pknic.net.pk
  2. Create a PKNIC account
  3. Search for domain availability
  4. Fill in the registrant details (requires valid Pakistani CNIC or business registration)
  5. Set nameservers
  6. Pay via bank transfer, JazzCash, or Easypaisa (PKNIC payment options)
  7. Domain is activated after payment confirmation (1–24 hours)

.pk Domain Requirements

PKNIC requires the following for .pk domain registration:

| Requirement | Details | |---|---| | Registrant name | Must be a real person or registered business | | Pakistani CNIC | Required for individual registrations | | Business registration | NTN or SECP certificate for company domains | | Nameservers | At least 2 nameservers must be specified | | Domain length | Minimum 3 characters for .pk |

Choosing a Good Domain Name

Follow these best practices:

  1. Keep it short: Under 15 characters is ideal. Shorter domains are easier to type, remember, and fit on business cards
  2. Avoid hyphens and numbers: ahmedtextiles.com is better than ahmed-textiles-1.com
  3. Use keywords if natural: pakistanhosting.pk tells visitors and search engines what you do
  4. Check social media availability: Before registering, verify the name is available on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter/X
  5. Avoid trademark conflicts: Search the SECP and international trademark databases to avoid legal issues

Part 2: Transferring a Domain to Pakish

Domain transfer means moving your domain's management from one registrar (e.g., GoDaddy, Namecheap, HostGator) to Pakish. Your website and email continue working during the transfer — there is zero downtime if nameservers are not changed.

Pre-Transfer Checklist

Before initiating a transfer, ensure the following:

| Requirement | How to Check | |---|---| | Domain is older than 60 days | Check WHOIS registration date at who.is | | Domain was not transferred in the last 60 days | ICANN's 60-day lock policy applies | | Domain is not expired | Renew if expiring within 30 days | | Domain lock is disabled | Disable at current registrar (see below) | | EPP/Auth code is obtained | Request from current registrar (see below) | | Admin email is accessible | Transfer approval email goes to admin contact | | WHOIS privacy is disabled | Temporarily disable if enabled |

Step 1: Unlock Your Domain at the Current Registrar

Every domain has a "lock" that prevents unauthorized transfers. You must disable this lock before transferring.

GoDaddy:

  1. Log in → My Products → Domains → click your domain
  2. Scroll to Domain Settings → Domain Lock
  3. Toggle the lock to Off

Namecheap:

  1. Log in → Domain List → click Manage next to your domain
  2. Find Domain Lock → toggle to Off

HostGator/cPanel:

  1. Log in → Domains → click Manage next to your domain
  2. Find Registrar Lock → click Unlock

Step 2: Get the EPP/Authorization Code

The EPP code (also called Auth Code, Transfer Key, or Authorization Code) is like a one-time password that authorizes the transfer.

GoDaddy:

  1. My Products → Domains → click your domain
  2. Scroll to Transfer section → click Get authorization code
  3. The code is emailed to your admin email address

Namecheap:

  1. Domain List → Manage → Sharing & Transfer tab
  2. Click Auth Code → the code is displayed or emailed

HostGator:

  1. Contact HostGator support and request the EPP code
  2. They will email it to your admin email

Step 3: Initiate the Transfer at Pakish

  1. Log into my.pakish.net
  2. Go to Domains → Transfer Domains to Us
  3. Enter your domain name in the search box
  4. Enter the EPP/Authorization Code when prompted
  5. Review the transfer details and pricing:
    • The transfer fee includes a free 1-year extension of your domain registration
    • Example: If your domain expires in June 2026, after transfer it will expire in June 2027
  6. Complete the checkout process
  7. You will receive a confirmation email

Step 4: Approve the Transfer

After initiating the transfer, two things happen:

  1. Current registrar sends an approval email to the domain's admin contact
    • Open this email and click Approve Transfer
    • If you ignore this email, the transfer is automatically approved after 5 days
  2. Pakish sends a confirmation email — no action needed unless you want to cancel

Step 5: Wait for Completion

| Domain Type | Transfer Time | Notes | |---|---|---| | .com / .net / .org | 5–7 days | Standard ICANN transfer timeline | | .pk / .com.pk | 1–3 days | PKNIC processes faster | | .io / .co | 5–7 days | Same as .com |

Step 6: Verify and Configure

After the transfer completes:

  1. Log into my.pakish.net → Domains
  2. Your domain should now appear with status Active
  3. Verify nameservers are correct:
    • If hosting with Pakish: ns1.pakish.net and ns2.pakish.net
    • If hosting elsewhere: keep the existing nameservers
  4. Re-enable Domain Lock for security
  5. Enable ID Protection if desired

Part 3: Transferring a .pk Domain to Pakish

.pk domain transfers follow a different process because they are managed by PKNIC, not ICANN.

.pk Transfer Process

  1. Request a TAG change at PKNIC
    • Log into your PKNIC account at pknic.net.pk
    • Go to your domain management page
    • Request a TAG change to Pakish's PKNIC tag
    • Contact Pakish support if you need the exact tag name
  2. Confirm at Pakish
    • Log into my.pakish.net and add the domain as a transfer
    • Pakish will accept the TAG change on their end
  3. Wait for PKNIC approval — typically 1–3 business days
  4. Verify — domain appears in your Pakish account once complete

Important Notes for .pk Transfers

  • There is no EPP code for .pk domains — the TAG system is used instead
  • The domain must not be expired
  • PKNIC may require verification of registrant identity for the transfer
  • Nameserver changes can be made before, during, or after the transfer

After Registration or Transfer: Essential DNS Setup

Once your domain is active at Pakish, configure these critical DNS records:

For Websites

| Record Type | Name | Value | TTL | |---|---|---|---| | A | @ (root) | Your hosting server IP | 3600 | | A | www | Your hosting server IP | 3600 |

For Email (cPanel Hosting)

| Record Type | Name | Value | Priority | TTL | |---|---|---|---|---| | MX | @ | mail.yourdomain.com | 10 | 3600 | | A | mail | Your server IP | — | 3600 | | TXT | @ | v=spf1 +a +mx +ip4:SERVERIP ~all | — | 3600 |

For Google Workspace Email

| Record Type | Name | Value | Priority | TTL | |---|---|---|---|---| | MX | @ | aspmx.l.google.com | 1 | 3600 | | MX | @ | alt1.aspmx.l.google.com | 5 | 3600 | | MX | @ | alt2.aspmx.l.google.com | 5 | 3600 |

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my website go down during a domain transfer?

No. A domain transfer only changes which registrar manages the domain — it does not change the nameservers or DNS records unless you explicitly modify them. Your website and email will continue working throughout the transfer process. The only risk of downtime is if you accidentally change nameservers during the transfer.

How long does it take to register a new .com domain?

Almost instantly. After payment is confirmed, a .com domain is typically active within 5–15 minutes. You can start configuring DNS records immediately. The domain will be fully propagated and accessible worldwide within 1–4 hours.

Can I transfer a domain that expires in 2 weeks?

Technically yes, but it is risky. ICANN transfers take 5–7 days, and some registrars add processing delays. If the domain expires during the transfer, it could fail. The safest approach is to renew the domain at your current registrar for 1 year first, then initiate the transfer. The extra year does not go to waste — it carries over after the transfer.

What happens to my WHOIS information after transfer?

Your WHOIS registrant information (name, email, phone, address) transfers with the domain. You can update it after the transfer through the Pakish One Portal at my.pakish.net. Consider enabling ID Protection to keep your personal information private in public WHOIS lookups.

I lost access to my domain's admin email. Can I still transfer?

You need access to the admin email to approve the transfer. If you have lost access, first update the admin email at your current registrar (you may need to contact their support with identity verification). Once you have access to the updated email, proceed with the transfer. For .pk domains managed through PKNIC, contact PKNIC directly with your CNIC for identity verification.

Can I transfer multiple domains at once?

Yes. At my.pakish.net, the domain transfer page accepts multiple domains. Enter each domain on a separate line along with its EPP code. Each domain is processed independently, so if one transfer fails (e.g., domain is locked), the others continue normally. Bulk discounts may apply for 5 or more domain transfers.

PS

About the Author

Pakish Support Team

The Pakish Support Team provides 24/7 technical assistance, hosting tutorials, and knowledge base articles to help Pakistani businesses manage their web presence with confidence.

← Back to Blog