In case you are wondering whether or not you will be able to download applications from the Google Play Store after December 1, let us tell you that you do not have to worry, as Google is not suspending its Play Store services in Pakistan.
However, to pay for certain apps — or to make in-app purchases — you will need a debit or credit card because users will not be able to pay for services via mobile balance.
Users were caught off-guard and in a panic situation, when news of applications from the Google Play Store being undownloadable went viral on Saturday, even some leading news outlets writing on the topic.
The news came to the fore after the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) reportedly suspended payments to international service providers. It was learned that the SBP had suspended the Direct Carrier Billing (DCB) mechanism, so payments of $34 million on an annual basis through mobile companies to international service providers, including Google, Amazon, and Meta, among others, got stuck.
This triggered the fear that Google would completely shut down its Play Services in Pakistan making it impossible to download apps from its store. But the news is not completely true. Users would be able to download the apps but won’t be able to pay for them except for debit and credit cards.
Apart from making payments via debit/credit cards, The other alternative is Direct Carrier Billing (DCB), which involves payment using the mobile balance. The DCB exists because of the lack of international digital payment methods to pay for various apps.
