Call Centre Agreement (Pakistan)
CALL CENTRE AGREEMENT
Under the Contract Act 1872 | Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organisation) Act 1996 | Personal Data Protection Act 2023
This Call Centre Agreement ("Agreement") is entered into at [Agreement City] on [Commencement Date] between:
CLIENT:
[Client Name] (NTN / SECP Reg.: [Client NTN]), having its registered office at [Client Address] (hereinafter "Client");
CALL CENTRE OPERATOR:
[Operator Name] (PSEB Reg.: [Operator PSEB Reg]), having its registered office at [Operator Address] (hereinafter "Operator").
1. SCOPE OF SERVICES
1.1 The Operator shall provide the following call centre services to the Client: [Service Type].
1.2 Operating Hours: [Operating Hours].
1.3 The Operator shall deploy a minimum of [Minimum Agents] dedicated agents trained on the Client's products, services, and call scripts.
1.4 The Operator shall provide services in compliance with the PTA Consumer Protection Regulations 2019 and all applicable Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) requirements under the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organisation) Act 1996.
2. SERVICE LEVELS (SLA)
2.1 The Operator shall meet the following performance targets: [Service Level].
2.2 The Operator shall provide weekly and monthly performance reports to the Client within 5 business days of each reporting period.
2.3 Failure to meet SLA targets in two consecutive months entitles the Client to: (a) service credits of 5% of the monthly fee per failing KPI; (b) initiate a remediation plan; or (c) terminate the Agreement with [Notice Period] notice.
3. FEES AND PAYMENT
3.1 Fee Structure: [Fee Structure].
3.2 Fee Amount: [Fee Amount].
3.3 The Operator shall invoice the Client monthly. Payment is due within 15 business days of invoice receipt.
3.4 Provincial sales tax on services (Punjab Revenue Authority / Sindh Revenue Board) shall be charged additionally where the Operator is a registered service tax filer.
4. DATA PROTECTION
4.1 The Operator shall act as a data processor on behalf of the Client (data controller) for all personal data processed in connection with the services, in compliance with the Personal Data Protection Act 2023.
4.2 The Operator shall: (a) process personal data only on documented instructions from the Client; (b) implement appropriate technical and organisational security measures; (c) notify the Client of any data breach within 72 hours of discovery; (d) delete or return all personal data upon termination; (e) not engage sub-processors without the Client's written consent.
4.3 All call recordings shall be retained for a minimum of 90 days and made available to the Client for audit and quality review.
5. CONFIDENTIALITY AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
5.1 The Operator shall keep all Client information, call scripts, customer data, and business processes strictly confidential and shall not disclose them to any third party without the Client's written consent.
5.2 All client data, call recordings, and materials provided by the Client remain the Client's exclusive intellectual property. The Operator receives a limited licence to use such materials solely for performing the services.
6. TERM AND TERMINATION
6.1 This Agreement commences on [Commencement Date] and continues for an initial term of [Contract Duration], thereafter renewable annually unless terminated.
6.2 Either party may terminate without cause by giving [Notice Period] written notice.
6.3 Either party may terminate immediately upon: (a) material breach not remedied within 14 days of written notice; (b) insolvency or winding-up; (c) suspension of PTA licence; (d) material data breach.
6.4 On termination, the Operator shall maintain full service levels during the notice period and cooperate in transition to an alternative provider.
7. GOVERNING LAW
This Agreement is governed by the laws of Pakistan including the Contract Act 1872, the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organisation) Act 1996, and the Personal Data Protection Act 2023. Disputes shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of [Agreement City], Pakistan.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement on [Commencement Date] at [Agreement City].
CLIENT: [Client Name]
Authorised Signatory: _________________________ Designation: _____________ Date: _____________
OPERATOR: [Operator Name]
Authorised Signatory: _________________________ Designation: _____________ Date: _____________
Client (Authorised Signatory)
________________
Signature
Call Centre Operator (Authorised Signatory)
________________
Signature
What Is a Call Centre Agreement (Pakistan)?
A Call Centre Agreement in Pakistan sets out the mutual obligations the parties accept and the terms that govern their dealings.
Call centre operations in Pakistan are regulated by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) established under the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organisation) Act 1996. Any entity providing telephone-based services — including call centres handling inbound or outbound calls — must hold the appropriate PTA licence. Call centres providing international long-distance services must obtain a Long Distance and International (LDI) licence from PTA. Call centres providing local exchange carrier services must hold a Local Loop (LL) licence. The PTA Consumer Protection Regulations 2019 and the Telecom Consumer Protection Regulations impose obligations on call centres regarding call recording, data retention, complaint handling, and consumer privacy.
Pakistan is a significant global BPO destination, with thousands of call centres operating in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and Faisalabad providing services to clients in the United Kingdom, United States, Australia, Canada, and Gulf countries. The Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) under the Ministry of IT and Telecom registers and promotes IT and ITeS (IT-enabled Services) companies including call centres, and PSEB-registered call centres enjoy tax exemptions on export income under Clause 133 of Part I of the Second Schedule to the Income Tax Ordinance 2001.
Data protection obligations are a critical component of the Call Centre Agreement in Pakistan. The Personal Data Protection Act 2023 — Pakistan's first thorough data protection legislation — imposes obligations on data controllers (clients) and data processors (call centres) regarding collection, processing, storage, and transfer of personal data of customers. Call centres handling data of European Union residents must also comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) as a processor under Article 28 GDPR, which requires a Data Processing Agreement between the client and the call centre.
The Employment framework for call centre staff in Pakistan is governed by the Industrial and Commercial Employment (Standing Orders) Ordinance 1968, the Industrial Relations Act 2012, and the Minimum Wages Ordinance 1961. Call centre employees — agents, supervisors, quality assurance staff — are entitled to statutory minimum wage, overtime pay for hours worked beyond 48 per week under the Factories Act 1934 if the premises qualify as a factory, earned annual leave, and EOBI pension contributions under the EOBI Act 1976.
The legal framework governing the Call Centre Agreement (Pakistan) in Pakistan draws on several key statutes and regulatory bodies. Under the Companies Act 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) maintains the register of Pakistani companies. Section 16 of the Companies Act 2017 governs company incorporation. The Contract Act 1872 governs general contractual obligations. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) administers corporate tax under the Income Tax Ordinance 2001. The High Courts (Lahore, Sindh, Peshawar, Balochistan, Islamabad) have original and appellate jurisdiction. Parties executing a Call Centre Agreement (Pakistan) in Pakistan should confirm the document reflects current law, including any amendments enacted since the original drafting date. The Contract Act 1872 sets the foundational requirements.
When Do You Need a Call Centre Agreement (Pakistan)?
A Call Centre Agreement in Pakistan is required whenever a business engages a third-party call centre operator to handle customer interactions on its behalf, or when a call centre operator formalises its service arrangement with a client.
A Call Centre Agreement is needed when a Pakistani or multinational company contracts a local BPO operator to provide customer service for its products or services. Sectors with high call centre outsourcing activity in Pakistan include telecommunications (Telenor, Jazz, Zong, Ufone), banking (HBL, MCB, UBL, Standard Chartered), e-commerce (Daraz, Foodpanda), utilities (K-Electric, SNGPL), and insurance (State Life Insurance Corporation, EFU Life).
A Call Centre Agreement is required when a foreign client company — particularly from the UK, USA, or Australia — engages a Pakistani BPO provider for offshore customer support, back-office processing, or telemarketing campaigns. Such agreements must address jurisdiction, governing law, data protection (GDPR for EU clients, UK GDPR for UK clients), and currency of payment.
A Call Centre Agreement is needed when an inbound call centre is set up to handle customer complaints and queries under the PTA Consumer Protection Regulations 2019, which require all telecom licensees to operate or contract a dedicated customer complaint handling facility reachable by toll-free number.
A Call Centre Agreement is required when a financial institution licensed by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) or the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) outsources its customer service or collections function to an external call centre. The SBP's Outsourcing of Financial Services by Banks/DFIs Policy (BSD Circular No. 7 of 2008) and the SECP's Outsourcing Policy require written agreements with outsourced service providers including call centres, specifying service standards, data security, and audit rights.
A Call Centre Agreement is needed when a Pakistani call centre company registers with the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) to obtain tax exemption on export IT services income. PSEB registration requires evidence of formal service agreements with foreign clients.
Parties in Pakistan should prepare a Call Centre Agreement (Pakistan) proactively rather than waiting for a dispute to arise. Courts interpret agreements based on the written terms rather than oral representations. Under the Companies Act 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) maintains the register of Pakistani companies. Section 16 of the Companies Act 2017 governs company incorporation. The Contract Act 1872 governs general contractual obligations. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) administers corporate tax under the Income Tax Ordinance 2001. The High Courts (Lahore, Sindh, Peshawar, Balochistan, Islamabad) have original and appellate jurisdiction. Where the transaction involves regulated activities, prior approval from the relevant authority may be required before execution.
What to Include in Your Call Centre Agreement (Pakistan)
A valid Call Centre Agreement in Pakistan under the Contract Act 1872 and applicable PTA and data protection regulations must contain the following essential elements.
Party Identification: Full legal names, registered addresses, National Tax Numbers (NTN) registered with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), and SECP registration numbers (for companies) of both the client and the call centre operator. Where the call centre holds a PTA licence, the licence number and class should be stated.
Scope of Services: Detailed description of call centre services to be provided — inbound calls (customer service, helpdesk, order taking), outbound calls (telemarketing, surveys, collections, appointment setting), email and chat support, social media management, or back-office data processing. The scope must specify languages of operation (Urdu, English, Arabic) and hours of operation (business hours, 24/7, specific shift patterns).
Service Levels (SLA): Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) agreed between the parties — Average Handle Time (AHT), First Call Resolution (FCR) rate, Abandon Rate, Service Level (percentage of calls answered within a target number of seconds), Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT), and Quality Assurance (QA) score. The SLA must specify consequences of failing to meet KPIs — service credits, termination rights.
Staffing and Training: Minimum number of dedicated or shared agents, supervisor-to-agent ratios, training requirements including product knowledge training provided by the client, and the call centre's obligations regarding agent competency, attendance, and conduct under the Industrial Relations Act 2012.
Technology and Infrastructure: Systems to be used — telephony platform, CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system, call recording system, and reporting dashboards. Obligations regarding system uptime, redundancy, and disaster recovery. Responsibility for provisioning and cost of telephony infrastructure, internet bandwidth, and hardware.
Data Protection and Confidentiality: Obligations of the call centre as a data processor under the Personal Data Protection Act 2023 — including purpose limitation, data minimisation, security measures, sub-processor restrictions, data breach notification (within 72 hours), and data deletion or return upon termination. For UK or EU clients, GDPR Article 28 processor obligations must be incorporated by reference.
Payment Terms: Fee structure — per-agent-per-month (seat rate), per-minute of handled calls, per-transaction, or outcome-based (per sale, per lead). Currency of payment (PKR for domestic clients; USD, GBP, or EUR for international clients). Payment schedule — monthly in advance or arrears. Invoicing procedure and dispute resolution for invoice queries.
Intellectual Property: Ownership of call scripts, training materials, customer data, and recordings. Client retains ownership of all client data and intellectual property. Call centre receives a licence to use client materials solely for performing the services.
Call Recording and Compliance: Obligations regarding recording of calls for quality assurance, legal compliance, and dispute resolution. Retention periods — typically 90 days to 12 months depending on regulatory requirements of the client's industry. Access to recordings by the client for audit and quality review.
Termination: Notice periods for termination without cause (typically 30 to 90 days), immediate termination rights for material breach, insolvency, or PTA licence suspension. Transition obligations on termination — data return, agent re-assignment, and knowledge transfer.
Forms-legal.com provides this Call Centre Agreement (Pakistan) template to assist clients and BPO providers in formalising their service arrangements. The template reflects requirements of the Contract Act 1872, PTA Consumer Protection Regulations 2019, and the Personal Data Protection Act 2023. Parties engaging in international outsourcing should obtain legal advice from advocates experienced in technology and outsourcing law before execution.
Sources & Citations
Statutory citations link to official government sources.
- GDPR Article 28EU – GDPR
Cite this page
Reference this free template in an article, syllabus, or research note:
Forms Legal. (2026). Call Centre Agreement (Pakistan) (Pakistan) [Legal document template]. Forms Legal. https://forms-legal.com/pakistan/business/services/call-centre-agreement-pakistan
"Call Centre Agreement (Pakistan) (Pakistan)." Forms Legal, 2026, https://forms-legal.com/pakistan/business/services/call-centre-agreement-pakistan.
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year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://forms-legal.com/pakistan/business/services/call-centre-agreement-pakistan}},
note = {Free legal document template}
}Frequently Asked Questions
Whether a call centre in Pakistan requires a Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) licence depends on the nature of the telephony services it provides. Call centres that use PTA-licensed telecom infrastructure (PSTN lines, SIP trunks from a licensed operator, VoIP services from licensed providers) to handle calls on behalf of clients are not required to hold their own PTA licence — they are end-users of licensed telecom services. However, call centres that operate their own telephone exchange, provide long-distance or international call routing, or operate as a VoIP service provider offering telephony to others must hold the appropriate PTA licence — typically a Value Added Services (VAS) licence or a Long Distance and International (LDI) licence under the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organisation) Act 1996. Call centres providing international BPO services and processing international voice traffic must ensure that all international calls are routed through PTA-licensed LDI operators such as PTCL, Wateen, or Telenor. Violation of PTA licensing requirements can result in penalties, disconnection of services, and criminal prosecution under Section 54 of the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organisation) Act 1996.
Call centres providing IT-enabled services (ITeS) and earning export revenue are eligible for significant tax benefits in Pakistan. Under Clause 133 of Part I of the Second Schedule to the Income Tax Ordinance 2001, income from export of IT services and ITeS — which expressly includes call centre services, BPO, and data processing — is exempt from income tax until 30 June 2025 for companies registered with the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB). This tax holiday has been extended in successive Finance Acts and represents a major competitive advantage for Pakistani BPO companies. To claim the exemption, the call centre must be registered with PSEB, the income must be received in foreign exchange through a scheduled bank account, and the company must file annual income tax returns with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) claiming the exemption. Sales Tax on services is levied by provincial governments (Sindh Revenue Board, Punjab Revenue Authority, KPRA, BRAP) at rates of 13-16% on services provided within Pakistan; however, export services — those provided to foreign clients where the benefit is received outside Pakistan — are generally zero-rated for provincial sales tax purposes.
The Personal Data Protection Act 2023 (PDPA 2023) — Pakistan's first comprehensive data protection law — directly impacts call centre agreements by imposing obligations on both data controllers (clients whose customer data is processed) and data processors (call centres that process data on behalf of clients). Under the PDPA 2023, a call centre processing personal data of Pakistani residents must: implement appropriate technical and organisational security measures to protect data; process data only on documented instructions from the client (data controller); maintain records of processing activities; notify the client and the National Commission for Personal Data Protection (NCPDP) of data breaches within 72 hours of discovery; restrict sub-processing without the client's prior written consent; delete or return all personal data upon termination of the agreement; and make available all information necessary to demonstrate compliance with the Act. The PDPA 2023 applies to processing of personal data of Pakistani residents regardless of where the processing occurs. Call centres in Pakistan processing data of EU or UK residents must also comply with GDPR or UK GDPR as applicable. The Call Centre Agreement should include a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) annex reflecting these obligations.
Standard Service Level Agreement (SLA) metrics in Pakistani call centre agreements are modelled on international BPO industry benchmarks and adapted to local conditions. Common KPIs include: Service Level — typically 80% of calls answered within 20 seconds (the 80/20 rule used globally); Average Handle Time (AHT) — target varies by process, commonly 3-5 minutes for customer service and 6-10 minutes for technical support; First Call Resolution (FCR) — target of 70-85% of calls resolved without a follow-up call; Abandon Rate — target below 5% of calls abandoned by callers before being answered; Average Speed of Answer (ASA) — typically under 30 seconds; Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) — typically measured by post-call surveys targeting 80%+ satisfaction; Quality Assurance (QA) Score — evaluated by supervisors monitoring call recordings against a scorecard, targeting 85%+ compliance with scripts and protocols. Consequences of SLA failure — credit notes, rate reductions, remediation plans, or termination rights — must be clearly specified in the agreement to be enforceable under the Contract Act 1872. Pakistani BPO agreements for international clients often include business continuity requirements specifying backup power (UPS and generator), redundant internet connectivity, and minimum uptimes of 99.5%.
Termination and transition provisions in a Pakistani call centre agreement are critical for protecting both parties and ensuring continuity of service to end-customers. A well-drafted termination clause should specify: notice period for termination without cause — typically 60 to 90 days for established call centre relationships, allowing the client time to find an alternative provider and the call centre time to redeploy staff; grounds for immediate termination — material breach, insolvency, PTA licence suspension, data breach, or gross negligence; survival of confidentiality and data protection obligations beyond termination; and transition obligations of the call centre during the notice period. Transition obligations typically include: maintaining full staffing and service levels throughout the notice period; providing the client with all data, call recordings, and documentation in portable formats; cooperating with the incoming call centre or client's in-house team through knowledge transfer sessions; and transferring or cancelling any telephony numbers used exclusively for the client. Staff redundancy triggered by termination of a major client contract must be handled in accordance with the Industrial and Commercial Employment (Standing Orders) Ordinance 1968 — permanent employees are entitled to one month's notice or pay in lieu. The agreement should specify whether the client has the right to directly hire the call centre's agents who handled its account, and any associated recruitment fees.
This template is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change over time. Consult a qualified attorney for advice specific to your situation.Full disclaimer
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