Pakistani TV Channels in the USA: Dramas, News and Cricket

Pakistani Americans and their TV

Pew Research Center reports that about 680,000 people in the US identified as Pakistani in 2023. The largest communities are in the New York area, which Pew estimates at about 110,000 people of Pakistani origin alone, followed by Washington, D.C. and Houston at about 45,000 each. Chicago, Dallas, New Jersey and Southern California also have large communities.

Pakistani dramas are one of the main reasons families look for Pakistani TV. They are watched across generations, and many have big followings in India and the wider diaspora too. Live news from Pakistan and cricket are the other two big draws.

Drama and entertainment channels people look for

The three big drama channels are Geo Entertainment, ARY Digital and Hum TV. Each runs several new drama serials every week, plus Ramadan transmissions, morning shows and award shows. Express Entertainment and Green Entertainment have also built drama followings. Hum Sitaray and A-Plus are other entertainment channels some families ask for, and Geo Kahani and ARY Zindagi carry repeats of older dramas.

• Dramas: Geo Entertainment, ARY Digital, Hum TV, Express Entertainment, Green Entertainment
• Repeats and classics: Geo Kahani, ARY Zindagi, Hum Sitaray, PTV Home
• Religious: ARY Qtv, Madani Channel

News and sports

For Urdu news, households commonly ask for Geo News, ARY News, Dunya News, Samaa, Express News and 92 News, and PTV News for the state channel. These run around the clock, so they are easy to watch live in the US.

For cricket, PTV Sports, A Sports and Geo Super are the Pakistani sports channels people look for. In the US, Willow holds the rights to most major cricket, including the PSL, which ran from March 26 to May 3 in 2026. See our cricket guide for time zones and where each tournament is shown.

Official options in the US

Sling TV sells an Urdu pack as part of its Desi TV range. Geo, ARY Digital and Hum TV also post many drama episodes on their official YouTube channels, often soon after they air in Pakistan. That is free and legal, but you get on-demand episodes rather than live TV, and not every show or channel is there.

For cricket, Willow is the official US broadcaster for the PSL and ICC events and is sold on willow.tv and through platforms such as Prime Video Channels and YouTube TV.

Pakistani channels with TarakTV

TarakTV is an IPTV subscription that includes live Pakistani drama, news and sports channels in one app, together with Indian, Bangladeshi, Arabic and international channels. That suits families who want live Geo or ARY on the big TV, plus Indian channels or cricket, without juggling several apps and packs. Channel line-ups can change, so use the free 24-hour trial to check the channels you watch.

Plans are $15 for one month, $130 for one year, $220 for three years and $300 for five years. It works on Amazon Fire TV Stick, Android smart TVs, Android TV boxes, phones and the Cast4K player app. We also sell ready-to-use TVIP and Yoka TV boxes, shipped within the US and Canada. Plan on about 15 Mbps per screen for HD and 25 Mbps for 4K.

Drama timings and catch-up

Pakistan Standard Time is 10 hours ahead of US Eastern time in winter and 9 hours ahead in summer, and 3 more hours ahead of Pacific time. A drama airing at 8pm in Pakistan is on at 10am Eastern and 7am Pacific in winter.

Most families do not watch dramas live. Use the TV guide to find the latest episode and catch-up where the channel offers it, or watch the live repeat that many channels air later in the day. During Ramadan, sehri and iftar transmissions from Pakistan air at very different US times, so check the guide.

Choosing the right setup

If your family mostly follows two or three dramas, the official YouTube channels may be enough. If you want live news on the main TV, cricket, and dramas from several channels without searching, a live TV plan is easier, especially for parents.

Ramadan and Eid are the busiest viewing times, with special transmissions, Eid telefilms and live coverage. Check the TV guide ahead of time, since the time difference means many live shows land in the US morning.

If a channel freezes or buffers, start with the simple fixes: restart the Fire TV Stick or box, check that nothing else in the house is downloading, and move the router closer or use an Ethernet cable. Running a speed test on the TV itself, not your phone, gives the most accurate picture.

If only one channel has a problem while others play fine, it is usually on the channel side rather than your internet. Message TarakTV on WhatsApp with the channel name and the time, and we will check it.

Channels people look for

Line-ups change; ask for the current list or check during your free trial.

Frequently asked questions