The State Bank of Pakistan’s Governor, Jameel Ahmad, inaugurated the Pasban Remittance Reward Scheme on 25 September 2026. The scheme offers PKR 16 billion in cash prizes each year to people who receive home remittances through formal banking channels.
What was announced
- Funding: the scheme is funded entirely by the banking industry and places no burden on the national exchequer.
- Organisation: it was launched under the auspices of the Pakistan Banks’ Association (PBA), with the SBP as patron. 1LINK runs the technology.
- Eligibility: a beneficiary receiving remittances of USD 100 or more each month for three consecutive months within a quarter becomes eligible.
- Entries: each USD 100 earns a digital, non-transferable entry, with higher remittances earning more.
- Prizes: 2,521 prizes worth PKR 4 billion every quarter, including a PKR 100 million first prize.
- Regions: prizes are spread across the GCC (50%), UK (15%), Europe (15%), North America (10%) and other countries (10%). The first prize is open to all regions.
- Free: no bank may charge any fee or require a ticket purchase, payment or minimum balance.
Why it matters
PBA’s chief executive, Muneer Kamal, described the scheme at the launch as the latest step in a coordinated effort by the SBP, the government and banks to support the external sector. News reports also noted that banks have been funding a separate incentive for remitters since July 2026. Pasban is described as a market-based approach: rather than a government subsidy, banks fund rewards to encourage families to use formal channels.
Timeline
The scheme started on 1 October 2026. The first qualifying quarter runs to 31 December 2026, and the first draw is on 15 January 2027.
What families should do
Nothing special — there is no registration. Make sure money from abroad is credited directly to a personal account at a participating bank each month, and ignore anyone who asks for a fee. Read our complete guide.
Always check the latest official terms before relying on this information. Rules can change; the official Terms & Conditions prevail over any summary, including ours.
