Ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr 2026, interest in acquiring new currency notes rises among the public. In response, the State Bank of Pakistan has issued important instructions for citizens.
Eid is expected to fall on 20 March this year, and many people seek new notes for giving ʻEidiʼ. The State Bank has cautioned that buying or selling notes at inflated prices is illegal.
Applying via 8877 SMS Service:
The State Bank activates the 8877 short code service in the second week of Ramadan. Citizens can send their CNIC number followed by a space and their preferred bank branch code to 8877. In reply, a unique transaction code and the branch address are provided.
Visiting the Bank Branch:
Once the SMS is received, citizens should visit the designated branch with their original CNIC and a copy. The bank staff will verify the transaction code and usually provide packets of PKR 10, 20, and 50 notes.
If the 8877 service is busy, citizens may contact their bank branch directly. Most commercial banks maintain a limited stock of new notes for account holders on a priority basis.
Availability at BSC Offices:
In major cities like Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad, new notes are also available at the Banking Services Corporation (BSC) offices, distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
During the last ten days of Ramadan, ATMs are loaded with fresh PKR 500 and 1000 notes for convenient ʻEidiʼ distribution.
