State bank unveils Rs75 commemorative banknote

KARACHI: Governor State Bank of Pakistan Jameel Ahmad has unveiled a commemorative banknote to mark the 75 years of the establishment of central bank.

The Rs. 75 commemorative banknote is predominantly blue which has been chosen to impart a sense of stability associated with a central bank, said a statement.

It added a distinctive feature of the banknote was the inclusion of a stylised sketch of the State Bank building by renowned calligrapher and artist, Syed Sadequain Ahmed Naqvi, which shares space with the traditional portrait of the Quaid on the front of the banknote.

The reverse of the banknote is dedicated to the SBP’s drive of ‘Banking on Equality’, represented on the banknote by the portrait of Fatima Jinnah. The reverse also highlights Pakistan’s national commitment to address climate change through the depiction of alternative and sustainable energy sources, including wind turbines and solar panels.

Speaking in a ceremony at the SBP Museum, the central bank governor highlighted the achievements of SBP focusing on its engagement with commercial banks regarding supervision and developments over the years.

He also highlighted the initiatives of the SBP in recent years, with special mention of micro-payment gateway Raast, Roshan Digital Accounts for overseas Pakistanis, encouragement and facilitation of commercial banks for providing digital banking solutions, and development of inclusive policies for different segments of the society including women, youth and agriculturists.

The Governor also spoke about the Strategic Plan of SBP ‘Vision 2028’ and its key areas including bringing inflation to the target level in the medium term, promoting fairness in the banking system, propagating gender-inclusive policies, encouraging green financing, providing a conducive environment for Shariah-compliant banking in line with the directives of the Federal Shariah Court, and transforming the SBP into a high-tech, people-centric institution.

He expressed hope that the whole banking industry would work with the SBP in realizing the goals. He also appreciated the hard work put into the SBP commemorative banknote, and congratulated the team members on the successful launch of the banknote.