Pasban Remittance Reward Scheme (PRRS) 2026–2027

The Pasban Remittance Reward Scheme (پاسباں ترسیلات زر انعامی اسکیم) is Pakistan’s largest financial reward program in national history, offering a record-breaking annual prize pool of PKR 16 Billion (Rs. 1,600 Crore / 16 Arab Rupees). Launched under the patronage of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and managed by the Pakistan Banks Association (PBA) via 1LINK’s automated network, this initiative directly rewards Pakistani households that receive overseas family remittances through legal, formal banking channels.

Every single quarter, PKR 4 Billion (Rs. 400 Crore) is distributed across 2,521 winners, with the top bumper winner receiving a life-changing Rs. 10 Crore (PKR 100 Million) cash deposit directly into their bank account. If your PKR account or branchless mobile wallet receives qualifying transfers in each month of the quarter, you are automatically entered into the computerized draw without paying a single rupee.

پاسباں انعامی اسکیم میں شامل ہونے کا آسان طریقہ (Step-by-Step Urdu Guide)

For millions of Pakistani households and overseas remitters in the Gulf, UK, and US, understanding how to participate without complications is essential. Below is the complete, official step-by-step Urdu guide explaining how any family can ensure their entries are registered safely:

What Is the Pasban Remittance Reward Scheme?

The Pasban Remittance Reward Scheme (PRRS) was formally launched in September 2026 under the leadership of State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Governor Jameel Ahmad. It is an industry-funded initiative run under the umbrella of the Pakistan Banks Association (PBA), developed under SBP’s regulatory patronage, and executed seamlessly on 1LINK’s technology switch.

Because the massive PKR 16 Billion annual prize pool is funded entirely by commercial banks, it places zero financial burden on Pakistan’s national exchequer or taxpayer funds.

Its primary goal is economic documentation: incentivizing overseas Pakistani workers to avoid dangerous and illegal informal conduits like Hundi or Hawala. Formal banking channels protect families from financial loss, ensure funds land safely in insured accounts, and strengthen Pakistan’s national foreign exchange reserves.

Workers’ remittances reached an all-time record of USD 41.6 billion in FY26, up significantly from USD 21.7 billion in FY19. With SBP targeting over USD 44 billion in FY27, the Pasban Scheme provides a massive direct reward mechanism to make official banking transfers attractive for every household.

Since the minimum qualification threshold is pegged to US Dollars, checking the USD to PKR rate today allows families to easily track whether their incoming monthly transfer meets the USD 100 benchmark.

Who Qualifies for the Draw?

To qualify for a quarterly lucky draw, a beneficiary account must meet all four mandatory conditions established by 1LINK and the State Bank of Pakistan:

A Practical Example: To participate in the inaugural 15 January 2027 draw, your PKR account must receive a qualifying remittance of USD 100 or more in October 2026, November 2026, and December 2026. If any single month is missed or drops below USD 100, that quarter’s entries are voided for the upcoming draw.

The rule applies to the receiving account, not the individual sender. Remittances sent from different relatives abroad (e.g., brother in UAE and father in Saudi Arabia) into the same PKR account both count toward meeting the USD 100 monthly requirement. Overseas Pakistanis can also send money to their own domestic PKR account in Pakistan to participate.

Each bank account is evaluated independently. If a beneficiary maintains two active accounts receiving qualifying remittances, both accounts generate their own entries. However, under SBP regulations, a single individual (tracked via CNIC) cannot win more than one prize per quarterly draw.

Interactive Eligibility Checker

Use this interactive checklist to verify if your remittance arrangement is 100% compliant with SBP and 1LINK rules:

Who Does NOT Qualify?

Under official PRRS operating regulations, the following transactions and accounts are strictly disqualified from the prize draw:

• Cash-Over-The-Counter (COC): Remittances collected in physical cash at bank branches, exchange companies, or agent counters—even if you show your CNIC or hold an account there.
• Roshan Digital Accounts (RDA): RDA inflows are already covered under separate government incentive mechanisms and are excluded from Pasban.
• Foreign Currency (FCY) Accounts: Accounts denominated in USD, GBP, EUR, or AED. Funds must land in PKR accounts or wallets.
• Corporate & Business Accounts: Commercial firms, companies, corporate trusts, or non-personal institutional accounts. Only individual personal accounts qualify.
• Bank & Regulatory Staff: Directors, officers, auditors, and staff of participating banks, the Pakistan Banks Association (PBA), 1LINK, and the State Bank of Pakistan.
• Restricted Accounts: Any account that is dormant, frozen, blocked, or under legal attachment at the time of draw verification.
• Cancelled Transactions: Any remittance transaction that is cancelled, reversed, refunded, or duplicated.

How Do Entries (Tokens) Work?

Draw entries (tokens) are generated daily by 1LINK’s centralized switch based on the US Dollar equivalent of your incoming remittance at the prevailing interbank exchange rate. The higher the value of remittances you receive, the more chances you get in the computerized draw.

Crucial Rule on Entry Expiry: Tokens do not carry forward to future quarters. Entries accumulated between October 1 and December 31, 2026, are only valid for the January 15, 2027 draw. After the draw, token counters reset to zero for the next cycle.

Prize Structure — What Can You Win? (Rs. 1,600 Crore Annual Pool)

The total annual budget for the Pasban Remittance Reward Scheme is a massive PKR 16 Billion (Rs. 1,600 Crore / 16 Arab Rupees). This pool is divided equally across four quarters, offering PKR 4 Billion (Rs. 400 Crore) in every draw across 2,521 winners:

Region-Wise Prize Allocation

To ensure fair representation for overseas Pakistanis worldwide, the scheme allocates prizes strategically based on the remitter’s sending country:

• First Prize (Rs. 100 Million): Drawn across all qualifying entries nationwide, regardless of the country of origin.
• 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Prizes: Distributed across five geographic zones based on official foreign remittance volumes:

Participating Banks (27 Commercial & Digital Banks)

Remittances must be processed through any of the following 27 authorized commercial banks, Islamic banks, and digital banks operating on the 1LINK infrastructure:

Important Dates & Draw Schedule

The Pasban Remittance Reward Scheme operates on a fixed quarterly calendar supervised directly by the scheme’s Steering Committee:

How Winners Are Picked, Verified, and Paid

Winners are selected via 1LINK’s automated draw engine using a cryptographically secure random number generator algorithm with zero human intervention. The system architecture has undergone independent third-party audits approved by the State Bank of Pakistan.

On draw day, winning entry token numbers are published on the official 1LINK portal and communicated through participating banks. To protect privacy and financial security, winners’ names, phone numbers, and bank account numbers are never revealed publicly without explicit written consent.

Within five working days of the draw, your bank or wallet provider contacts you via your registered account phone number to initiate verification. You will simply need to present your valid original CNIC and confirm account ownership. Once cleared, the cash prize is credited directly to your PKR account.

Withholding Tax Deduction: All advertised prize figures are gross. In accordance with the Income Tax Ordinance 2001, applicable withholding tax (WHT) is deducted at source by the paying bank prior to fund disbursement.

Pasban vs Sohni Dharti: Complete Comparison

Many overseas Pakistanis frequently confuse Pasban with the older Sohni Dharti Remittance Program (SDRP). The two are fundamentally distinct initiatives operating under completely different frameworks:

Important Note: Sohni Dharti reward points do not transfer into Pasban entries. If anyone claims they can convert your SDRP points into Pasban cash tickets, it is a scam.

Scam Warning — Protect Yourself From Fake Calls

With massive prize pools of Rs. 10 Crore and Rs. 2.5 Crore, fraudulent scammers and fake lottery syndicates will attempt to exploit the Pasban name via WhatsApp messages, spoofed calls, and fake SMS alerts. Keep these golden rules in mind:

• Never Pay Upfront: You will never be asked to pay an entry fee, processing fee, advance tax, or cash deposit to release your prize.
• Tokens Cannot Be Bought: Scheme entries cannot be purchased, sold, gifted, or transferred between persons.
• Cash Only: Pasban offers strictly cash prizes credited to verified bank accounts. The scheme does not award cars, luxury bungalows, gold, or smartphones.
• Official Contact Only: Verification will only take place through your registered bank’s official branch or verified helpline number.

Frequently Asked Questions (Pasban Scheme FAQs)

Official Reference Sources: Verified via the 1LINK Pasban Remittance Rewards Portal and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) / SBP Official Release.