Calculate Zakat on Gold, Silver and Savings in Pakistan: Nisab Is About Rs 343,000 in Silver Today
Zakat is 2.5% of gold, silver, cash and savings above the nisab, about Rs 343,000 in silver today. See the 87.48 g gold rule and worked examples for Pakistan.
Short answer: Zakat in Pakistan is 2.5 per cent of the market value of your gold, silver, cash and savings on the Valuation Date, which is 1 Ramadan. You owe it only if you hold the nisab. The law sets the nisab at the value of 612.32 grams of silver, about Rs 343,000 on today's reported silver rate. If your only asset is gold, it is 87.48 grams.
A family keeps 6 tola of gold bangles and Rs 150,000 in a savings account. Do they owe zakat? The answer depends on which nisab applies and on what the silver rate is on the day. This is how to work it out.
We read the Zakat and Ushr Ordinance, 1980 on the Pakistan Code website on 12 October 2026. We read its definition of nisab and its First and Second Schedules. The gold and silver rates come from the daily association rate as reported on 12 October.
Zakat is 2.5 per cent of market value on the Valuation Date
The Ordinance's Second Schedule lists gold and silver and manufactures thereof, cash, prize bonds, current accounts, other accounts, certificates and listed shares. It sets 2.5 per cent as the rate, worked on the value on the Valuation Date. That date is the first day of the Zakat year.
The Zakat year starts on 1 Ramadan. The next one is expected in early February 2027, and the exact day depends on the moon. So the figures below are a guide for planning. You work out the real amount on the Valuation Date itself.
| Asset | Zakat basis under the Ordinance |
|---|---|
| Gold and silver, including jewellery | 2.5% of the market value on the Valuation Date |
| Cash in hand | 2.5% of the amount |
| Prize bonds | 2.5% of the face value |
| Current accounts and foreign currency accounts | 2.5% of the value, on self assessment |
| Shares listed on the stock exchange | 2.5% of the closing market value, to the extent not already deducted |
| Loans you are owed by individuals | 2.5% of the amount receivable |
The nisab is the value of 612.32 grams of silver, or 87.48 grams of gold if gold is all you own
The nisab is the minimum you must hold before zakat falls due. The Ordinance defines it as the aggregate value of your zakat assets equal to 612.32 grams of silver, as notified each year. For a person whose assets are only gold, it is 87.48 grams of gold.
Silver and gold are not the same size of test. A tola is 11.664 grams. So 612.32 grams is about 52.5 tola of silver, and 87.48 grams is exactly 7.5 tola of gold. On the association's reported rates for 12 October, the two tests are far apart.
| Test | Weight | Value on 12 October 2026 reported rates |
|---|---|---|
| Silver nisab, for mixed assets or silver | 612.32 g, about 52.5 tola | About Rs 343,000 at Rs 6,532 a tola |
| Gold only nisab | 87.48 g, 7.5 tola | About Rs 3.30 million at Rs 439,936 a tola |
Both rates are the daily figures in the gold rate on 12 October, which are reported and not read at source. They will have moved by February.
Worked examples show which nisab decides
The silver test is far lower than the gold only test. If you hold gold alone, the gold only test applies. If you hold anything else with it, such as cash or savings, the aggregate is compared to the silver value.
| What you hold | Value at 12 October rates | Zakat at 2.5% |
|---|---|---|
| Rs 600,000 in cash and savings only | Rs 600,000, above the silver test | Rs 15,000 |
| 5 tola gold plus Rs 100,000 cash | Rs 2,299,680, above the silver test | Rs 57,492 |
| 6 tola gold only | Rs 2,639,616, below the gold only test | None under the Ordinance |
| 10 tola gold only | Rs 4,399,360, above the gold only test | Rs 109,984 |
The family in the opening has 6 tola of gold and Rs 150,000. Their gold is Rs 2,639,616, and with cash the total is Rs 2,789,616, which is above the silver value of about Rs 343,000. Zakat at 2.5 per cent is about Rs 69,740 on these rates. Only 6 tola alone would not pay.
The bank deducts zakat from savings only above its own nisab
The First Schedule has banks, post offices and National Savings Centres deduct zakat at source from savings accounts, on a date notified each year, and from deposit receipts at the first return or at encashment. For 2026, the government's notified nisab for savings accounts was Rs 503,529. Below it, no deduction is made.
That figure is higher than the silver value above. By our arithmetic it matches a silver price of about Rs 9,590 a tola when it was set, against Rs 6,532 now. The nisab is notified afresh for each Zakat year, so expect a new figure before Ramadan.
Deducted amounts count as zakat paid on your behalf, under section 3(6) of the Ordinance. So take the bank's deduction off your total, so you do not pay twice. The rest of your assets, such as gold, cash and prize bonds, are not deducted at source. You pay those by self assessment. If your fiqh does not require deduction in this way, you can stop zakat deduction from your bank account with a CZ-50 declaration.
You pay the rest yourself, to a Zakat Fund or directly to eligible people
Section 3(5) of the Ordinance says a sahib-e-nisab may pay either to a Zakat Fund or directly to those eligible under Shariah to receive zakat. This covers the part not deducted at source, such as your gold and cash.
- List everything you hold on 1 Ramadan: gold and silver, cash, savings, prize bonds, shares and loans owed to you.
- Value each item at the market rate that day. Use face value for prize bonds.
- Add the totals. Compare them with the nisab: silver for mixed assets, gold only if gold is all you own.
- If you are above the nisab, multiply the total by 0.025.
- Subtract any amount the bank already deducted, then pay the balance.
Two points the Ordinance does not settle for you are debts you owe and how a particular school treats jewellery in daily wear. Ask a scholar you trust for those. We give the legal rule, and we do not give religious rulings.
Common questions
What is the zakat rate on gold in Pakistan?
2.5 per cent of the market value on the Valuation Date. The Ordinance's Second Schedule lists gold and silver and manufactures thereof at that rate.
What is the nisab for zakat in Pakistan?
The value of 612.32 grams of silver, notified each Zakat year, or 87.48 grams of gold for a person whose only zakat asset is gold. The 2026 bank deduction nisab was Rs 503,529.
Is zakat due on jewellery?
The Ordinance's schedule lists gold and silver and manufactures thereof. That covers jewellery. Ask a scholar about the view of your school on jewellery worn every day.
Do I pay zakat on prize bonds?
Yes, 2.5 per cent of the face value on the Valuation Date, under the Second Schedule. Prize bonds are not deducted at source.
Do I pay twice if my bank deducted zakat?
No. Section 3(6) treats the amount deducted at source as zakat paid on your behalf. Pay the balance on your other assets.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked on 12 October 2026. We read sections 2, 3(5) and 3(6), and the First and Second Schedules, of the Zakat and Ushr Ordinance, 1980 on the Pakistan Code website. The Rs 503,529 bank nisab is from the Ministry notification of February 2026, as read for the page on stopping zakat deduction, and was not re-read here. Gold and silver rates are the association figures as reported on 12 October. The examples are our own arithmetic. Punjab and Sindh have their own Zakat Acts, so check your provincial Act for its wording. We read the federal Ordinance only.
About the author
Global Affairs & Political Economy Writer
Muhammad Hatim is a book lover who started writing because he enjoys it. At Pakistan Era he writes about international relations, geopolitics and the global economy, with a particular interest in South Asia and the forces behind current events.
