Check a Prize Bond Is Real in Pakistan: 9 Security Features in 2 Minutes

Short answer: hold the bond up to a light and look for the watermark, then check the serial number on the back, which shows through as a reverse image in red. Under a UV (ultraviolet) lamp, the hidden denomination and the rosette should glow, and the number should turn green. National Savings publishes nine security features for each paper prize bond, and all four denominations measure 184 by 95 mm.

We read the security feature sheets for the Rs 100, Rs 200, Rs 750 and Rs 1,500 bonds on the National Savings website on 10 October 2026, plus its prize bond FAQs. With the Rs 750 draw on 15 October, plenty of bonds are changing hands. Here is how to check one before you pay or claim.

Why checking a prize bond matters before you buy

A prize bond is a bearer instrument, so whoever holds it owns it. National Savings says it cannot stop payment on a bond reported lost. If you pay for a fake, nobody refunds you, and a fake winning bond gets nothing at the State Bank counter.

Most people buy bonds at a National Savings Centre, a State Bank of Pakistan branch or a designated bank branch, where the risk is low. The risk rises during the shut period, the 60 days before a draw when official sale of that denomination stops. National Savings says bonds then trade at open market rates, which means private dealers and strangers.

That is exactly the window we are in for the Rs 750 bond, whose draw is on 15 October 2026.

The nine security features National Savings lists

National Savings lists nine features on its Rs 750 and Rs 1,500 sheets and eight on the Rs 100 and Rs 200 sheets, which show no security thread. Four you can see with the naked eye, two need light behind the bond, and three need a UV lamp.

Each denomination has its own watermark and colour

The watermark is the quickest single test. The Rs 750 bond carries a portrait of Quaid-e-Azam, the Rs 1,500 bond the state emblem, and the Rs 100 and Rs 200 bonds the words "Government of Pakistan". If the watermark is missing or printed on the surface, stop.

• Rs 100: pink and orange, titled "Student Welfare Prize Bond", with a "Government of Pakistan" watermark.
• Rs 200: purple and pink with a blue rosette, and a "Government of Pakistan" watermark.
• Rs 750: green, with a Quaid-e-Azam portrait watermark and an embedded security thread.
• Rs 1,500: blue, with the state emblem as watermark and a window security thread that shows in sections on the front.

All four are the same size, 184 by 95 mm. A bond that is clearly smaller or larger, or printed on paper that feels like ordinary photocopy stock, deserves a second look. The Rs 40,000 and Rs 25,000 premium bonds are different: they are registered in the buyer's name, and National Savings pays their prizes straight to the holder's bank account.

Check a bond in five steps before you pay

Look at the front, hold the bond to the light, turn it over, then use a UV lamp if you have one. Finally, check the number against past results on the National Savings website. The whole check takes about two minutes.

1. Look at the front: the reverse "Government of Pakistan" band, the white line border and the rainbow ink near the signature.
2. Hold it up to a light: the right watermark for the denomination, and the thread on Rs 750 and Rs 1,500 bonds.
3. Turn it over: the serial number should appear on the back as a reverse image in red.
4. Under a UV lamp, the hidden value and the rosette should glow and the number should turn green. Small UV torches are cheap; many shops use them for notes.
5. Check the number on the savings.gov.pk Draw Search, so you know whether it has already won in a past draw.

Our own tip: compare with a bond you already know is genuine, from a bank or National Savings Centre. Side by side, a fake usually shows itself through blurred fine lines or a flat watermark. The same habits help with currency, and the State Bank's banknote checks follow a similar idea.

What to do if you suspect a fake bond

Do not pay, and do not try to encash or claim on it. Take the bond to a State Bank of Pakistan branch or National Savings Centre and ask them to check it. You can also call the National Savings helpline on (051) 111 267 268.

If you have already paid, keep the bond, any receipt and the seller's details, and report it to the police. A bond that the State Bank rejects at the counter is the clearest evidence you will get.

Buying at official counters avoids the problem entirely. Bonds can be bought and encashed in any quantity at State Bank offices, National Savings Centres and designated bank branches, outside the shut period. The full rules on buying, selling and tax are in prize bonds in Pakistan.

Common questions

How can I tell if a prize bond is real?

Check the watermark against a light, the red reverse number on the back and, under UV light, the glowing denomination and rosette. Genuine bonds measure 184 by 95 mm.

What is the watermark on a Rs 750 prize bond?

A portrait of Quaid-e-Azam, visible when you hold the bond up to a light. The Rs 750 bond also has an embedded security thread.

Can I get my money back on a fake prize bond?

Not from National Savings. A prize bond is a bearer instrument, and it pays only on genuine bonds. Report the seller to the police.

Where is the safest place to buy prize bonds?

State Bank of Pakistan offices, National Savings Centres and designated commercial bank branches, outside the 60-day shut period before each draw.

Do premium prize bonds have the same fake risk?

Less so. Rs 25,000 and Rs 40,000 premium bonds are registered in your name, and their prizes and profit go straight to your bank account.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

Last checked on 10 October 2026. We read the security feature sheets for the Rs 100, Rs 200, Rs 750 and Rs 1,500 bonds on the National Savings prize bonds page and the prize bond section of the National Savings FAQs. Colour descriptions are our own reading of the official sheets. The UV torch and side-by-side comparison are our practical suggestions, not National Savings instructions.