National Savings Profit Rates in Pakistan

Behbood Savings Certificates pay 12.96 per cent and Defence Savings Certificates pay 10.24 per cent. We read these on the National Savings website on 27 August 2026, where the rate table is marked effective from 18 July 2026.

Unusually for this subject, every figure below comes from the responsible body's own page rather than from a summary. Rates do change, so the date attached to them matters as much as the numbers.

The rates, as published

The three highest rates are not open to everyone, and that is the single most important thing to understand before comparing them with anything else.

The best rates are restricted, on purpose

Behbood, the Pensioner Benefit Account and the Shuhada Family Welfare Account all pay 12.96 per cent, and all three are targeted rather than general. They exist for specific groups the state has chosen to support, which is why they pay more than the schemes anyone can buy.

Behbood is aimed at widows, senior citizens and persons with disabilities. The Pensioner Benefit Account is for pensioners. The Shuhada Family Welfare Account is for the families of martyrs. Each carries its own eligibility conditions and its own investment limit, and those are set by National Savings rather than negotiable at the counter.

So do not plan around 12.96 per cent unless you actually qualify. If a relative qualifies and you do not, the account belongs to them, not to you, and arrangements that ignore that create problems later rather than returns now.

A rate is not a return

This is where savers in Pakistan are most often disappointed, and it is worth being blunt about. A nominal rate tells you what the certificate pays. What it buys you depends on what prices do over the same period.

If inflation over the year runs near or above the rate, the real return is close to nothing even though the profit lands in your account exactly as promised. That is not a criticism of the scheme, it is arithmetic, and it applies equally to a bank deposit.

Compare these rates against what a bank actually offers you rather than against a headline. Our page on opening a bank account in Pakistan covers the account side, and the schedule of charges matters as much as the profit rate on small balances.

Tax comes off the profit

Profit on savings is subject to withholding, and the rate applied commonly depends on whether you are on the Active Taxpayer List. Being a filer generally means less is deducted, which on a long term certificate is a meaningful amount of money.

We are not quoting withholding percentages here because we did not read them at source and they change with each Finance Act. Ask at the National Savings Centre what will be deducted in your case before you invest, and check your own filer status. Our guide to filing an income tax return covers getting on the list.

Choosing between the schemes

1. Decide when you need the money back, because term length is the real constraint.
2. Check whether you qualify for a restricted scheme before comparing rates.
3. Decide if you need monthly income or can leave the profit to accumulate.
4. Ask what the penalty is for early encashment, since it can undo the advantage.
5. Confirm the withholding that applies to you before committing.

Regular Income Certificates suit somebody who needs a monthly payment. Short Term Savings Certificates suit money you will want back within the year. Defence Savings Certificates are a long horizon product, which is why the headline rate is not the point of them.

Where to buy, and who to avoid

These are bought at National Savings Centres and through the authorised channels the organisation names, with your CNIC. Nobody needs to be paid a commission to arrange one for you.

Be careful with anyone offering higher returns than the published rates, or offering to invest on your behalf in something they describe as similar. The published rate is the rate. A private arrangement promising more is a different proposition entirely, and Pakistan has a long record of those ending badly.

If you want a comparison with the other government-backed option people ask about, we cover prize bonds in Pakistan separately. They work on an entirely different basis, since they pay nothing at all unless your number comes up.

Common questions about National Savings rates

Which scheme pays the most?

Behbood, the Pensioner Benefit Account and the Shuhada Family Welfare Account all pay 12.96 per cent, and all three are restricted to specific groups.

Can anyone buy Behbood certificates?

No. Behbood is aimed at widows, senior citizens and persons with disabilities, with its own conditions and limits. Check eligibility before planning around the rate.

When were these rates set?

The table we read was marked effective from 18 July 2026. Rates are revised periodically, so check the current table before investing.

Is the profit taxed?

Withholding applies and commonly depends on your filer status. We are not quoting a percentage because we did not read one at source. Ask at the centre what applies to you.

Are these better than a bank deposit?

Compare the actual rate a bank offers you, the term, the charges and the tax treatment. A headline rate on its own does not answer it.

Last checked and sources

Last checked 27 August 2026. Every rate in the table was read by us on the profit rates page at savings.gov.pk on that date, where the table carries an effective date of 18 July 2026. The eligibility descriptions for Behbood, the Pensioner Benefit Account and the Shuhada Family Welfare Account are given in general terms because we did not read the full conditions and limits at source, and those are set by National Savings. No withholding tax percentage is quoted anywhere on this page for the same reason. This is general information and not investment or tax advice. Rates change, so confirm the current table before you commit money.