Prize Bonds in Pakistan: How They Work, How to Check, and the Tax When You Win

Two rules surprise almost everyone: a bond bought less than 60 days before a draw is not in that draw, and winning as a non filer costs you double the tax.

What a prize bond actually is

A prize bond is a government savings instrument that pays no interest. Instead, every bond number is entered into a quarterly draw, and the prize fund is distributed to the numbers drawn. Your capital stays intact: a Rs 1,500 bond is always worth Rs 1,500 back, whenever you encash it.

The denominations that still exist

The government withdrew the larger bearer denominations in phases over recent years, directing holders to convert or encash them. If you are holding an old Rs 7,500, 15,000, 25,000 or 40,000 bearer bond from that era, do not throw it away and do not assume it is dead money: take it to a commercial bank or a State Bank Banking Services office and ask what the current conversion position is.

Bearer bonds cut both ways. No registration means no paperwork, and it also means a lost or stolen bond is simply gone, like cash. Premium bonds are registered against your CNIC, so they survive being lost, and they pay a periodic profit on top of the draw entry, with tax withheld on that profit.

When the draws happen, and the rule that catches people

Each denomination is drawn four times a year. National Savings' schedule for 2026, dated 21 October 2025 and posted on savings.gov.pk, sets these remaining draws:

The Rs 750 bond had its last 2026 draw on 15 October in Rawalpindi. The schedule says a draw that falls on a public holiday moves to the next working day. The city only decides where the ceremony happens, not who can win. Every 2026 date is in our prize bond draw schedule for 2026.

The rule that catches people is the 60 day rule. A bond has to have been purchased at least 60 days before a draw to be entered in it. Buy a Rs 1,500 bond this week and it is not in the 16 November draw; its first draw is in 2027. Sellers rarely mention this, and a lot of disappointment traces back to it.

How to check whether you have won

1. Know your denomination and the draw date. Results are published per denomination, per draw.
2. Open the official list on savings.gov.pk, the National Savings site, which publishes results for download after each draw. Type the address yourself.
3. Match the full bond number. Every digit. Adjacent numbers win nothing, whatever family lore says.
4. Check old draws too. You have six years, so a bond bought in 2021 has around twenty draws behind it that you may never have checked.

Be careful where you check. The search results for prize bond queries are full of unofficial sites, and while most are harmless list mirrors, the official list is the only one worth trusting with a claim decision. The government's own page is the authority, and everything else is a copy of it. If you are unsure a bond is genuine, our guide shows how to check a prize bond is real.

What the prizes are

National Savings sets a fixed prize structure per denomination. The first prizes are reported as Rs 700,000 on the Rs 100 bond and Rs 3,000,000 on the Rs 1,500 bond, with second and third tiers below them reaching thousands of winners per draw. These figures are reported, so confirm them on the helpline, (051) 111 267 268.

The tax, and why your filer status suddenly matters

Prize money is taxed at source, and the rate depends entirely on whether you are on the Active Taxpayer List. National Savings' prize bond page states it plainly: "Rate of Tax is 15% of prize value for Filers, and 30% of prize value for Non-Filers." Our guide to the tax on a prize bond win covers the law behind it.

Not being a filer costs Rs 105,000 on a single Rs 100 bond win. A late income tax return can still be filed, and our guide to becoming a filer covers the process. Checking your status takes one SMS.

Claiming a win

Small prizes are paid at National Savings centres and designated bank branches against the bond and your original CNIC. Larger prizes involve a claim form and processing time rather than cash across the counter, and the bond is surrendered as part of the claim. The full steps are in how to claim a prize bond prize. A bearer bond is like cash, and payment on a lost or stolen prize bond cannot be stopped.

Are they worth holding

An honest framing rather than a recommendation: the expected return on prize bonds is below what a savings certificate or a bank deposit pays, because most bonds never win anything. What you are buying is a capital-safe ticket with a small chance of a large outcome, and for money that would otherwise sit in a drawer as cash, that is not a bad trade. For money that should be earning, it is a poor one. National Savings certificates paid 12.12% a year on Regular Income Certificates from 21 October 2026, according to the same site, and shares on the stock exchange carry more risk for more possible return, as our guide to starting to invest on the PSX explains.

Questions readers are asking

When is the next prize bond draw?

The Rs 1,500 draw in Hyderabad and the Rs 100 draw in Faisalabad, both on Monday 16 November 2026, according to the National Savings 2026 schedule. The Premium bonds follow on 10 December and the Rs 200 bond on 15 December.

How do I check my prize bond numbers?

Against the official lists on savings.gov.pk after each draw. Match the complete bond number for your denomination and draw, and check past draws too, since claims stay valid for six years.

Why is my new bond not in this draw?

Because of the 60 day rule. A bond bought less than 60 days before a draw enters the following quarter's draw instead.

How long do I have to claim a prize?

Six years from the draw date. After that the prize lapses and the money returns to the government.

How much tax is taken from prize bond winnings?

15 per cent if you are on the Active Taxpayer List, 30 per cent if you are not. On a Rs 3,000,000 first prize that difference is Rs 450,000, which is a strong argument for filing a return before you claim.

What happens if a draw falls on a holiday?

The National Savings schedule says the draw is held on the following working day.

What is the difference between a bearer bond and a premium bond?

A bearer bond belongs to whoever holds the paper and needs no registration. A premium bond is registered against your CNIC at a bank, survives being lost, and pays a periodic profit in addition to entering draws.

How we verified this

What we checked and where we read it.

Last checked 8 November 2026. We read the National Savings prize bonds page, including its tax statement and the official draw schedule for January to December 2026, dated 21 October 2025, and the profit rates notice on the same site dated 21 October 2026. The first prize amounts, the 60 day rule and the six year claim window are as reported; confirm them on the helpline (051) 111 267 268.