Zakat on National Savings in Pakistan: Which Schemes Are Exempt and Which Are Not

Short answer: National Savings says Zakat is exempt on Behbood, Regular Income, Short Term, Pensioners' Benefit, Shuhada and Premium Prize Bond holdings. It says Zakat is collected at source or applies on Defence Savings, Special Savings Certificates, the Savings Account and the Special Savings Account.

If you hold National Savings certificates, Zakat is a yearly worry. Some schemes have it taken at source, so you do not pay it a second time. Others are exempt, so no deduction is made. Knowing which is which helps you plan your own Zakat.

We read the National Savings FAQ page and the product pages on savings.gov.pk on 13 October 2026. The table below follows the department's own words for each scheme.

Six schemes are exempt from Zakat deduction

The FAQ says Behbood Savings Certificates, Regular Income Certificates, Short Term Savings Certificates, the Pensioners' Benefit Account, the Shuhada Family Welfare Account and the Premium Prize Bond are exempt. No Zakat is taken from these at source.

Exempt from Zakat deduction does not decide your own religious duty. It only says the department will not collect it. If you follow a scholar who says Zakat is due on savings you hold, you may still wish to pay it yourself. Ask a trusted scholar.

1. Behbood Savings Certificates: exempted from Zakat.
2. Regular Income Certificates: exempted from compulsory deduction at source.
3. Short Term Savings Certificates: exempted from collection.
4. Pensioners' Benefit Account and Shuhada Family Welfare Account: exempted.
5. Premium Prize Bond: exempted.

Four schemes have Zakat collected under the rules

The FAQ says Zakat applies to Defence Savings Certificates, Special Savings Certificates and the Savings Account. For the Special Savings Account it is collected at source when you withdraw principal. These are the schemes where a deduction can appear.

For Defence Savings Certificates and Special Savings Certificates the wording is that Zakat is collected at source as per rules. For the Savings Account, the wording is that Zakat is applicable on investment made. We did not find a rate or a date for the deduction on these pages, so we do not state one. The Zakat rules themselves come from the Zakat and Ushr law and the date of deduction is not on the product pages.

Ordinary prize bonds are not covered in the Zakat answers

The FAQ gives a Zakat answer for the Premium Prize Bond but not for ordinary prize bonds. We found no line on the pages we read that says whether Zakat applies to them, so we cannot tell you. Ask the National Savings helpline.

If you hold ordinary prize bonds, the FAQ does cover other points. A bond must be issued at least 60 days before a draw to win, and a prize can be claimed within six years. Read how to claim a prize bond prize for the form and papers.

Zakat deduction and income tax are separate deductions

Zakat and withholding tax are two different things. The FAQ gives a separate withholding tax answer for each scheme. For many schemes it is 15 percent for filers and 30 percent for non-filers. Some schemes are exempt from tax too.

The Pensioners' Benefit Account and the Shuhada Family Welfare Account are exempt from withholding tax and from Zakat. Behbood certificates are exempt from both too. Defence, Special Savings Certificates, Short Term, Regular Income and the Savings Accounts carry the withholding tax on profit. So a scheme can be exempt from Zakat and still lose a share of profit to tax.

To see how much you keep after tax and inflation, use the page on whether your savings beat inflation. For the current profit by scheme, see National Savings profit rates from 1 October 2026.

Use the right form if Zakat is deducted when you are exempt

If a deduction is made when you are not liable, a declaration form is the usual route. The form for bank accounts is called CZ-50. The National Savings pages we read do not describe a form for certificates, so ask the National Savings Centre.

Our page on how to stop Zakat deduction from your bank account explains the CZ-50 declaration for banks. We did not find that National Savings uses the same form, so do not assume it does. Ask the Centre which declaration it accepts, and keep a stamped copy. To work out your own yearly figure, see how to calculate Zakat on gold, silver and savings.

Before you buy a scheme to save Zakat, remember that product choice should rest on rate, term and your need for cash. The Zakat line is one part of the picture.

Common questions

Is Zakat deducted on Behbood Savings Certificates?

No. The FAQ says Behbood Savings Certificates are exempted from Zakat.

Is Zakat deducted on Defence Savings Certificates?

Yes, it can be. The FAQ says Zakat is applicable on Defence Savings Certificates and collected at source as per rules.

Are Regular Income Certificates exempt from Zakat?

Yes. The FAQ says any investment in Regular Income Certificates is exempt from compulsory Zakat deduction at source.

Does the Savings Account have Zakat deducted?

The FAQ says Zakat is applicable on investment made in the Savings Account. We found no rate or date on the pages we read.

Is the Premium Prize Bond exempt from Zakat?

Yes. The product page says Zakat is exempted on the Premium Prize Bond, and withholding tax is applicable.

Does an exemption mean I owe no Zakat myself?

Not necessarily. The exemption only stops the department from collecting it. Ask a trusted scholar about your own duty.

How we verified this

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

Last checked on 13 October 2026, Pakistan time. We read the National Savings FAQ page and the product pages on savings.gov.pk, run by the Central Directorate of National Savings (CDNS). The FAQ page shows "Last Updated: 26 August, 2025", so a rule may have changed since. We did not test a deduction at a counter, and we found no deduction date or rate on these pages. Confirm with your National Savings Centre or the helpline (051) 111 267 268 before you pay.