The treasury management division of the National Bank of Pakistan released its daily foreign exchange benchmark rates on Thursday, offering a snapshot of opening currency values used as a reference for trading activity across Pakistan’s banking and financial markets.
These rates are part of the bank’s routine forex update, providing insight into the day’s prevailing open market indicators and serving as a guide for market participants monitoring currency valuations. The figures reflect telegraphic transfer selling and buying rates, which are widely tracked by banks, financial institutions, and corporate treasury desks to understand short-term movements in the foreign exchange market.
According to the published rates for March 5, 2026, the US dollar opened at a TT selling rate of Rs279.80 and a TT buying rate of Rs279.30. The euro was quoted at Rs324.93 for selling and Rs324.35 for buying, reflecting the relative strength of the European currency in the local forex market.
Meanwhile, the British pound remained one of the highest-valued major currencies against the Pakistani rupee. The pound sterling was listed at Rs373.23 for TT selling and Rs372.57 for TT buying. The Swiss franc followed with a selling rate of Rs358.75 and a buying rate of Rs358.11.
Among other widely traded currencies, the Japanese yen was priced at Rs1.7814 for selling and Rs1.7782 for buying. The Canadian dollar was quoted at Rs205.00 on the selling side and Rs204.64 on the buying side. The Australian dollar stood at Rs197.35 selling and Rs197.00 buying.
In the Scandinavian currency segment, the Swedish krona was listed at Rs30.44 for TT selling and Rs30.38 for buying, while the Norwegian krone recorded Rs29.05 selling and Rs28.99 buying. The Danish krone was valued at Rs43.49 for selling and Rs43.41 for buying.
Within the Asia-Pacific region, the Singapore dollar was quoted at Rs219.19 for selling and Rs218.80 for buying. The Hong Kong dollar stood at Rs35.79 selling and Rs35.72 buying, while the Korean won was priced at Rs0.1910 selling and Rs0.1907 buying.
China’s yuan was listed at Rs40.58 on the selling side and Rs40.51 on the buying side, reflecting its continued importance in regional trade settlements involving Pakistan. The Malaysian ringgit and Thai baht were quoted at Rs70.99 and Rs8.86 for selling, with buying rates at Rs70.86 and Rs8.85 respectively.
Currencies from the Gulf region also featured prominently in the benchmark update due to Pakistan’s strong trade and remittance ties with Middle Eastern economies. The UAE dirham was listed at Rs76.19 for selling and Rs76.05 for buying, while the Saudi riyal was quoted at Rs74.54 selling and Rs74.41 buying. The Qatari riyal appeared at Rs76.72 selling and Rs76.59 buying, while the Kuwaiti dinar remained the highest valued currency in the list at Rs913.93 selling and Rs912.30 buying.
Alongside the daily transaction rates, the bank also released conversion values for frozen foreign currency deposits with a settlement date of Monday, March 9, 2026. Under these rates, the US dollar was valued at Rs279.3962, the British pound at Rs373.0219, the euro at Rs324.2393, and the Japanese yen at Rs1.7756.
The update is intended to provide transparency in foreign currency valuation while supporting informed decision-making for financial institutions, businesses, and individuals tracking currency fluctuations. However, the bank clarified that these benchmark rates are not applicable for transactions exceeding 5,000 US dollars or the equivalent value in other currencies on a cumulative basis.
Additionally, the National Bank of Pakistan noted that certain currencies listed in the benchmark table, including the New Zealand dollar, Malaysian ringgit, Thai baht, Qatari riyal, and Kuwaiti dinar, are not currently available to the bank’s customers for direct transactions.
Such daily forex disclosures remain a routine part of the banking sector’s market communication, helping establish reference values for Pakistan’s foreign exchange environment while offering a consistent overview of how global currencies are positioned against the rupee at the start of each trading day.
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