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Send money to Pakistan, win up to Dh1.32 million
Explained: How Pakistan expats can win Dh1.32m on remittances
Dubai: Pakistanis in the UAE and other Gulf countries who regularly send money home through banks now have a chance to win cash prizes worth as much as Rs100 million (around Dh1.32 million) under a new remittance reward scheme.
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has launched the Pasban Remittance Reward Scheme, offering Rs16 billion (approximately Dh211 million) in annual prizes to encourage overseas Pakistanis to use formal banking channels when sending money to their families.
The Gulf is particularly significant under the new scheme, with 50 per cent of the regional prize allocation earmarked for remittances originating from GCC countries.
The first qualifying period runs from October 1 to December 31, 2026, with the first quarterly draw scheduled for January 15, 2027.
Participation is free. Beneficiaries do not have to buy a ticket, maintain a minimum bank balance or pay additional charges.
Who can qualify?
To qualify for a quarterly draw, a beneficiary in Pakistan must receive the equivalent of at least $100 (about Dh367) in home remittances each month for three consecutive months within a quarter into a bank account.
Each $100 of qualifying remittance generates one digital, non-transferable entry into the prize draw.
For example, if a Pakistani resident in the UAE sends the equivalent of $100 each month in October, November and December, the beneficiary will receive three entries for the quarter.
Higher remittances mean more entries. If a beneficiary receives $100 in October, $200 in November and $300 in December, the transactions will generate one, two and three entries respectively – giving the beneficiary six entries in the draw.
How much can beneficiaries win
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A total of 2,521 cash prizes worth Rs4 billion (around Dh52.6 million) will be awarded every quarter.
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The quarterly prizes include:
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First prize: One prize of Rs100 million, about Dh1.32 million
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Second prize: 20 prizes of Rs25 million each, about Dh329,000 each
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Third prize: 100 prizes of Rs10 million each, about Dh132,000 each
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Fourth prize: 2,400 prizes of Rs1 million each – about Dh13,200 each
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More than 10,000 winners are expected to share Rs16 billion over a full year.
The first prize will be open to beneficiaries receiving remittances from all regions. For regional prize allocations, the GCC receives the biggest share at 50 per cent, followed by the UK and Europe at 15 per cent each, and North America and other countries at 10 per cent each.
Remittances ‘backbone’ of families
SBP Governor Jameel Ahmad said the central bank and government had worked closely with the Pakistan Banks Association (PBA) to develop a “self-sustaining and market-oriented” scheme aimed at encouraging overseas Pakistanis to use formal channels.
He described workers’ remittances as the backbone of millions of families across Pakistan, helping households meet everyday expenses and pay for education and healthcare while providing resources for investment and economic opportunities.
Ahmad said Pakistan received a record $41.6 billion in workers’ remittances in FY2025-26, compared with $21.7 billion in FY2018-19, nearly doubling over the period.
He also highlighted the improvement in Pakistan’s external financial position, saying SBP’s foreign exchange reserves, which fell below $3 billion in February 2023, now stand at $21.4 billion.
Unlike some previous remittance incentive programmes, the Pasban prize pool is being funded entirely by Pakistan’s banking industry and will not place a burden on the national exchequer.
Expats sent $8.8 billion
Ali Zeb Khan, Trade and Investment Counsellor at the Pakistan Consulate General in Dubai, described Pasban as an “unprecedented and first-of-its-kind” initiative.
He said the market-oriented scheme could encourage greater use of legal remittance channels while expanding the number of financial institutions involved and strengthening the infrastructure required to handle growing remittance volumes.
The UAE has emerged as one of Pakistan’s biggest sources of overseas remittances.
“Workers’ remittances to Pakistan in 2025-26 crossed $41.5 billion, out of which the UAE’s share was $8.8 billion, representing 21 per cent of the total remittances,” Khan said.
Khan said the large allocation for the Gulf meant beneficiaries of remittances sent by Pakistanis living in the region would have significant opportunities to participate in the scheme.
“Since this Pasban scheme is designed to reward and further motivate the Pakistani diaspora to win Rs16 billion worth of prizes, the Gulf region stands to benefit the maximum percentage of prize allocation,” he said.
Legal channels
He added that encouraging greater use of legal remittance channels could also contribute to improving Pakistan’s broader macroeconomic indicators.
Rashid ul Islam, Business Lead at National Bank of Pakistan UAE, also welcomed Pasban, describing it as a “timely and encouraging initiative” for overseas Pakistanis, particularly those living in the UAE and other GCC countries.
“It will further promote safe, legal and formal remittance channels while recognising the valuable contribution of overseas Pakistanis to Pakistan’s economy,” he said.
Islam also stressed the importance of UAE-based Pakistanis complying with local regulations when sending money home.
He also expressed appreciation to the Government of Pakistan, SBP and other institutions involved in the initiative.
No ticket or registration fee
Eligible entries will be generated digitally based on qualifying remittances. Banks cannot charge beneficiaries a fee, require them to purchase a ticket or insist on a minimum account balance.
The quarterly draws will be conducted through what the SBP describes as a secure, fully digital and auditable process.
For UAE-based Pakistanis, the formula is relatively straightforward: send at least $100 equivalent through formal banking channels every month for three consecutive months, and the beneficiary in Pakistan becomes eligible for entries in the quarterly draw.
The first qualifying period begins on October 1, giving UAE and Gulf-based Pakistanis three months to build entries ahead of the inaugural draw on January 15, 2027.
