KARACHI, February 23, 2026 — The Saudi Riyal (SAR) opened at Rs74.51 against the Pakistani Rupee (PKR) in today’s Karachi currency market, with the selling rate quoted around Rs75.08. The pair continues to trade in a narrow range, maintaining stability since late December 2025.
This level is below the mid-year peak of Rs76.03 recorded in July 2025, but higher than the softer levels last seen in October 2025. Currency dealers say the Saudi Riyal remains a critical source of monthly income for millions of Pakistani households.
Workers in Saudi Arabia’s construction, healthcare, hospitality, and domestic sectors continue sending remittances home. In May 2025 alone, Pakistan received $913.3 million from Saudi Arabia, the highest single-country contribution. Total remittances from July 2024 to May 2025 reached $34.9 billion, showing a 28.8% year-on-year growth.
At the current rate of Rs74.51, 1,000 Riyals converts to Rs74,510. Although lower than the Rs76+ levels earlier in 2025, these remittances remain essential for school fees, medical expenses, groceries, utilities, and household support.
Economists note the Saudi Riyal rate has mixed implications for Pakistan’s economy. Remittance-dependent families face a modest reduction in real purchasing power due to inflation. On the other hand, importers of Saudi crude oil, refined products, and petrochemicals benefit from lower rupee-denominated costs. This also provides some relief to Pakistan’s trade balance.
Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves, above $11 billion as of late 2024, continue to benefit from these inflows. A relatively weaker Rupee also helps maintain the competitiveness of Pakistani exports, including rice, textiles, leather, surgical goods, and fruits.
The Saudi Riyal is pegged to the US dollar at approximately 3.75 SAR = 1 USD, managed by the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (SAMA) for stability. The PKR operates under a managed float supervised by the State Bank of Pakistan, influenced by inflation, trade, and remittance flows.
In other news read more about Saudi Riyal Steady Against Pakistani Rupee Amid Stable Market Conditions
Looking ahead, analysts expect the SAR–PKR pair to remain in a stable range. Seasonal factors such as Hajj, Umrah, and fiscal-year bonuses continue to support remittance flows. Any significant change in the rate would likely depend on global dollar strength, oil prices, or domestic reserve conditions.
