Preparations for Eid ul Fitr are accelerating across the country as the last ten days of Ramzan begin. Traditionally, on the occasion of Eid, the demand for new currency notes used to give ‘Eidi’ to children increases significantly.
Due to the difficulty of obtaining new notes from the State Bank of Pakistan and other commercial banks, many citizens are turning to the open market to get fresh currency notes.
Currently, black marketing of new currency notes has begun in exchange markets, with shopkeepers openly setting up stalls to sell fresh notes at higher prices.
The sources revealed that in the open markets of Rawalpindi, including Raja Bazaar, Saddar and Commercial Market, a pack of Rs10 notes worth Rs1,000 is being sold for Rs1,500, while a pack of old Rs10 notes is available for Rs1,300.
Similarly, a pack of new Rs 20 notes has increased by Rs 600 and is now being sold for Rs 2,600. A pack of Rs50 notes is being sold for Rs1,300, while ten new Rs100 notes are being offered for Rs1,400.
According to traders, demand for both new and old Rs10 notes has surged as people buy them to distribute Eidi among children and relatives during Eid celebrations.
Meanwhile, in Karachi, a bundle of Rs 100 notes originally worth Rs 10,000 is being sold in the open market for Rs 10,700 to Rs 11,000, with sellers charging an extra Rs 700 to Rs 1,000.
On the other hand, the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) has said that Eid ul Fitr 2026 in Pakistan will likely be on Saturday, March 21, based on astronomical calculations for the Shawwal moon.
SUPARCO reported that the Shawwal moon will be born on March 19 at 6:23 AM. By sunset that day, the moon will be around 12 hours and 41 minutes old. Along Pakistan’s coastal areas, the time between sunset and moonset will be about 28 minutes.
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