ISLAMABAD: The Central Directorate of National Savings (CDNS) has revised the National Savings profit rates across a wide range of certificates and accounts, with the new rates taking effect from 21 October 2026. The revision brings higher returns for Behbood Savings Certificates, Pensioners’ Benefit Accounts, Regular Income Certificates, Defence Savings Certificates and Sarwa Islamic products, while the ordinary Savings Account rate stays unchanged.
The announcement is significant for millions of small savers, pensioners and widows who rely on National Savings profit rates for monthly household income. With inflation still biting into purchasing power, even a fractional increase in the National Savings profit rates translates into meaningful extra cash for fixed-income families.
National Savings profit rates are revised periodically in line with government securities yields. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
New National Savings Profit Rates From 21 October 2026
Under the revised National Savings profit rates, the biggest winners are the welfare-oriented schemes. Behbood Savings Certificates, Pensioners’ Benefit Accounts and Shuhada Family Welfare Accounts will now pay Rs1,080 per month on every Rs100,000 invested, equivalent to an annual rate of 12.96 per cent — up from 12.72 per cent in the previous revision.
Regular Income Certificates, the most popular monthly-income instrument for the general public, will now pay Rs1,010 per month per Rs100,000, reflecting an annual rate of 12.12 per cent, compared with 11.76 per cent earlier. For a saver with Rs1 million in Regular Income Certificates, that means Rs10,100 a month instead of Rs9,800 — an extra Rs3,600 a year.
Special Savings Certificates will offer an annual profit rate of 12 per cent for the first five half-yearly payments — Rs6,000 per Rs100,000 every six months — while the sixth and final payment carries a rate of 12.8 per cent, or Rs6,400 per Rs100,000.
Fresh Pakistani currency notes. The revised National Savings profit rates apply to investments made from 21 October 2026. (Photo: The Pakistan PK)
Defence Savings Certificates Get Higher Long-Term Returns
The revised National Savings profit rates also lift long-term returns on Defence Savings Certificates, which pay profit on maturity rather than monthly. Under the new structure, the cumulative return ranges from 10 per cent after one year to 215 per cent after ten years, depending on how long the investment is held.
According to the official notification, the six-year Defence Savings Certificate rate has risen from 86 per cent to 88 per cent, the seven-year rate from 109 per cent to 113 per cent, the eight-year rate from 136 per cent to 142 per cent, the nine-year rate from 168 per cent to 176 per cent, and the ten-year rate from 205 per cent to 215 per cent. Defence Savings Certificates remain a favourite for savers who want to lock money away for children’s education or other long-term goals.
Short-Term Certificates and Savings Account
Short-Term Savings Certificates, favoured by savers who want liquidity, now carry annual National Savings profit rates of 11.12 per cent for three months, 11.50 per cent for six months and 11.72 per cent for one year. The ordinary National Savings Account — the running account — continues to offer an annual rate of 10 per cent, unchanged in this revision.
For Islamic savers, Sarwa Islamic Term Accounts now offer expected annual rates between 11.84 per cent and 12.12 per cent depending on tenure and payment arrangements, while the Sarwa Islamic Savings Account carries an expected annual rate of 11.84 per cent.
Behbood Savings Certificates, aimed at senior citizens and widows, now pay 12.96 per cent a year. (Photo: Pexels)
Who Benefits Most From the New Rates?
The new National Savings profit rates matter most to the three restricted welfare schemes. Behbood Savings Certificates are open to widows, senior citizens aged 60 and above, and persons with disabilities; the Pensioners’ Benefit Account serves retired government employees; and the Shuhada Family Welfare Account supports the families of martyrs. Each carries a maximum investment limit of Rs7.5 million.
Because these schemes pay no withholding tax complications beyond the standard regime — and because they are backed by the sovereign guarantee of the Government of Pakistan — they remain the safest monthly-income option for vulnerable households. A widow with Rs2 million in Behbood Savings Certificates will now receive Rs21,600 a month, up from Rs21,200.
Pensioners are among the biggest beneficiaries of the revised National Savings profit rates. (Photo: Pexels)
Tax Deductions and What Savers Should Do Next
Savers should remember that withholding tax applies to the profit: 15 per cent for tax filers and 30 per cent for non-filers, with zakat and other deductions subject to the relevant rules. The headline National Savings profit rates are therefore gross figures, and net returns will be lower after tax — particularly for non-filers, who lose nearly a third of the profit at source.
Financial advisers generally recommend that savers becoming filers before investing large sums, since the 15-point tax gap compounds significantly over the years. Existing certificate holders should also note that the revised National Savings profit rates apply to new investments and reinvestments from 21 October 2026; the terms of certificates purchased earlier remain governed by the rates in force at the time of purchase.
With banks offering lower returns on deposits and the stock market remaining volatile, the upward revision in National Savings profit rates reinforces the appeal of government-backed savings for risk-averse Pakistani households. Savers can visit any National Savings Centre or check the official CDNS rate sheet for the complete scheme-wise schedule.
The revised National Savings profit rates make government-backed savings more attractive for risk-averse households. (Photo: HiBusiness)
Sources: Daily Pakistan (21 October 2026); ProPakistani (21 October 2026). Related on UrduPro: prize bond schedules and results.
Written by UrduPro Business Desk. The UrduPro Business Desk covers finance, banking and the economy. Figures are taken from the official CDNS notification as reported on 21 October 2026; readers should confirm current rates at a National Savings Centre before investing.
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