Overview
- The State Bank of Pakistan has stopped issuing new Sohni Dharti reward points, a change the bank made effective July 1, 2026 in a circular to banks and exchange companies.
- Remittances processed up to June 30, 2026 will still be reported to 1LINK for points, accumulated points can be redeemed until June 30, 2027, and the scheme will be fully deactivated from July 1, 2027.
- The SDRP was a point-based loyalty scheme that rewarded overseas Pakistanis for using formal banking and exchange channels and let points pay for things like passport renewal, certain duties, emigrant registration and some school fees.
- Banks, exchange operators and industry groups have voiced disappointment and financial experts say the scheme helped shift money into official channels even though its fiscal cost was judged small; some media reports link the closure to Pakistan’s IMF commitments but the SBP has not confirmed that.
- Watch for changes in formal remittance volumes and whether the government or regulators introduce new incentives, because reduced rewards could push some transfers back to informal routes and affect foreign-exchange inflows.