Dollar and Other Currency Rates in Pakistan Today, 16 Jan 2026

Karachi, 16 January 2026 – The National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), a state-owned commercial bank, has released its indicative TT Ready currency rates for today, showing the US Dollar buying at Rs 281.25 and selling at Rs 281.75, while the British Pound stands at Rs 378.50 / 379.00 – both pairs holding inside the narrow bands that have dominated 2026 so far.

Priority Currencies – Quick Take (NBP Indicative TT Rates)

1. US Dollar (USD) – 281.25 / 281.75

The greenboard is quoted 25 paisa above yesterday’s unofficial close, keeping the pair well inside the 281–282 corridor that has framed trade since early January. Corporates are selling every spike above 281.50, while oil importers pick up dips toward 281.00.

“NBP’s board rate is merely indicative; the inter-bank market is still expected to open flat once SBP releases its official M2M sheet,” said a senior treasury dealer.

2. British Pound (GBP) – 378.50 / 379.00

Sterling vaults into the spotlight after UK wage data cooled BoE rate-cut bets. Ready buying is set at 378.50, while six-month forwards are being quoted 40–50 paisa per month, implying 4 % annualised rupee softness. Textile exporters to Manchester are locking in receivables above 380, keeping forward premiums well bid.

3. Saudi Riyal (SAR) – 75.00 / 75.20

SAR is marked 5 paisa firmer at 75.00; one-year forwards are implied at 77.40, an annualised 3.2 %—still the tightest curve among major remittance corridors. Exchange booths report brisk walk-in demand from pilgrims ahead of the January Umrah rush.

4. UAE Dirham (AED) – 76.60 / 76.80

AED is quoted flat at 76.60; six-month forwards hover around 78.00, implying 3.1 % annualised rupee softness. UAE salary inflows continue to migrate to banking channels, anchoring the pair.

5. Qatari Riyal (QAR) – 76.90 / 77.10

QAR mirrors regional stability at 76.90; 12-month forwards are offered at 80.20, a 4.3 % annualised gap—identical to SAR and AED, underscoring uniform Gulf-peg calm.

6. Kuwaiti Dinar (KWD) – 918.00 / 920.00

KWD is marked 918.00, roughly Rs 2 above last close; indicative 12-month forwards sit near 960, equating to 4.6 % annualised PKR weakness—wider than GCC peers owing to thinner dinar liquidity.

7. Australian Dollar (AUD) – 189.00 / 189.50

The “Aussie” is quoted 189.00 as iron-ore steadies above $104/t. One-year forwards are implied at 196.50, a 4.0 % annualised gap—almost flat against the SAR curve, confirming commodity-driven moves.

8. Canadian Dollar (CAD) – 202.00 / 202.50

The “Loonie” is held at 202.00 as WTI crude hovers near $77/bbl. Twelve-month forwards are quoted around 214.00, still implying 5.9 % annualised rupee softness, but importers of prairie pulses are said to have covered February shipments early, capping further CAD gains.

Other Major Currencies

Euro is marked 327.00 / 327.50, little changed on the week; one-year forwards are implied at 347.00, translating into 6.1 % annualised rupee weakness. Japanese yen remains the cheapest major at 1.78 per unit, but forwards price 7.4 % annualised PKR decline—the steepest among G-10 pairs. Swiss franc is 352.00; Singapore dollar 218.00; Swedish krona 30.40; Norwegian krone 27.90; Danish krone 43.90; New Zealand dollar 161.50; Chinese yuan 40.20; Turkish lira 6.48; Russian ruble 3.50; Indian rupee 3.11; Bangladeshi taka 2.29—all inside well-worn ranges and implying no event-risk premium ahead of the IMF’s first-quarter 2026 review.

Market Context & Outlook (NBP Lens)

The uniformly slender forward premiums—barely 5–6 % annualised even for the least-liquid pairs—tell currency desks that both importers and exporters believe the banking system has enough cover to defend the rupee through the winter remittance season. Until SBP releases its official M2M sheet later today, dealers will use NBP’s board as a proxy, keeping the USD currency rate anchored to the 281–282 corridor and dragging the rest of the currency mosaic along in its slipstream.